So far as is reasonably practicable

For hazardous substances not classified as carcinogens, where protection of exposure is not reasonably practicable, adequate control should be achieved by measures odier than personal protection, so far as is reasonably practicable. Tliis is subject to the degree of exposure, circumstances of use of the substance, informed knowledge about the hazards and current technical developments. Any combination of the measures listed in Table 5.22 are applicable. 

Some plant and equipment are immediately classified as confined spaces, but extreme caution is necessary in the assessment of other areas. Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 requires employers to ensure the health and safety at work of their employees this duty is so far as is reasonably practicable. Therefore, as work in confined spaces is potentially dangerous this Section of the Act clearly requires employers to ensure that there is no risk to their employees when working in such an area. 

In the UK a list of occupational exposure limits is published by the HSE in Guidance Note EH40, which is updated annually. There are two kinds of occupational exposure limits maximum exposure limits (MELs) and occupational exposure standards (OESs). For substances which have been assigned a MEL, the level of exposure should be reduced so far as is reasonably practicable and in any case should not exceed the MEL. For substances which have been assigned... 

R46 or R49 or for a substance or process which is listed in Schedule 1, the level of exposure is reduced so far as is reasonably practicable. 

The Health and Safety at Work Act places upon employers a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees. Exposure of personnel to hazardous substances should be... 

On this basis the concept of so far as is reasonably practicable (SFAIRP) was bom and subsequently enshrined in the 1974 UK Health and Safety at Work Act. SFAIRP, whilst a significant step forward, fails however to precisely acknowledge the notion of risk and its relationship to practicability. As such the slightly modified term as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) has been widely adopted in the UK and some other countries as the basis for risk acceptability. The ALARP principle can be defined as that level of risk which can be further lowered only by an increment in resource expeuditure that is disproportionate in relation to the resulting decrement of risk [2],... 

There shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be provided and maintained safe means of access to every place at which any person has at any time to work. 

The third element of a safety case is the ESA. The ESA requires the identification and evaluation of hazards over the life of the project from the initial feasibility study through the concept design stage, to construction and commissioning, then to operation, decommissioning, and abandonment of the facility. The FSA is a demonstration that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the risks to personnel have been minimized. It should ... 

Section 6 of HSWA places duties on designers, manufacturers, suppliers, erectors and installers to ensure that articles are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe. They must also arrange any consequential tests and examinations, provide adequate information for safe use, and carry out necessary research to minimise risks to health and safety. 

Duties referred to in the regulations may have the qualifying terms reasonably practicable or absolute . If the requirement of the regulation is absolute, then that regulation must be met regardless of cost or any other consideration. If the regulation is to be met so far as is reasonably practicable , then risks, cost, time, trouble and difficulty can be considered. 

If a regulation is not qualified with so far as is reasonably practicable , then it must be assumed that the regulation is absolute. In the context of the Electricity at Work Regulations, where the risk is very often death by electrocution, the level of duty to prevent danger more often approaches that of an absolute duty of care. 

At the first action level an employee must be provided with ear protection (ear muffs or ear plugs) on request. At the second action level the employer must reduce, so far as is reasonably practicable, other than by providing ear protection, the exposure to noise of that employee. 

The principle that no activity is entirely free from risk, and that it is never possible to be sure that every eventuality has been covered by safety precautions, but that there would be a gross disproportion between the cost in (money, time, or trouble) of additional preventive or protective measures, and the reduction in risk in order to achieve such low risks. See Figure A.4. Sometimes also referred to as So Far As Is Reasonably Practical (SFAIRP). See also Acceptable Level of Risk As Low as Reasonably Achievable (ALARA). 

Decided cases - those cases in which, as part of a judgement, a word or phrase that is part of a law is defined, i.e. the meaning is decided. Once a meaning is decided, it applies to all laws. A good example is the phrase so far as is reasonably practicable which was defined in a mining case in 1949. [Edwards v. National Coal Board (1949) 1 AUER 743)... 

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 in its requirement to determine safety of use so far as is reasonably practicable The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992 in the essential safety requirement to eliminate or reduce risks as far as possible. 

Although made under the HSW, which requires that standards have to be met so far as is reasonably practicable, because of the dangers inherent in the use of electricity certain of the regulations are absolute requirements, i.e. they must be compHed with regardless of cost. However, it is recognized that if employers have taken all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid committing an offence they will have fulfilled this absolute duty, but it will be up to them to prove it if an inspector queries it. 

The regulations to be complied with so far as is reasonably practicable are the following ... 

Section 2(2)(b) arrangements for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances . 

Section 2(2)(d) So far as is reasonably practicable as regards any place of work under the employer s control, the maintenance of it in a condition that is safe and without risks to health and the provision and maintenance of means of access to and egress from it that are safe and without such risks . 

A person who erects or installs such plants etc. must ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, that it is installed so as not to be unsafe or a risk to health when used. 

Employers have a general duty under the HSWA to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees. The principle of so far as is reasonably practicable applies to all the following areas and means that an employer does not have to take measures to avoid or reduce the risk if they are technically impossible or If the time, trouble or cost of the measures would be grossly disproportionate to the risk. The HSWA specifies five areas which in particular are covered by the employer s general duty. 

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