Workplace Health & Safety

It is a legal requirement that ALL businesses have a health & safety policy and for those with 5 or more employees, this MUST be in a written format so as to produce 'Safe Systems of Work' for all:

To develop a health & safety policy, the business needs to detail those who are responsible, the approach that they should take, frequency of review, methods of reporting, statements about risk assessments and how these risks will be eliminated, reduced or otherwise managed.

Typical Risks

Typical risks that it would be 'reasonable' to forsee such as placing of stationery on tall cupboards, manual handling, use of Computer Display Equipment, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), use of mobile phones whilst driving and unaccompanied visits to houses.

Management of risks

Management of risks (and demonstration that real efforts to eliminate or control have been made) is captured in a Health & Safety Policy and communicated in a Staff Handbook. We also deliver training to staff meetings.

Administration

We provide the templates required for notification of accidents (RIDDOR), review of incidents and near misses and various other forms for successful health and safety management.

This means that businesses gain a valuable management system, not just a few words.

BSA policies and handbooks are based upon

1) Specific to situation

Whilst some businesses may have common areas of risk requiring a policy such as the use of mobile phones whilst driving, every business has a unique set of key issues - from use of power machinery, manual handling, control of hazardous substances to making remote site visits alone.

2) Objective Risk assessment

We assess risk on the basis of client-specific circumstances, the consequence and the experience based probability.

3) Priority

We highlight the most important areas of risk so that you can manage in proportion to their priority.

4) Communication

We believe in clear communication of policies and procedures to ensure that the potential for harm or risk to workers, customers and the public are minimised.

See also [Services > Computer Health & Safety] (Display Screen Equipment) and [Services > Fire Risk Assessment]. Please also see information about Asbestos in our reference section.

For further information - please call Bernard Sims Associates on 01483 467270 or e-mail bsims@bsims.co.uk