Close Menu
Flat Living
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Flat Living Sponsorship
    • Get In Touch
    • Directory
    • Subscribe
    LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Flat Living
    • Block Management
      • Manage Your Block
        • Self Manage
        • Using a Managing Agent
        • Right to Manage
        • Forming a RMC
        • Managing Listed Flats
        • Communal Areas
      • Lease
        • About Your Lease
        • Buying Your Freehold
        • Extending Your Lease
      • Service Charges
        • About Service Charges
        • Service Charge Accounting
        • Collections and Arrears
        • Section 20
      • Health & Safety
        • Asbestos – Air – Water
        • Employing Contractors
        • Fire Protection
        • Fire Regulation
        • Health & Safety Law
      • Insurance
        • Buying Insurance for Your Block
        • Insurance Risk Management
        • Reinstatement Cost Assessment
        • Insurance for Communal Areas
        • Water Damage Prevention
        • Insurance for Buy to Let Landlords
        • Directors & Officers Liability Insurance
        • Making a Claim
      • Disputes
        • Landlord Disputes
        • Neighbour Disputes
        • Property Disputes
      • Major Works
        • About Major Works
        • Party Walls and Neighbour Matters
        • Section 20
      • Cleaning & Maintenance
        • Cleaning
        • Grounds
        • Maintenance
      • Communal Facilities
        • Lifts
        • EV Charging
        • Door Access and Gates
        • Heating & Utilities
        • Lighting
        • TV and Telecoms
      • Emergencies
        • Break-Ins
        • Lift
        • Out of Hours
        • Roof
        • Water
      • Software
      • Case Law
      • Customer Service & Marketing
      • FAQ
    • Leaseholders
      • Manage Your Block
        • Self Manage
        • Using a Managing Agent
        • Right to Manage
        • Forming a RMC
        • Managing Listed Flats
        • Communal Areas
      • Lease
        • About Your Lease
        • Buying Your Freehold
        • Extending Your Lease
      • Service Charges
        • About Service Charges
        • Collections and Arrears
        • Service Charge Accounting
        • Section 20
      • Disputes
        • Landlord Disputes
        • Neighbour Disputes
        • Property Disputes
      • Major Works
        • About Major Works
        • Party Walls and Neighbour Matters
        • Section 20
      • Communal Facilities
        • Lifts
        • EV Charging
        • Door Access and Gates
        • Heating & Utilities
        • Lighting
        • TV and Telecoms
      • Software
      • Landlords
        • Buying a Flat
        • Letting a Flat
        • Selling a Flat
      • Emergencies
        • Break-Ins
        • Lift
        • Out of Hours
        • Roof
        • Water
      • FAQ
    • Lifestyle
    • News
      • Industry News
      • Interviews
      • Opinion
      • Jobs
      • Flat Living Back Issues
    • Events, Training and Jobs
      • Events
      • Training
      • Jobs
    • Block Services
      • Flat Living Directory
    • Industry Associations
      • ARMA
      • ARHM
      • ALEP
      • FPRA
      • IRPM
      • Leasehold Advisory Service
      • Property Redress Scheme
      • National Leasehold Group
      • RICS
      • The Property Ombudsman
    Flat Living
    Home » The importance of Health and Safety management

    The importance of Health and Safety management

    0
    By 4site Consulting on December 1, 2016 Health and Safety Law

    Peter Silk is a NEBOSH qualified Health, Safety and Fire risk assessor with over 30 years’ experience with London Fire Brigade and fire service related industry. Peter’s role with 4site Consulting is to undertake health, safety and fire risk assessments on residential and commercial properties.

    Good Health and Safety management not only protects businesses, owners and their staff from criminal prosecution and personal injury claims, it also promotes the image and reputation of the company.

    In relation to property management in particular, issues such as fire safety, asbestos management, water safety, electrical safety, trips and falls can all result in incidents that can have serious effects on the Health and Safety of residents, visitors, employees and contractors. If not managed properly these can result in injuries or even fatalities, legal prosecution and financial loss through both fines and civil compensation, poor image and reputation.

