Factors like race, gender, disability, age and work pattern may affect people's health and safety - and sometimes health and safety is used as an excuse to justify discriminating against certain groups of workers. It's important to take account of diversity and involve people when assessing risk and managing health and safety.
A number of workplace enforcement agencies, including HSE, use the term 'vulnerable workers' to describe those who are at risk of having their workplace entitlements denied, and who lack the capacity or means to secure them. This group can include, among others, many migrant workers, those who are not confident expressing themselves in English, young/inexperienced workers, those new to the job, and agency/temporary workers.
Some vulnerable workers (especially temporary/agency workers) are being made to pay for personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to protect against a workplace risk. Where PPE is required because the risk cannot be removed or lessened in any other way, it must be provided free of charge, either by the employment business or the business hiring the worker (a returnable deposit also counts as a charge). The cost of PPE not returned by a worker at the end of a contract can be deducted from final wages, provided this is made clear in writing when the worker first gets the PPE.
HSE Single Equality Scheme
HSE Single Equality Scheme - Welsh / Cymraeg