Every workplace has its own set of workplace regulations that cover the various health and safety issues and necessities that they need to adhere to in order to keep their employees and clients safe. As these vary from workplace to workplace, it can be difficult to cover all of the obligations that an employer may have, but this article will endeavour to cover at least some of the basics that every employer should be looking out for when it comes to health and safety.
Risk Assessments
First, let’s talk risk assessments, which are a crucial part of any business. Any company that has its own facilities, its own establishment, and has employees other than themselves, should have risk assessments.
As an employer, you have a duty of care to your staff members, no matter who they are, what department they work in, or how long they’ve been with your business. Your first duty should be a risk assessment to identify any potential issues that could cause harm to the people that walk around your establishment or could damage the products that you sell.
For a business that employs at least five people, there are additional records and forms that must exist and be updated in your company. An official record of the findings of your risk assessment should be readily available, with plans to solve any issues that you find. This risk assessment, as any risk assessment should, needs to be re-evaluated each year. You will also need a formal health and safety policy that includes ways for you and your employees to protect themselves while on-site at your facilities.
Duty of Care
No matter what size of business you own, there are several duty of care points that an employer must follow. These include:
1. Making sure your workplace is safe for your employees to work in.
2. Plans and processes to help prevent any potential health risks in the workplace.
3. Ensuring that your machinery is safe to use, and regularly maintained.
4. Ensuring that safe working practices are being followed by every employee – even something as simple as wearing gloves while cleaning with chemicals.
5. Ensuring that all materials of a chemical nature are being handled correctly.
6. Providing proper and full first aid kits for your business, in locations that are accessible.
7. An emergency plan, in case of a fire or chemical spill etc.
8. Offering manual handling training, first aid training, and other types of relevant training to all employees when they begin working with you.
9. Providing personal protective clothing to employees that require it.
10. Placing warning signs and hazard signs in the correct locations around your workplace.
Of course, these are just ten different examples of the various things you are required to for your employees as their employer. It’s always best to liaison with a health and safety officer and stay up to date with any laws or regulations for workplaces.
What Can We Do?
At AJ HR Solutions, we help businesses with all of their health and safety needs, from creating policies to writing documentation. We can produce one-off health & safety documents for those businesses that need to update what they already have in place or we have H&S packages for those introducing health & safety into their business for the first time.
We are able to produce the following health and safety documentation:
• Write/review a health and safety policy
• Conduct young person/ maternity risk assessments
• Conduct generic risk assessments
• Conduct a fire risk assessment
• Conduct COSHH assessments (Chemicals)
• Produce health and safety induction training documentation
• Produce health and safety training cards
• Health and safety calendar to ensure you remain legally compliant
At AJ HR Solutions we are on hand to help support your business with all HR matters – including health and safety. Every business owner has a legal obligation to ensure their employees are working in a safe environment, but many don’t know how to start that process. We are here to help guide you through the paperwork, the policies and the implementation. Everything you need to get set up and stay on the right side of the law. If you would like to find out more, just get in touch with the team today.
