Employers should provide their employees with a safe working environment. This is so for a number of reasons, ranging from the straightforward ethical benefits, to the avoidance of legal and reputational risk, to the financial upsides that come with greater productivity and lower staff turnover.
But what exactly is involved in creating a safe workplace? Whether you’re running an office environment, or a physically intensive outdoor one, like a construction site, the basic principles remain the same. Let’s take a look at them.
Understanding Your Legal Responsibilities
To begin with, it’s worth understanding your legal obligations as an employer. Put simply, you have a duty to protect your staff from avoidable harm. This harm might take the form of a physical hazard, like a falling piece of masonry on a construction site; or, it might take a hidden, insidious form, like that of chronic stress. It’s worth paying attention in particular to how your premises will allow for escape in the event of a fire, and whether you are providing the right Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to workers who might need it.
This is an area of regulation that is constantly evolving, in line with cultural expectations, and the threats faced by workers. As such, it’s worth paying special attention to the law. If you don’t, then you might find yourself faced with workplace accident claims.
Involving Employees in Safety Culture
If your employees don’t buy into the safety culture you’re trying to foment, then you might have a much tougher time. After all, you’ll be relying on your employees to set a good example for one another, and to report hazards promptly.
It’s therefore worth consulting regularly with your workers as you devise new rules. These consultations might take place at formal safety committees, or through a system of informal reporting. This will give those rules a better chance of being adhered to. Moreover, your employees might be able to offer valuable insights that might otherwise have been overlooked.
Adapting to New and Emerging Risks
Workplaces across the country are evolving. More conspicuous recent changes have involved a switch to hybrid and remote work, as well as a heightened appreciation for wellness and mental health.
In order to catch new trends as they emerge, it’s a good idea to regularly review your approach to risk assessment, and to perform the assessments themselves regularly.
Preparing for Inspections and Demonstrating Compliance
It isn’t just the avoidance of workplace accidents that employers need to be concerned with. It’s also essential that any inspections conducted by the health and safety authorities cast you in a favourable light. Make sure that you have good records of workplace accidents, and that you have your own internal procedures for inspection and accountability.
