Aim

The aim of this guide is to provide information on Health and safety principles.  All those involved in practical deer management, whether as an employer, an employee or in a self-employed or recreational capacity, should be aware of Health and Safety issues and should ensure that all activities in which they are involved , adhere to Health and Safety regulations and guidelines.¹

What is health and safety all about?

Health and safety is about preventing people from being harmed by work or becoming ill, by taking the right precautions and providing a satisfactory working environment.

Legal requirements

The basis of British health and safety law is the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which sets out the general duties which employers have towards employees and members of the public, and employees have to themselves and to each other.
The principle behind these duties is ‘so far as is reasonably practicable, whereby employers should look at what the risks are and take sensible measures to tackle them.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 set out more explicitly what employers are required to do to manage health and safety under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Like the Act, they apply to every work activity.
The main requirement on employers is to carry out a risk assessment.*

Who do health and safety laws apply to?

Whilst health & safety laws apply to all businesses (however small), to the self-employed and to employees, it is recommended that even those participating in practical deer management recreationally should adhere to H& S principles.

All employers/self-employed must:

• Carry out risk assessment under legislation relating to specific activities or types of risk, including those listed in the table overleaf.2

All employers must:

• Have employers’ liability compulsory insurance and should display the certificate.3
• Display the health and safety law poster or provide employees with individual copies of the same information in a leaflet called Health and safety law: What you should know.4
• Provide first-aid equipment, facilities and personnel appropriate for the circumstances in the workplace.

Employees

• Have a duty to assess risks and work safely with consideration for their own wellbeing and that of those around them. Have a responsibility to co-operate with their employers over safety matters (Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974). There is no differentiation between employees and contractors. The employer will still be responsible for safety, though in the case of contractors this may be shared.

Do I have to report injuries at work?

It is a legal requirement to securely record all accidents and good practice to record near misses in the workplace. From April 2012, deaths and some injuries, listed occupational diseases, dangerous occurrences and listed near-misses, must be reported to HSE under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR). 5

Common areas of risk at work

The following table outlines the key common areas of risk at work and provides links to find out more to ensure that work is made safe.
A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm, whereas risk is the likelihood of someone being harmed by the hazard, combined with how serious that harm might be.