Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

absolute
and must be complied with. Many requirements are, 
however, qualifi ed by the words, 
so far as is reason-
ably practicable, 
or 
so far as is practicable
. These 
require an assessment of cost, along with information 
about relative costs, effectiveness and reliability of 
different control measures. Further guidance on the 
meaning of these three expressions is provided in 
Chapter 1.
6.2 
Principles of prevention
The MHSW Regulations Schedule 1 specifi es the gen-
eral principles of prevention which are set out in article 
6(2) of the European Council Directive 89/391/EEC. For 
the fi rst time the principles have been enshrined directly 
in regulations which state, at Regulation 4, that 
Where 
an employer implements any preventative measures he 
Figure 6.1
When controls break down.
80
6
Principles of control

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Principles of control
81
shall do so on the basis of the principles specifi ed in 
Schedule 1
. These principles are:
1. 
Avoiding risks
This means, for example, trying to stop doing the 
task or using different processes or doing the work 
in a different safer way.
2. 
Evaluating the risks which cannot be avoided
This requires a risk assessment to be carried out.
3. 
Combating the risks at source
This means that risks, such as a dusty work atmos-
phere, are controlled by removing the cause of the 
dust rather than providing special protection; or that 
slippery fl oors are treated or replaced rather than 
putting up a sign.
4. 
Adapting the work to the individual,
especially 
as regards the design of the workplace, the choice 
of work equipment and the choice of working and 
production methods, with a view, in particular, to 
alleviating monotonous work and work at a prede-
termined work-rate and to reducing their effect 
on health
This will involve consulting those who will be af-
fected when workplaces, methods of work and 
safety procedures are designed. The control indi-
viduals have over their work should be increased, 
and time spent working at predetermined speeds 
and in monotonous work should be reduced where 
it is reasonable to do so.
5.