According to a recent report, between 2015 and 2016 there were 144 workers killed as a result of a workplace accident.
In addition to this there were an estimated 621,000 workers who sustained non-fatal injuries at work. Despite the report highlighting that there has been a decline in both fatal and non-fatal injuries overall, it is hugely important for employers to put in place Health and Safety policies to keep their employees safe in the workplace.
If you are a large organisation or an SME, Wirehouse have put together some advice for improving your workplace Health and Safety policies.
Work With a Team of Health and Safety Experts
Slips, trips and falls are inevitable within any industry as accidents can happen fairly frequently. However, for the safety of your employees and your business, you must make sure policies are in place to reduce the likelihood of an accident or ill-health arising. This means assessing risks in the workplace no matter whether this is an office space, an outdoor area or a building site.
Included in your policy document must be a ‘Health and Safety Statement of Intent’. This must be signed by the owner of the company and be displayed in a prominent location that all employees can see and read.
To ensure your workplace is in keeping with Health and Safety legislation and your employees are safe at work, expert advice can help. Companies like Wirehouse can help to streamline the policies and processes with industry-specific advice and support which is available around the clock. This will enable you to have the right documentation, keep your staff safe and minimise accidents at work.
Keep Upto Date With Changes To Legislation
As an employer you must stay up to date with any changes made to Health and Safety legislation in order to create a policy that is in line with legal requirements. Working with dedicated Health and Safety experts means they can update you on any legislation changes so you can adjust your policy accordingly.
Provide Regular Staff Training
It is important that your employees are made aware of changes to any policies or Risk Assessments so that they can remain as safe at work as possible. Ensure that you document all staff training, with employees signing to confirm they have seen and read the information. If your staff are educated and up to date on any changes that you have made to these policies then you have improved their safety and protected your organisation if slips, trips or falls do happen.
Monitor and Review Your Policies
It is important that as your business grows and your employee numbers change, you remember to monitor and review your Health and Safety policies as well as the Health and Safety statement of intent. This can be assessed using regular Risk Assessments and asking for expert advice which can help you to make any necessary changes.
If there are persistent Health and Safety issues, and policies are not helping to prevent accidents or ill-health in the workplace then it is your responsibility to make changes. Being proactive in reviewing and monitoring your organisations Health and Safety will ultimately impact your workforce and business positively in the future.