In the UK, as an employer, you have a legal obligation to make sure that the workplace is a safe and healthy environment for your employees, contractors, customers and members of the public (where applicable). We’ve compiled a Health and Safety Toolkit to help you figure out where you’re excelling, and where you’re lacking.
What Is A Health and Safety Toolkit?
The following ‘Health and Safety Toolkit’ of information can assist businesses in putting in place appropriate Health and Safety measures within the workplace:
- Ensure the place of work workplace is safe and without risk to health.
- Make sure that any hazards (actual or potential) are identified and then appropriate measures put in place to control and reduce the risk to as low a level as possible.
- Ensure safe working practices are put in place and implemented.
- Provide first aid procedures and facilities appropriate to the size of the business.
- Ensure all employees are provided with full details of the health and safety processes and procedures within the business and that such communication is logged.
- Provide employees with health and safety information as part of their induction and continue with this on a regular basis with a log being kept of this.
- Ensure that fire regulations are adhered to and that a suitable in date fire risk assessment is completed on a regular basis and any recommendations implemented such as fire extinguishers, fire blankets, COSHH assessments, fire alarm checks and servicing, emergency lighting checks, regular scheduled and documented fire drills, appointed and trained fire marshals, fire call points, fire assembly point, fire procedure, induction, fire plan of the building, periodic testing of electrics, no smoking.
- There must be appropriate ventilation, temperature, lighting, toilet, washing and rest area facilities which meet the required standard of health, safety and welfare applicable.
- Appropriate work equipment is provided and is properly used and regularly maintained. This can include regular servicing of items, PAT, keep records. The severity o
- Employers should ensure they take the necessary precautions for hazards such as flammable or explosive hazards, electrical equipment, noise, dust and radiation.
- Employers must ensure that they take reasonable steps to avoid possible dangerous work involving manual handling. Such training should be provided where identified on a regular basis.
- Employers need to ensure that employees are suitably trained to undertake the work and tasks they are employed to do, as well as are suitably aware of even the smallest health & safety concerns.
- Job descriptions should ideally detail what health and safety responsibilities each member of staff has within the business and these should be communicated to staff.
- Employers should provide appropriate PPE where required and staff should be shown how to use this.
- Employers should have a process in place to report specific accidents, injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the appropriate authorities; and maintain records of accidents and injuries as appropriate.
If you are a growing business, small or start-up, you need to think about these issues. If you would like any assistance, or simply want to learn more – Get in touch. You can contact us via our online form, or by phone on: 0330 400 5490
We also provide a great number of training courses for Health & Safety, these include subjects in Personal Safety, Autism Awareness, Workplace H&S, Electrical Safety, Safe Handling of Medicines, and Stroke Awareness.
As a Managing Director at Wurkplace since May 2010, Karen has extensive HR, employment law and health and Safety experience from working within the private sector.
She also boasts experience of working in the public sector including local authority, fire service, police, schools, colleges, charities, NHS.