Business owners generally know that they have an obvious responsibility to ensure health and safety in the workplace and to keep their employees wellbeing at the forefront of any decision making. But do they know how to implement best practises and put processes in place for continued safety?

There are simple steps that managers and employers can take to become compliance with health and safety laws:

• Understand health and safety legislation – use readily available tools to help you to understand your responsibilities and maybe find the legislation relevant to your industry.
• Decide on a course of action – carry out a risk assessment and appoint a competent person(s) to implement your policy. The engagement of a third party to help with audits, assessment, training, testing and inspections maybe particularly useful to assist with your route to compliance.
• Supply adequate training – there is a legal requirement for every business to thoroughly train its workers. Far too many UK companies fall foul of the law in this respect. We should be reminded that HSE enforcement notices must never be ignored.
• Improve employee wellbeing – to mention just a few; provide easy to understand frameworks for employees taking time off for illness, ensure that first aiders are adequate, provide mental health support, provide safe spaces to relax in and generally encourage better friendships around your workspace.
• Provide the best equipment to complete work tasks – slips and falls can be limited by using better access equipment, manual handling accidents can be restricted by using the correct lifting equipment and workers should always be supplied with the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to carry out their work duties.

Workplace health and safety really matters and it’s up to business owners and managers to ensure that every aspect of safety is implemented!

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