Directors and senior managers have long held responsibilities under safety legislation. In the past, some directors have been willing to cut corners and put people’s lives at risk. As a result, some have been jailed and banned from holding directorships.
More recently, the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill has focussed minds. It references guidance on the way Health and Safety should be managed and how it can affect the whole viability of a business.
Director’s health and safety responsibilities cover their workforce, visitors and anybody who may be affected by their operations. Areas covered include safe workplaces, safe systems of work, assessing risk etc. through to the provision of suitable tools , safety training and even the provision of toilets.
The requirements can appear complex, but with the right safety leadership, they can be met. They can also provide a competitive edge in the market place and add another level of cost effectiveness to a business.
Poor safety leadership leads to people being hurt, decreased profitability, a poor corporate image and, in some cases, business failure.
Who would want to deal with a company that has:
- Been fined for seriously hurting one of their employees
- Who has had their bad safety record scrutinised in the papers
- A director who had just been jailed for his negligent approach to the safety of his workforce and the public?
Finding out about Director’s safety responsibilities is relatively simple. Finding straight forward, practical tools for safety management and keeping your most important assets (your people) safe, is also easy to do.
The moral, legal and financial benefits of leading safety from the top are becoming more apparent to more directors every day.
For more information on this topic, please contact Alastair on enquiry@w-l-p.co.uk.