Managing Health and Safety in the Business

Managing health and safety in the workplace is of major importance in practically any business. To produce this happen you need to take into account what might cause injury to people, both your staff and customers, and decide whether you are doing enough to stop that harm. This is known as a risk assessment. Once you've identified the risks, you need to ascertain how to regulate them and put the appropriate measures in place.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (known whilst the Management Rags) introduced a legal duty on business/employers to acknowledge and control workplace hazards where the chance of injury is significant.

A chance assessment isn't about creating huge amounts of paperwork, but rather about identifying sensible measures to regulate the risks in your workplace. What what what the law states states states doesn't expect you to eradicate all risks, but to shield people by setting up place measures to regulate those risks. You're probably already taking steps to shield your employees, your risk assessment can let you know whether you need to be doing more.

Exactly how can I gauge the risks in my own workplace?

A great kick off point is clearly to walk around your workplace and try to find any hazards - a hazard is anything which may cause harm. Then feel the risks - a risk is the chance, high or low, of somebody being harmed by the hazard, and how serious the harm could be.

Consider how accidents could happen and who may be harmed. Ask your employees what they believe the hazards are, as they could notice things which are not obvious for you and may possess top quality ideas about what far better regulate the risks. Focus on the actual risks - the ones that are likely to cause harm. Consider the measures you're already taking to regulate the risks and ask if you have anything you must do to generate your workplace safer. Once you've identified the risks and things you need to complete to regulate them, you must put the appropriate measures in place.

Then record your findings. Whenever you yourself have fewer than five employees you don't have to generate anything down, but it's good practice to help keep a record. A great way to record your findings is to utilize a risk assessment form. No standard legal form exists that can be utilized, but as long as you record the chance and everything you're doing to regulate it, that's all that's required. It's far better to help keep it simple and straightforward and not give it time to be harder than it must be.

Few workplaces stay the same and ultimately you can take in new equipment, substances or procedures that may cause new hazards. It's wise to review your risk assessment on a typical basis. If anything significant changes, check your risk assessment and update it.

By following these simple steps, managing health and safety in the workplace won't be an arduous task, but something that's an all-natural task in practically any business.

Nigel J Welford is often a qualified Health & Safety professional and believes for making the strategy of health and safety in the workplace as simple as you can whilst still being effective and meeting every one of the regulations. Obtain a copy of his free report "The Secret To How Health & Safety Can Improve Your Business And Profits: 7 Everyday Pitfalls To Avoid" from www.centerforworklife.com/