Today marks World Day for Safety and Health at Work, an international awareness day that seeks to promote healthy and safe workplaces across the world, and to stress the significance of the role that occupational safety and health plays.
It began in 2003 in order to shine a spotlight on the prevention of accidents and diseases at work, and now, 18 years on, it continues to do that in the ever-changing landscape of business.
Whilst it is obviously a positive that this national awareness day brings health & safety to the forefront of people’s minds, it is vital that it remains an utmost priority for both businesses and individuals throughout the year.
No matter the industry, whether it is one with a typically higher rate of injuries like construction, agriculture, and manufacturing, or more sedate sectors like professional services, there must always be a focus on health & safety.
And not only to fulfil an employer’s duty of care to their staff – which of course is a legal obligation – but also to foster a working environment where workers can be free from hazards and harm.
Where employees feel well looked after, this of course reduces the risk of winding up in a court case and paying out potentially unlimited fines, but it has myriad other benefits too…
Maintain a culture of good safety practices and welfare, and you’ll experience improved company reputation, higher morale and productivity amongst your staff, and less turnover – not to mention reduced insurance payments.
It is excellent to see that safety has become more prevalent in businesses over the last few decades.
What with the introduction of new legislation – including the personal protective equipment (PPE) at work regulations 1992 and Natasha’s law which focuses on the correct labelling of allergens – and with the appointment of health & safety officers and similar roles across sectors, the number of reported work-related injuries, deaths and near-misses has fallen dramatically.
Annual workplace fatalities have fell from 147 per year in 2010, to 113 per year in 2020, and the rate of fatalities in the workplace continue to reduce.
But whilst this is indeed a move in the right direction, heath and safety does still remain an issue – for millions of people.
For instance, in 2020/21:
- 7 million workers suffered from work-related ill health
- 4 million workers sustained a non-fatal injury
- 142 workers were killed at work
- 8 million workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety
- 5 million workers suffered from work-related musculoskeletal disorders
And so, World Day for Safety and Health at Work should serve as a stark reminder that health & safety should never be forgotten or swept under the carpet.
It should not be a mere box-ticking exercise, and it needn’t become an obstacle. Rather, health & safety should be integrated into every facet of your business, and should weave into your company culture, providing a solid basis for your values.
All organisations should be putting in place certain measures and carry out health & safety activities such as:
1. Implementing a Health & Safety policy
Make sure you have a clear and concise health & safety policy in place which is reviewed annually or after a significant change. Employees should have access to your policy and new employees should be made aware of your policy.
2. Conducting risk assessments
Carry out risk assessments for tasks carried out in your business. New risk assessments for you to consider may include home/hybrid working, working alone and stress risk assessments covering those working from home.
3. Delivering training
Ensure your staff are trained in all health & safety matters that may affect them. This could include manual handling, working at height, and first aid.
4. Communicating to staff
It is important to communicate your health & safety rules and risk assessments to relevant employees. This would usually be in the form of an employee safety handbook that they sign to confirm they have read and understood your health & safety rules.
5. Accident reporting
Reporting and investigating accidents and near misses leads to a further reduction in accidents, as long as you put into place the necessary measures to prevent the accident reoccurring again.
6. Obtaining appropriate insurance
Employers should have suitable insurance in place including public liability and employer’s liability. The certificate of insurance should be made available to your employees.
7. Promoting a safe workplace
Workplaces should be clean and clear of hazards. Ensure your workplace is risk-free by carrying out periodic inspections of the workplace and encouraging employees to report hazards.
8. Adhering to management standards
The health & safety management standards (ISO 45001) prove to potential customers and to employees that you are managing health & safety within your organisation. Other standards, such as quality standards (ISO 9001) and environmental standards (ISO 14001) show that your business is following ISO standards and are managing these well.
