Access and Egress

Here is a summary of the legal requirements relating to this Hazard !

One of the basic duties within the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is to
provide and maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe access to and
egress from any place of work under the employer’s control.
Access and egress means the rate or means of entry or exit to a workplace. It
includes footpaths, corridors, doorways, ladders, steps etc. The Workplace
(Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require floors and traffic
routes, which may provide a means of access and egress, to be suitably
constructed, kept free from obstruction and to be well maintained. Safe
access and egress is a basic safety measure for any business. When carrying
out general and specific risk assessments, this must always be considered.
The main points to include are;

• Routes into/out of the premises

• Lighting
• Vehicle movements
• Floor surfaces, taking into account likely spillages, trip hazards and foot
wear.
• Access and egress for disabled persons
• Areas where falls can occur from edges, into pits, tanks, excavations, etc.
and from access
• steps, stairs and the like.
• Emergency egress arrangements
• Maintenance arrangements, including contractors especially contract
cleaners.

Further information is available in the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare)

Regulations 1992 http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l24.htm

HSE priced and free publications are available by mail order from HSE Books,
PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA Tel: 01787 881165 Fax: 01787
313995 Website: www.hsebooks.co.uk (HSE priced publications are also
available from bookshops and free leaflets can be downloaded from HSE’s
website: http://books.hse.gov.uk/hse/public/home.jsf.)