HHSRS definition of hazards

A hazard is any risk of harm to the health or safety of an actual or potential occupier of accommodation that arises from a deficiency in the dwelling, building or land in the vicinity. Health includes mental health.[1]

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a system for assessing housing conditions and hazards. Under the HHSRS a local authority:

• carries out inspections of rented housing

• identifies whether any specified hazards are present

• categorises those hazards according to objective criteria

The HHSRS is not intended to provide a single standard but to identify hazards and their likely impact on the health and safety of the occupier or visitor in residential accommodation.[2] The cost of remedy is immaterial to the assessment.[3]

The underlying principle is that 'any residential premises should provide a safe and healthy environment for any potential occupier or visitor'.[4]

A dwelling should:

• be designed, constructed and maintained with non-hazardous materials

• be free from both unnecessary and avoidable hazards

• provide adequate protection from all potential hazards prevailing in the local environment[5]

The HHSRS covers hazards that are attributable in whole or in part to the design, construction and or maintenance of the dwelling. These would normally be the responsibility of the owner or landlord to remedy.[6]

The HHSRS is not concerned with hazards attributable to the behaviour of the occupants or neighbours.

The regulations list 29 'matters and circumstances' that give rise to hazards.[7]

These are grouped by the HHSRS Operating Guidance according to their nature.[8]

The four groupings are:

• physiological requirements

• psychological requirements

• protection against infection

• protection against accidents

Physiological requirements relate to hygrothermal conditions and non-microbial pollutants. Psychological requirements relate to space, security, light and noise. Protection against infection covers hazards associated with hygiene, sanitation and water supply. Accidents relate to risks associated with falls, electric shocks, fires, burns, scalds, collisions, cuts and strains.

The guidance also gives in respect of each matter and circumstance:

• a description of the hazard

• potential for harm, on a statistical basis

• causes, including possible contributory causes by human behaviour

• preventative measures and the ideal

• relevant matters affecting likelihood and harm outcome - factors that increase or reduce the risk and severity of the harm attributed to this hazard

• guidance to assist in the assessment of the hazard[9]

The government has published guidance for non-specialist users that offers further explanation of how hazards are defined, grouped and assessed. 

A hazard can include a risk from hygrothermal conditions which affect how heat and moisture travel though buildings. 

Damp and mould growth

A hazard can include threats to health from mould or fungal spores resulting from dampness or high humidity. It can also include threats to health from house dust mites.

Damp and mould growth might cause threats to mental health and wellbeing.

Excess cold

A hazard can include threats to health from low indoor temperatures. Guidance states:

• there is a small risk of adverse health effects below 19C

• serious health risks occur below 16C, including a substantially increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular conditions

• there is a significant risk of hypothermia under 10C, especially for elderly people

Excess heat

A hazard can include threats to health from excessively high indoor temperatures.

Guidance says that where indoor temperatures exceed 25C, mortality increases and there is an increase in strokes. Dehydration is a particular risk to the elderly and very young children.

A hazard can be caused by pollutants, including asbestos, carbon monoxide, lead and radiation.

Asbestos and manufactured mineral fibres

A hazard can be caused by the presence of and exposure to asbestos fibres and other manufactured mineral fibres (MMF).

Biocides

A hazard can be caused by threats from chemicals used to treat timber and mould growth. This does not include insecticides or rodenticides used to treat pests.

Carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products

A hazard can be caused by excessive indoor levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and smoke. This does not include smoke from smoking a cigarette or pipe.

Lead

A hazard can include threats to health from the ingestion of lead. For example, from lead based paints or pipework.

Radiation

A hazard can include threats from radon gas and its decay products, known as daughters or progeny.

Guidance states there is no evidence to justify including electromagnetic fields from power lines or mobile phone masts. Leakage from microwave ovens might be considered where the oven is provided by the landlord but the incidence of significant microwave leakage is very rare.

Uncombusted fuel gas

A hazard can include the threat of asphyxiation as a result of the escape of fuel gas.

