Health and Safety - Safety at work

Health and safety is paramount not just to your employees but also for the reputation of your business. You are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of everyone affected by your business and its activities, including your employees, visitors and even members of the public where they are situated outside your premises.

First, conduct a risk assessment covering the safety issues for your business. Ensure that you cover all aspects of your business and highlight any potential hazards, no matter how trivial. Remember, you must act upon the findings of your risk assessment immediately to combat any problems and not sweep them aside for the future.

You also need to look at introducing a policy to address how you deal with health and safety issues. Managing risks is not just about legislation, it combines common sense and corporate responsibility at all levels throughout your company. Effective planning and good leadership are instrumental in ensuring that effective safety procedures are implemented and adhered to. Workers also have responsibility to look after their own health and safety, as well as that of their colleagues.

If you have not done so already then you must take out employer's liability compulsory insurance and display the certificate. Staff can be injured or become ill in the course of their employment and as a consequence they might try to claim compensation from you.

Whether you employ one person or twenty, you must display the Health and Safety Executive's legal poster. The notice includes relevant legislative information and lets staff, visitors and contractors know who is responsible for health and safety within your workplace. Display the poster where your workers can see it easily and ensure that it is kept in a readable condition.

Furthermore, you must also ensure that all of your staff - including those that are self-employed - know how to work safely and that they can carry out their duties with no risk. Make certain that they are trained to know the hazards that they may face.

You must make certain that regular training is carried out, especially where new equipment is involved. All training should take place during work hours at the expense of the company and it must be repeated and updated on a regular basis where it is seen fit to do so. As an example of why this is necessary, one employee may fill in for another that is absent and, as a consequence, the individual undertakes a role that they may not be familiar with. In this situation, you must keep documentation of all the training undertaken by that employee. It must also be available for inspection at any time.

As a responsible employer, you need to provide adequately for the welfare of your employees, including those with disabilities. For example, you should provide appropriate toilets and washing facilities; give consideration to lighting and temperature; provide drinking water; and make available rest and changing areas where required.

Finally, the law dictates that you must confer with your workers on health and safety. This should be a consultation to hear their views on safety issues, risks and your plans to make the workplace safer. Concerns raised are to be taken seriously and acted upon where possible.

Health and safety is a very important issue that new employers should pay earnest and full attention to. Taking shortcuts can prove fatal and, while adherence to health and safety legislation seems expensive, it is nothing in comparison to the potential cost of an accident.

- Peter Done, managing director, Peninsula.