Make Health And Safety A Top Priority For Your Business

Statistics show that health & safety is becoming more of a top priority for companies and that injury and deaths are falling. However the one thing that statistics do not show is the unreported incidents and accidents that occur throughout the UK every day. The reasons behind not reporting these vary but one common reason is that companies dont want to damage their reputation, suffer regulatory action or increase their insurance premiums.

If you work for a company and injure yourself then you have the right to make a claim against the negligent party. When you start work with any new company check that they have an up to date certificate of employers liability insurance displayed, as this is a legal requirement. Also ensure that you understand what is expected from you as an employee in order to safely carry out your role, ask if there are any inherent risks and what the control measures are.

If you are an employer you must follow the RIDDOR guide lines for reporting any injuries, disease or dangerous occurrences. Having appropriate insurance for you and your employees will allow you to be able to focus on your business, safe in the knowledge that you are legally protected in the event of a claim against you or the company. You must ensure that your employees understand the companies policies and procedures and what they need to do to comply with them. You must also ensure that they are adequately and regularly trained to maintain their competence.

Employees: by following safety protocols and procedures and using all available control measures you will lower your chances of becoming a statistic. You should always check with your employer if you have questions about what is expected of you or if you have concerns about how to carry out your job safely and compliantly. You should report any unsafe conditions or acts immediately, never rely on someone else! If you do get hurt or have a near miss report it immediatley.

Employers: make safety a key business driver and never underestimate the importance of safety meetings and how often you should hold them. Most companies do a safety meeting weekly or monthly but you can do these daily or at the end of each shift if required. It depends completely on your line of work and the risks involved!

For value adding common sense Health and Safety in Thurrock and Basildon contact SEE Improvement Solutions Ltd for a free Health & Safety consultation.