From April 6th employers’ and employees’ duties under the PPE at Work Regulations (PPER 2022), regarding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be extended to include limb (b) workers.
Today’s rules (PPER 1992 scope) place a duty on every employer to ensure that suitable PPE is provided to ‘employees’ who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work.
The new rules (PPER 2022) extend this duty to limb (b) workers. As a result, employers need to carefully consider whether the change to law applies to them and their workforce and make the necessary preparations to comply.
So, firstly, what’s a Limb (b) Worker?
The HSE define them as those who can be understood as a ‘dependent contractor’. A ‘worker’ is registered as self-employed but provides a service as part of someone else’s business. They generally must carry out the work personally, rather than being able to send someone in their place.
What does this change mean for them?
If a risk assessment indicates that a limb (b) worker requires PPE to carry out their work activities, the employer must carry out a PPE suitability assessment and provide the PPE free of charge as they do for employees.
The employer will be responsible for the maintenance, storage, and replacement of any PPE they provide. The limb (b) worker will be required to use the PPE properly following training and instruction from the employer.
Don’t let a lack of PPE for limb (b) workers add to the, already high, number of workers who suffer from a work-related illness each year.
Mark Dowling, Divisional Managing Director
www.towersupplies.com
This article is featured in the March issue of the Dorset Business Focus magazine. Read on the online version here.