Unsafe Conditions in the Workplace

Workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility and upholding safety procedures and processes is integral to keeping people safe. Unsafe conditions undermine workplace safety and place employees and members of the public at risk of undue harm. In this article we will outline what unsafe conditions are and how you can prevent them in the workplace. 

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What is an Unsafe Condition? 

An unsafe condition is a workplace environment that is in a poor physical condition and can therefore cause injury or harm. For example, a workplace that has exposed electrical wiring, excessive dust or poor lighting could be deemed as an unsafe condition. Further examples of unsafe conditions will be provided below. 

Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees are working in a safe environment. This responsibility is encompassed in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which mandates that employers must protect workers from risk to their health and safety. If employers fail to uphold their responsibility, action can be taken against them under criminal law by regulators such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or under civil law by the person affected, who may make a compensation claim for their injuries. 

Whilst there is overlap between the two terms an unsafe condition is not the same as an unsafe act. An unsafe condition refers to an environment that is unsafe whereas an unsafe act refers to the actions of an individual that are unsafe. An unsafe condition can lead to an unsafe act and vice versa, however it is important to recognise the difference between the two as they will often require different approaches to rectify them. You can learn more about unsafe acts here. 

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Examples of Unsafe Conditions

There are numerous variables that can make a workplace unsafe. Examples of unsafe conditions include, but are not limited to:

• Blocked fire exits 
• Inadequate or no PPE provided
• No training provided by employer
• Faulty or damaged equipment
• Hazards and dangers within the workplace i.e. exposed wiring, uneven flooring etc. 
• No risk assessments carried out
• Inadequate lighting 
• Poor ventilation 

How to Identify Unsafe Conditions

An unsafe condition can be hard to identify as it may not be immediately obvious that it is unsafe. Whereas some hazards are obvious, such as exposed wiring, others, such as a lack of training, can take longer to identify. 

Risk assessments are an important way to identify and rectify conditions that may be unsafe and can therefore cause employees harm. Employee feedback should also be taken seriously and if an employee raises concerns about workplace safety to management, this should be investigated and corrected as soon as possible. 

For an employee identifying an unsafe condition can be tricky, especially if others don’t seem to share the same view that an environment is unsafe. Nevertheless, they may identify an unsafe condition through observation, comparison to previous similar environments or a near-miss. The HSE can also provide guidance and advice as to what constitutes an unsafe environment. Depending on the type of work being carried out, it can be good practice for an employee to simply look for unsafe conditions before starting work. Taking the time to look for any hidden dangers before they cause injury gives employees the chance to identify a hazard and subsequently eliminate or reduce its potential impact before starting their work.  

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How to Prevent Unsafe Conditions 

As mentioned, employers have a legal responsibility to ensure that working conditions are safe for their employees. As such, workplace safety is not something that should be taken lightly and all reasonable steps must be taken to keep employees and the workplace safe. Preventing unsafe conditions can help to prevent unsafe acts, reducing risk of undue harm and upholding all legal responsibilities. 

Ways to prevent unsafe conditions include:

• Risk assessments – Employers are legally required to assess any risk to their employees. Work environments, especially in industries such as construction, are constantly changing and so too are the risks; what may not be a hazard one day may become one the next day. A thorough and comprehensive risk assessment can therefore help to identify risks before they cause harm and provide employers with the chance to eliminate said risk. 

• Effective training – Employees should be provided with adequate training so that they have the knowledge and understanding to perform their tasks safely. A lack of training can quickly render a workplace unsafe as people partake in practices that unknowingly put themselves and others at risk. By providing high quality training, employers can rest assured that their staff have the necessary knowledge to perform their duties diligently and safely. This training should be kept up to date to ensure that safety standards are upheld and that employees don’t become complacent. 

• Monitoring – Near-miss reports can highlight conditions that might have been deemed safe but that are in fact unsafe. These reports provide employers with the chance to correct an unsafe condition before the near-miss becomes an actual occurrence. Regular monitoring of workplace conditions can help to ensure that they remain safe and that small lapses don’t go unnoticed and develop into serious safety lapses. Monitoring can also include employee feedback and taking corrective action once informed of an unsafe condition. Employers must reasonably address any health and safety concerns or complaints that they are presented with.

• Clear safety policies – Safety policies should clearly outline an organisation’s expectations regarding workplace safety. Whilst this is typically used to highlight unsafe acts, it can also be used to detail what a safe condition/workplace is, thereby providing employees with guidance as to what doesn’t constitute a safe condition/workplace. Providing clear policies also demonstrates an employer’s commitment to upholding workplace safety.

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Workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility and an unsafe condition can increase the risk of harm or injury. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees are working in a safe environment. As such, unsafe conditions must be rectified to keep employees safe and to remain legally complaint. 

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Further Resources:

• Health & Safety Policy: Free Template
• A Guide to the Most Common Workplace Hazards
• Health and Safety Courses