If you are guiding a business through the current minefield of economic uncertainty, you made have found that it is all too easy to forget or get your priorities wrong on the protection of your most valuable assets – your people.
Safety has had bad press recently, and the “big noise” made by the Government about making it easier for low risk businesses to operate has created even more uncertainty. However, it is certain that if you allow someone to be hurt in or by your business, it is your responsibility and it could seriously affect the way you do business in the future.
Keep safety simple – it is not a “tick-box exercise”, but time and effort spent to identify what risks you have in the business and to manage them so that people do not get hurt.
Last year alone, 20 people were killed at work in the East of England, and there has been a catalogue of recent health and safety prosecutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. Most of these prosecutions were about people getting hurt as a result of businesses not dealing with the risks involved in doing their job.
The Health and Safety Executive have a new website, Health and Safety Made Simple, which provides the information you need to make sure you are aware of the steps you need to take to keep your people safe. There are also links to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register so you can find a reputable consultant for extra help and advice from someone who is a Competent Person.