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Chapter 7

Social Media

Broad term for internet-based tools used on PCs, laptops, tablets and
mart phones to help people make contact, keep in touch and interact.

An organisation should ensure that it has a social media policy in place.
Employers should include what is and what is not acceptable for
general behaviour in the use at work of the internet, emails, smart
phones and social media, such as networking websites, blogs and
tweets. The employer needs to consider whether to use social media to
evaluate applicants and whether to impose limits on use by employees
due to loss of work time.

Health and Safety

The law typically puts the responsibility for health and safety on both the employer
and the employee.

Generally speaking, the employer has a duty, amongst other things, to:

 provide a safe working environment

 provide adequate information, instruction, training and supervision to enable
individuals to be safe

 prevent risks to health

 ensure that plant and machinery are safe to use and that safe working practices
are set up and followed

 inform staff of any potential hazards

 provide adequate first aid facilities
 check that the right equipment is used and that it is regularly maintained

 set up emergency plans.

If employers fail to provide a safe and healthy working environment they maybe liable
to a claim from an employee or, even, the State.

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