What do I have to do? Advice for employers

1. Responsibilities and legislation

Under EU directives, employers have responsibilities for the safety and health of their workers. Directive 89/391 provides the general framework for health and safety management and risk assessment.  

Employers are required to assess risks and take practical measures to protect the safety and health of their workers, keep accident records, provide information and training, consult employees and co-operate and co-ordinate measures with contractors.

Council Directive 92/57/EEC sets minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction site. It highlights the coordination required by the various parties before and during construction:

• clients/project supervisors have to appoint one or more safety and health coordinators
• clients/project supervisors have to ensure that a safety and health plan is prepared before the construction phase starts
• clients/project supervisors have to take safety and health into account when designing the project
• during the construction phase coordinators have to ensure that risks are adequately managed and that the health and safety plan is taken into account
• cooperation between employers in matters of safety and health has to be implemented and procedures monitored.
  

Other directives are also relevant to the construction sector.

Directives set minimum health and safety standards and are transposed into law in all Member States. National legislation may require higher standards, so check with your enforcing authority.