Health and Safety in Photography.

It is recognised that the photographic industry is largely made up of organisations employing between one and four persons and the majority of these are self-employed. The 1974 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act places broad responsibilities on employers, employees and the self employed. 

Health and safety advice for freelance photographers

Responsibilities
It is the duty of every employer, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.
For employees to take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others.
For self employed people to conduct themselves in such a way that people not in their employ are not exposed to health and safety risks.

Locations

The following health and safety considerations should be taken into account before, during and after assignments. The following relate to assignments on location:
the photographer should have current employer and public liability insurance, including cover for people engaged by him on an occasional basis. Remember, these certificates should be securely archived for forty years
the photographer and his assistant should have motor vehicle insurance which covers their vehicles for business use
the photographer should have a formal agreement with the customer outlining their requirements
should carry out a visit to the location to discuss arrangements with the customer, requesting where necessary, permission for access and right to take photographs
should carry out a risk assessment particular to the areas where the photographer may wish to take photographs
should ensure that where necessary the location has adequate fire precautions and signage in place
should consult with the customer, where necessary, of the location on any risk assessment they may have carried out and what actions were required and have these been effectively implemented
should share with the photographic assistant any health and safety concerns and if necessary the location management
should ensure that all equipment is maintained and safe to use, especially flash equipment
should ensure that all employees including those self employed are trained to use equipment safely
should take precautions to minimise any identified potential problems related to safety affecting the assignment and to any other people at the location.

Risk Assesments

Risk assessments are very important to identify any potential hazards that may be encountered either on the photographer's premises or on location. There are several risk assessments the photographer should undertake in relation to his premises. These include:
fire precautions
using display screen equipment (DSE)
manual handling
control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH).

Fire precautions relate to having adequate types of fire extinguishers, which must be regularly serviced; displaying escape and emergency signage and ensuring escape routes are free from obstructions.

With the increased use of computers and digital equipment for manipulating images it is essential to consider the people who use display screen equipment (DSE) for long periods of time. It is very important to ensure that the computer, the workstation and the working environment meet current safety regulations, to lessen the possibility of wrist and eye strain.

Most photographers at sometime have to lift reasonably heavy and bulky equipment, such as flash lighting. A risk assessment will highlight the potential damage to the human torso, which may result in long-term absence from work. Manual handling training can help people to store equipment at correct heights and how to lift objects. Also, a risk assessment can indicate where mechanical aids such as trolleys can be of help.

With the advent of digital imaging in the industry, chemicals for processing and printing (wet processing) are not so widely used. There are however certain products used which are hazardous, for example, batteries and printer ink cartridges, along with industrial cleaning substances. These should all be listed as required by COSHH on a risk assessment.

Electrical safety is also very important. All electrical equipment such as flash equipment, kettles, microwaves etc. should be tested (usually referred to as portable appliance testing) at specified intervals. The electrical wiring installation of the photographer's premises also requires testing at specified intervals. A competent person should carry out all testing and records of these tests must be kept.

Location safety mainly resolves around 'trips, slips and hazards'. Each location should be assessed to ascertain hazards and where possible to control these to reduce any injury resulting from an incident, especially to any member of the public. Photographers, their employees and the self employed should work within the framework of the Health and Safety at Work Act, and where reasonably practicable, take steps to ensure the safety of themselves and others around them.