    Legal Duty

    There is a legal duty to put in place suitable arrangements to manage Health and Safety. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require that there are arrangements to control Health and Safety risks.

    As a minimum, there should be processes and procedures in place to meet the legal requirements, including:

    • A written Health and Safety policy;
    • Assessments of the risks to employees, contractors, residents, and any other people who could be affected – and the significant findings recorded in writing. Any risk assessment must be ‘suitable and sufficient’;
    • Arrangements for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the preventive and protective measures that come from risk assessment;
    • Access to competent Health and Safety advice;
    • Providing information about the risks and how they are controlled;
    • Instruction and training in how to deal with the risks;
    • Ensuring there is adequate and appropriate management in place;
    • Consulting with employees, contractors, residents, and any other people who could be affected, about the risks and current preventive and protective measures.

    All blocks of flats, including houses that have been converted into flats, are required to have a Health and Safety, including Fire Safety, risk assessment carried out of the communal areas. This is a legal requirement under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. It may be argued that the communal areas of such properties are not a place of work. However, the Courts and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) do include such communal areas in Health and Safety regulations. This means that if any resident, visitor, employee, or contractor enters them, a risk assessment must be made.

    Communal Areas

    Communal areas do not just mean the internal parts of the building – they also include the roof, structure and other external areas. When carrying out a risk assessment, all areas including gardens, grounds, plant rooms, electrical intake cupboards/rooms and lift motor rooms should be included, particularly as these areas are likely to be attended by employees or contractors carrying out their work.

    The duty to comply with these Health & Safety regulations falls on the landlord or person responsible for managing the building. That could be a managing agent, a Residents’ Management Company (RMC) or a Right to Manage Company (RTM). Health & Safety should never be ignored or dismissed simply because it costs money. The cost of failing to comply if there is an accident or injury could be far greater.

    Can you afford such failures?

    Understanding the importance of effective Health and Safety management you will help create a safe environment, reduce the risk of personal injury, limit property damage, minimise business interruption, and build protection against insurance claims. More importantly, complying with the law and will hopefully avoid prosecution. Remember, Directors and Managers can be held personally responsible for failures to control Health and Safety. 

    4site Consulting Limited is an independent Health & Safety Consultancy providing a ‘one stop shop’ range of specialist compliance services for owners, occupiers/tenants and managers of commercial property and residential blocks.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    4site Consulting
    • Website
    • X (Twitter)
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn

    4site Consulting provide independent residential and commercial assessments and surveys for owners and managers of property. A family run company at its core, 4site Consulting completes in excess of 9,000 property visits each year for property professionals across the UK. They employ all advisors directly, never sub-contracting, to control and maintain consistency and quality of reporting, providing the best service and keeping prices realistic and stable. 4site Consulting | 01376 572 936 | [email protected]

    Related Posts

    A Key Case Confirms the Scope of the Building Safety Act

    Building Safety: Where Are We Now?

    Fire Safety Signage: What Should Be Where (And Why It Matters)

    Comments are closed.

    You are here:

    Home → Health & Safety → Health & Safety Law

    4Site Consulting advertising banner

    Latest Articles

    August 5, 2025

    Communal Services: An Essential Maintenance Checklist For Block Property Managers

    August 5, 2025

    Residential Fire Door Inspections Explained: Your Legal and Practical Guide

    July 30, 2025

    How RMC Directors Can Safeguard Their Interests When Changing Managing Agent

    July 29, 2025

    What Does the Energy Act 2023 Mean for Property Management?

    • Manage Your Block
    • Lease
    • Health & Safety
    • Insurance
    • Disputes
    • Major Works
    • Cleaning and Maintenance
    • Communal Facilities
    • Software
    • Landlords
    • Events, Training and Jobs
    • Customer Service & Marketing
    • Case Law
    • News
    • Interviews
    • Opinion
    About Flat Living

    Flat Living is a trading name of www.flat-living.co.uk Ltd.  Registered Office: 29 Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton WV1 4DJ

    Registered in England and Wales CRN No. 06738048.

    Quick Site Links
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Industry Associations
    • Flat Living Sponsorship
    Search This Website
    • Home
    • Get In Touch
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Notice

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.