Volatile organic compounds

A hazard can include threats from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a diverse range of organic chemicals including formaldehyde. VOCs are gaseous at room temperature and can be found in a variety of materials in the home.

A hazard might be caused by an issue with space, security, light or noise.

Crowding and space

A hazard might be caused by a lack of space within the property for living, sleeping, and normal household life.

Entry by intruders

A hazard might be caused by difficulties in keeping a property secure against unauthorised entry.

Lighting

A hazard might be caused by threats to physical and mental health associated with or inadequate natural or artificial light.

Noise

A hazard might be caused by threats to physical and mental health as the result of exposure to noise inside the property or its grounds.

A hazard might be caused by a problem with hygiene, sanitation and water supply.

Domestic hygiene, pests and refuse

A hazard can include hazards resulting from:

• poor design, construction and layout so that the dwelling cannot be readily kept clean

• access into and living places within the dwelling for pests

• inadequate and unhygienic provision for storing and disposal of household waste

Food safety

A hazard can include threats of infection resulting from inadequacies in provision and facilities for the storage, preparation and cooking of food.

Personal hygiene, sanitation and drainage

A hazard can include threats of infection and threats to mental health associated with personal hygiene, including:

• personal and clothes washing facilities

• sanitation and drainage

This does not include problems of pests associated with defective drainage.

Water supply for domestic purposes

A hazard can be cause by the quality and adequacy of the supply of water within the dwelling for drinking and domestic purposes, such as cooking and washing.

Water quality includes threats to health from chemical and microbiological pollutants.

A hazard can relate to risks of falls in the home.

Falls associated with baths and showers

A hazard can be caused by the risk of a fall associated with a bath or shower or similar facility.

Falls on level surfaces

A hazard can be caused by the risk of a fall on any level surface, such as a floor, yard or path.

It also includes falls associated with trip steps, thresholds or ramps where the change in level is less than 300mm.

Falls associated with stairs and steps

A hazard can be caused by the risk of a fall associated with stairs, steps and ramps where the change in level is more than 300mm.

This includes falls associated with:

• internal stairs and ramps

• external steps and ramps

• internal common stairs or ramps in the building containing the dwelling

• internal and external stairs providing a means of escape in case of fire or access to shared amenities

It includes falls over ballustrading on stairs or steps but not falls over balconies or from landings.

Falls between levels

A hazard can be caused by the risk of a fall from one level to another inside or outside the dwelling where the difference in level is more than 300mm.

For example, falls out of windows, from balconies, landings and accessible roofs.

A hazard can be caused by electrical safety problems, threats from fire, burns or scalds.

Electrical hazards

A hazard can include hazards from shock and burns resulting from exposure to electricity including lightning strikes.

Fire

A hazard can include threats from exposure to uncontrolled fire and associated smoke in a dwelling.

This includes injuries from clothing catching alight on exposure to an uncontrolled fire, but not injuries caused by clothing catching alight from a controlled fire or flame, such as when reaching across a gas flame on a cooker.

This hazard covers defects to the electricity supply, meters, fuses, wiring, sockets or switches.

Flames, hot surfaces and materials

A hazard can include threats of burns caused by contact with a hot flame, fire, hot objects or non-water based liquids, and scald injuries caused by contact with hot liquids and vapours.

A hazard can be caused the threat from a collision, explosion, ergonomic problems or structural collapse.

Collision and entrapment

A hazard can be caused by risk of physical injury from trapping body parts in building features such as doors or windows and from striking or colliding with objects such as windows, doors, low ceilings, low door frames and walls.

Explosions

A hazard can be caused by the threat from the blast of an explosion, from the debris generated by the blast and from the partial or total collapse of a building as the result of an explosion.

Ergonomics

A hazard can be caused by threats of physical strain associated with functional space poor location of fittings and amenities and other features in dwellings.

Structural collapse and falling elements

A hazard can be caused by the threat of the whole or part of the dwelling collapsing, or of an element or part of the fabric being displaced or falling because of inadequate fixing, disrepair or as the result of adverse weather conditions.