Health and Safety: Underlying Principles

Attention to health and safety is not just about being socially responsible. It also makes good business sense and you should regard it as just as important as the achievement of any other key business objective.
Of course, working out what modern health and safety law means for your business can be quite a headache. But don’t be put off. Yes, on the face of it there do seem to be a lot of regulations and there is a lot of supporting guidance, but the underlying principles are really quite straightforward.
Essentially you have to ensure absence of risk to safety and health of employees and others ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’.

System in place to Manage Health & Safety
You have to have a system (e.g. have a policy, designate people and have clear procedures) in place to manage health and safety (and, if you employ more than five people, set this out in a written health and safety policy statement). You need to be able to show how you plan, organise, control, monitor and review preventative measures. And you need to appoint a competent person(s) to help you comply with your legal obligations.

Identify hazards
You have to identify your main hazards (things that could cause harm).

Assess Risk
You have to assess your risks (the probability that significant harm will occur) and again, if you employ more than five, record the results of your assessment.
Risk assessment is the key to working out what needs to be done - but don’t make it over-complicated. Remember, although you have to do it by law, it is really only any use if it can be used as a working tool - to help you prove to yourself and your employees that you have identified the main things in your business which could cause harm and that you are doing everything you should to prevent that harm from happening.

Risk Control Measures
You have to make sure that your risk control measures are adequate and that they are used and maintained and that they continue to work. (You also have to put in place any back up measures that may be needed like health surveillance or emergency procedures). And you have to inform, train and supervise employees.

You also have to report and record accidents; provide certain basic workplace, first aid and welfare facilities; have employers’ liability insurance; notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Local Authority of your existence; consult your workforce and their representatives; and so on.