Health and Safety in the Leisure Sector
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently updated their website with new information to help those involved in operating and managing leisure activities to understand what duties they have under health and safety law, and how to comply with them.
The leisure sector is wide ranging and in some cases can be high-risk – examples include swimming facilities, leisure centres, hotels, children’s play areas and countryside parks.
The Health & Safety at Work (HSW) etc. Act 1974 and the regulations made under it apply to employers and the self-employed. The law requires them to do what is reasonably practicable to ensure health and safety. The HSW Act sets out the general duties that employers have towards their employees. It also requires employers and the self-employed to protect people other than those at work (e.g. volunteer staff like coaches, club members, visiting teams and spectators) from risks to their health and safety arising out of, or in connection with, their work activities.
Health and safety law doesn’t, generally, impose duties upon someone who is not an employer, self-employed or an employee. However, anyone (including volunteers) with control of non-domestic premises like a school or community hall has legal responsibilities under health and safety law to make the premises and any equipment or substances provided for their use there, safe, so far as is ‘reasonably practicable’.
The S2 Partnership has a team of experienced health & safety consultants who can assist with understanding and managing the risks specific to the leisure industry and its activities. This includes provision of relevant risk assessments (including water hygieneThe growth of bacteria in water systems is a common cause of potentially-fatal Legionnaires’ disease. Recent outbreaks of Legionella have highlighted the need for stringent water hygiene risk mana... More, health, safety and fire), and putting health and safety, fire and water hygiene management plans in place to ensure compliance and effective risk management. For further information, assistance or guidance, please click here.
To view the updated HSE website, please click here.