How to Keep Good Health and Safety in the Workplace

What is Health and Safety like in your workplace?

Let’s explain how to keep good health and safety in your workplace.

Did you know that slips and trips cause the most accidents in the workplace?  Which accounts for 33% of the most common injury. But why is this?

Every employee has a right to work in settings that effectively manage risks to their health and safety. Employers are primarily responsible for this under health and safety law. On problems of health and safety, employers are required to engage with their staff members or their representatives.

Statistics

Let’s start with statistics, taken from HSE during 2019/2022.

• 1.7 million working people suffering from a work-related illness, of which
  • 822,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety
  • 470,000 workers suffering from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder
  • 93,000 workers suffering from COVID-19 which they believe may have been from exposure to coronavirus at work
• 2,544 mesothelioma deaths due to past asbestos exposures (2020)
• 123 workers killed at work (2021/22)
• 441,000 working people sustained an injury at work according to the Labour Force Survey
• 51,211 injuries to employees reported under RIDDOR

Would you have ever thought stress, depression, or anxiety would be the highest reason for workers to suffer a work-related illness?  That 441,000 people sustained an injury at work? That 123 workers have been killed at work.

 

How to avoid injuries

These injuries and work-related illnesses could have been avoided! But how?

• Knowing safety is the number one key to preventing accidents.  Sharing workplace policies, procedures and protocols helps spread awareness and knowledge to staff.
• To maintain the workplace, safety procedures should be included in employee handbooks, and new staff should get information. Additionally, continuing education and training should be made available and encouraged. To ensure the avoidance of accidents, workers should receive training on all elements of their jobs as well as how to operate any machinery and equipment safely.
• Workers that are employed or hired should be efficient.  There are numerous qualifications in the field of safety that could help the business’s total comprehension of how to keep the premises secure. Before a candidate is hired, the certification they claim to have (together with their employment history) should be carefully examined.
• Accidents frequently happen as a result of inadequate personnel and present workers being overworked. Many workers may experience exhaustion or stress when employers don’t provide enough staffing, which might lead to workplace mishaps later on. Hiring part-time or seasonal labour is one approach to reduce stress during times when business is brisk.
• Every employee should always have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) for all duties that call for it to ensure their safety and the avoidance of mishaps. PPE should always have routine maintenance and testing to evaluate efficacy and reliability. Every employee should receive training on the PPE they require for particular duties.
• Workplace accidents usually result from some sort of equipment, vehicle, or machinery breakdown. Employers are required to perform regular, reasonable, and proper maintenance on any machinery and equipment used by employees.  Any machinery or equipment that is broken or requires repair needs to be fixed right away or replaced. Additionally, an employer should keep a record of all maintenance activities and notify staff of any broken or damaged equipment.
• Having daily health and safety checks will prevent accidents by;
  • Keeping the environment clean
  • Make sure equipment is always maintained and serviced regularly
  • Incorporate a wellness and safety plan for all employees to follow
  • Keep walkways clear
  • Ensure spills are cleaned promptly
  • Create a culture of safety in your company

Ensuring that workers have a safe space to complete tasks is just smart business.

• Finally, having an open environment.  Workers may find it difficult to come forward regarding safety issues.  They may have a fear of being fired, or not taken seriously by their employer.  Having a suggestions box, or encouraging workers to come forward can help keep the workplace safer.

The abovementioned measures will lessen accidents. Accidents still happen, but by putting the essentials in place, HSE fines are less likely to occur.

Click here to find out the biggest fine ever given when no injury was caused: https://www.subscribepage.com/5_common_fines

Good House-keeping

A job can be completed safely and correctly and some workplace dangers can be removed with good housekeeping. Poor housekeeping usually causes accidents by concealing dangers that might result in injury. If paper, trash, clutter, and spills are considered as commonplace sights, then other, more serious health and safety risks might also be viewed as normal.

Not only cleanliness is part of housekeeping. It includes maintaining clean, ordered workplaces, keeping walkways and floors clear of trip and fall risks, and removing waste (such as paper and cardboard) and other fire dangers from work areas. It also requires paying attention to crucial particulars including the design of the entire workspace, aisle marking, the suitability of storage options, and upkeep. A fundamental component of accident and fire prevention is good housekeeping.

A continuous process goes into effective housekeeping. By continuously maintaining the workspace clean, the business may demonstrate its commitment to the security of its workers and the public. Cleaning up in a “panic” is expensive and ineffectual at lowering accidents.

What is the purpose of workplace housekeeping?

Poor housekeeping can be a cause of accidents, such as:

1. tripping over loose objects on floors, stairs and platforms
2. being hit by falling objects
3. slipping on greasy, wet or dirty surfaces
4. striking against projecting, poorly stacked items or misplaced material
5. cutting, puncturing, or tearing the skin of hands or other parts of the body on projecting nails, wire or steel strapping

The benefits of good housekeeping;

1. reduced handling to ease the flow of materials
2. fewer tripping and slipping accidents in clutter-free and spill-free work areas
3. decreased fire hazards
4. lower worker exposures to hazardous substances
5. better control of tools and materials
6. more efficient equipment clean up and maintenance
7. better hygienic conditions leading to improved health
8. more effective use of space
9. reduced property damage by improving preventive maintenance
10. less janitorial work
11. improved morale

Employer’s responsibilities

Employers are in charge of managing health and safety concerns in their workplaces under the law. A general description of how the law affects employers is given below. Remember that both self-employed people and employees have significant obligations.

