Employers should check workers' language skills
Thu 6 Mar 2008
06/03/2008
A representative from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has suggested employers check that their workers understand English. Inspector Guy Dale spoke after a hearing into an industrial accident, which left a machine operator injured. Mr Dale said he believed one factor in the accident was the employee's lack of English skills - he suggested this should have been checked by their employer. He recommended that companies carry out risk assessments before tasks are allocated.: "It allows employers to weigh up whether they have taken enough precautions, or need to do more to prevent harm," he explained. The court fined Magna Specialist Confectioners of Stafford Park £25,000 for breach of HSE regulations and ordered them to pay £5,000 in costs. The HSE mission is to protect people's health and safety by ensuring risks in the changing workplace are properly controlled.
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