“Reasonably Practicable” And What it Means

“Reasonably Practicable” And What it Means

April 29, 2022

You may have seen this frequently mentioned in health and safety legislation term “so far as is reasonably practicable”, but do you know what it actually means?

It is what’s known as a qualified duty under legislation, which allows you to justify why you choose control measures to reduce the risk to your workforce thus balancing the outcome of the risk against the cost involved in reducing it.

It also involves weighing a risk against the time, inconvenience, money and effort needed to control it, but without compromising the business.

Be sure to remember that whilst there’s no control in place, staff remain at risk, therefore, think about short term, temporary control measures such as; signage, toolbox talks etc.

It can be useful to refer to the hierarchy controls (ERICPD) of eliminate, reduce/substitute, isolate, control, PPE, discipline when analysing what to do.

For example applying ERICPD as is reasonably practicable for the use of cleaning materials.  They cannot be eliminated, but substitutes for bleach could be sought that are safer, but still meet the cleaning needs. Cleaning out of hours, wiping surfaces and not spraying chemicals to reduce likelihood of being inhaled, discipline is safe systems of work and training and PPE can be the final barrier to protect against the chemical whilst in-use.

It’s always best to go beyond the minimum standard to show that you are serious about safety, which means not always going for the quickest and cheapest control.

Blog Posts

Read More
March 10, 2015

Has Health & Safety Gone Mad?

Health & safety gone mad is a phrase I hear all too often; used to describe what some perceive as restrictions on getting the job done. It never ceases to amaze me that people take this view with appropriately implemented health & safety.

Read More
October 11, 2024

Fire Doors: Essential for Business Fire Safety Compliance

Read More
September 17, 2024

Handling Hazardous Substances in the Workplace

Read More
August 14, 2024

Manual Handling Safety Training: Protecting Your Workforce from Injury

Read More

Register for one of our training courses

The provision of safety training to staff is one of the most cost effective ways of reducing incidents at work.

Read More

Speak to our friendly team

We are always happy to answer any queries you may have about our Fire Risk Assessment or Health & Safety services

Give us a call on 0800 246 1802

Meet the TeamGet In Touch