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Principles of health and safety at work: back to basics

October 2003

Sometimes the basics of health and safety are forgotten and it is good to remind everyone at work that they have a responsibility to others to work in a safe and healthy way. New workers are starting out on their working life and need to be instructed, new supervisors and managers also need reminding of their duties to help secure a safe and healthy working environment.

As an introduction to health and safety, Principles of Health and Safety at Work: international edition is widely recognised as the authoritative one-stop summary of basic material. Written by acknowledged safety expert Allan St John Holt, Principles has established itself as the standard introductory text for the trainee health and safety practitioner. The publication also provides an excellent reference source for line managers and supervisors who have day-to-day responsibilities for health and safety at work.

For this third international edition, the author provides coverage of key topics and recognises that good health and safety practice is not merely about achieving legal minimum standards, but seeking improvements on a continuous basis.

The book is in four main parts:

The topics covered range from risk assessment, safe systems of work, training, accident investigations, recording and analysis, techniques of inspection, mechanical and manual handling, working at heights, fire, construction safety to occupational health and hygiene - monitoring, noise and vibration, to radiation and ergonomics. Written and presented in an easy-to-use format, the text has been substantially revised and enlarged to 172 pages since the last edition.

It has useful checklists to remind people of what should be checked etc and there are examples to amplify the text. It should be useful to anyone seeking to improve conditions at work, giving a solid foundation for learning, and an introductory guide to understanding complex topics with ease. There is not much on information sources, but readers linking into portals such as OSHWORLD www.oshworld.com will be swiftly led to a wealth of worldwide validated and authoritative sources.

The new edition will be a useful text for the Institution of Occupational Health and Safety (IOSH) 'Managing Safely' course and a recommended primer for the latest National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) International and other Certificate syllabus.

Principles of Health and Safety at Work: International edition
by Allan St John Holt, IOSH, 2003, ISBN 09013 5733 2, is available from

Institution of Occupational Health (IOSH), The Grange, Highfield Drive, Wigston, Leicestershire LE18 1NN | Tel: +44 (0)116 257 3100 | Fax: +44 (0)116 257 3101 | www.iosh.co.uk

International Certificate

Those wishing to find out more about the International Certificate can see details in a presentation given by Dr Sara Lumley at the ILO Health and Safety Centres' Annual Meeting 2003 see www.sheilapantry.com/cis/cis200306.html or should contact
Dr Stephen Vickers, Chief Executive, National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), Chief Executive, Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, LEICESTER LE19 1QW, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 116 263 4717 | Fax: +44 (0) 116 282 3300 | sv@nebosh.org.uk | www.nebosh.org.uk