Photographic
industry is made up of organisations employed between one and
four people and the majority of these are self-employed. The 1974
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act places the responsibilities on
employers, employees and the self employed.
Responsibilities
- It
is the duty of every employer, so far as is reasonably practicable, to
ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.
- For employees to take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others.
- For
self employed people to conduct themselves in such a way that people
not in their employ are not exposed to health and safety risks.
LocationsThe
following health and safety considerations should be taken into account
before, during and after assignments. The following relate to
assignments on location:
- the photographer should have
current employer and public liability insurance, including cover for
people engaged by him on an occasional basis. Remember, these
certificates should be securely archived for forty years
- the photographer and his assistant should have motor vehicle insurance which covers their vehicles for business use
- the photographer should have a formal agreement with the customer outlining their requirements
- should
carry out a visit to the location to discuss arrangements with the
customer, requesting where necessary, permission for access and right to
take photographs
- should carry out a risk assessment particular to the areas where the photographer may wish to take photographs
- should ensure that where necessary the location has adequate fire precautions and signage in place
- should
consult with the customer, where necessary, of the location on any risk
assessment they may have carried out and what actions were required and
have these been effectively implemented
- should share with the photographic assistant any health and safety concerns and if necessary the location management
- should ensure that all equipment is maintained and safe to use, especially flash equipment
- should ensure that all employees including those self employed are trained to use equipment safely
- should
take precautions to minimise any identified potential problems related
to safety affecting the assignment and to any other people at the
location.
Risk Assesments
Risk
assessments are very important to identify any potential hazards that
may be encountered either on the photographer's premises or on location.
There are several risk assessments the photographer should undertake in
relation to his premises. These include:
- fire precautions
- using display screen equipment (DSE)
- manual handling
- control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH).
Fire precautions
These relate to having adequate types of fire extinguishers, which must be
regularly serviced; displaying escape and emergency signage and ensuring
escape routes are free from obstructions.
With the increased use
of computers and digital equipment for manipulating images it is
essential to consider the people who use a display screen equipment
for
long periods of time. It is very important to ensure that the computer,
the workstation and the working environment meet current safety
regulations, to lessen the possibility of wrist and eye strain.
Most
photographers at sometime have to lift reasonably heavy and bulky
equipment, such as flash lighting. A risk assessment will highlight the
potential damage to the human torso, which may result in long-term
absence from work. Manual handling
training can help
people to store equipment at correct heights and how to lift objects.
Also, a risk assessment can indicate where mechanical aids such as
trolleys can be of help.
With the advent of digital imaging in
the industry, chemicals for processing and printing (wet processing) are
not so widely used. There are however certain products used which are
hazardous, for example, batteries and printer ink cartridges, along with
industrial cleaning substances.
Electrical safety
Electrical safety is also very important. All electrical equipment such as flash
equipment, kettles, microwaves etc. should be tested (usually referred
to as portable appliance testing) at specified intervals. The electrical
wiring installation of the photographer's premises also requires
testing at specified intervals. A competent person should carry out all
testing and records of these tests must be kept.
Location safety
This mainly resolves around 'trips, slips and hazards'. Each location should
be assessed to ascertain hazards and where possible to control these to
reduce any injury resulting from an incident, especially to any member
of the public. Photographers, their employees and the self employed
should work within the framework of the Health and Safety at Work Act,
and where reasonably practicable, take steps to ensure the safety of
themselves and others around them.