An employer has a responsibility to safeguard the health, welfare, and safety of both their workers and any other individuals who may be impacted by their job activities. Employers are required to take all reasonable steps to do this.

This entails ensuring that both employees and others are safeguarded from any risks associated with workplace activity.

The areas in which employers need comply with are;

• Assess risks – Employers have duties under health and safety law to assess risks in the workplace. This means identifying work activities that could cause injury or illness and taking action to eliminate the hazard, or if this isn’t possible, control the risk.
• Provide information about risks – Employers must give workers information about the risks in their workplace and how they are protected, also instruct and train them on how to deal with the risks.
• Consult employees – Employers must consult employees on health and safety issues. Consultation must be either direct or through a safety representative that is either elected by the workforce or appointed by a trade union.
• Provide health and safety information – Employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations (HSIER) to display the approved poster in a prominent position in each workplace or to provide each worker with a copy of the approved leaflet.

Employee’s responsibilities

Every employee has a right to work in settings that effectively manage risks to their health and safety. Employers are primarily responsible for this under health and safety law.

Employees have a responsibility to look out for their own health and safety as well as that of anyone else who might be impacted by their actions at work. To ensure that everyone complies with the law, employees must cooperate with their bosses and co-workers.

As a worker, you should speak with your employer, manager/supervisor, or a health and safety representative if you have any specific questions or concerns about health and safety at work.

Workers – reporting a health and safety issue – If workers think their employer is exposing them to risks or is not carrying out their legal duties with regards to health and safety, and if this has been pointed out to them but no satisfactory response has been received, workers can report this to HSE.

What employees must do;

1. When utilising any tools for work that your employer has provided for you, adhere to the training you have received.
2. Exercise reasonable care for both your own health and the health and safety of others.
3. Work together on health and safety issues with your employer.
4. If you believe that the work being done or insufficient safety measures are seriously endangering anyone’s health or safety, tell someone (your employer, supervisor, or health and safety representative).

If there is a problem;

1. If you are worried about health and safety in your workplace, talk to your employer, supervisor, or health and safety representative.
2. You can also look at our website for general information about health and safety at work.
3. If, after talking with your employer, you are still worried, you can find the address of your local enforcing authority for health and safety and the Employment Medical Advisory Service via HSE’s website: www.hse.gov.uk

How to report an accident or injury

If you are concerned that working conditions or procedures at work could lead to harm or injury, report your concerns to the workplace health and safety department.

Your employer should be notified first of any concerns. You can typically do this by chatting with your boss or supervisor. If you feel that your employer isn’t taking your problems seriously, you may use the grievance procedure, if your workplace has one, to forward your complaints. Additionally, writing to your employer and expressing your concerns could be helpful (keeping a copy for your own records).

Members of a trade union can also report the matter to the union representative. A trade union representative may be able to help you resolving any issues.

You may feel that nothing has changed after raising concerns about workplace health and safety with your employer. Following that, you might choose to file a formal complaint. You can file a more formal report if the working environment is dangerous and could injure or seriously hurt you, your co-workers, or a member of the public.

Workplace health and safety regulations are enforced by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in collaboration with local authorities. Inspectors from the HSE and the local authority have the authority to look into any health and safety law violation that endangers the safety of others.

You should find out which authority is in charge of your specific workplace or premises before you report any concerns about occupational health and safety.

Reports can be made directly to the HSE using an online reporting form.

If the workplace is covered by the Local Authority the report should be made to the Environmental Health Officer of the relevant Local Authority for your area. This can usually be done via the individual Local Authority website.

 

Our Health and Safety Courses

Join our Health and Safety course for an excellent introduction to health and safety in the workplace.  These courses will benefit all employees, particularly those who may be accepting a health and safety role, such as a safety representative within their organisation. Even if you are a small company, understanding the safety risks will not only comply with legislation, it will keep you, your staff, or customers safe.

Depending which course you undertake will depend on the length of the courses.  Our level one course is half a day – 4 hours, and our level two course is one day – 7 hours.

Our two courses will cover a range of subjects is covered including:

• Roles and responsibilities for health, safety, and welfare in the workplace.
• The value and process of risk assessments.
• The identification and control of workplace hazards.
• How to respond to workplace incidents and accidents
• Subjects include;
  • PPE
  • Electricity
  • Fire
  • Manual Handling
  • Hazardous Substances
  • Display Screen Equipment
  • Workplace Safety Signs
  • First Aid
  • Accident Reporting
  • RIDDOR

Attending our Health and Safety courses will give you an insight into Fire training and Manual Handling training.

You can complete your course at our training room in Brownhills, Walsall or we can come to you.  Alternatively, we can deliver these training courses over video meetings just like you are in a classroom.

For more information about our Health and Safety Courses view here;
https://www.hmbtrainingservices.co.uk/latest-news/offer/faa-level-2-award-health-safety-workplace-qcf

 

We are available on 01543 453338 or info@hmbtrainingservices.co.uk