Are You Prepared for a Health and Safety HSE Inspection?
When it comes to health and safety the HSE are the ones that you need to pay attention to. The Health and Safety Executive is the national independent watchdog for all occupational illness, safety and health. They work to ensure that regulations and legislation is being followed in a bid to help reduce the number of people who are injured, killed or who experiences ill health caused by the work that they perform or the work of others.
Do You Know Your Legal Responsibilities Regarding Health and Safety?
If you run your own business you must take health and safety seriously, even if you work by yourself or only have a few employees. The Regulations are in place to help you know your legal duties and to provide you with information that can help you to know when to do in order to reduce the chances of anyone falling ill or being hurt. It is necessary to have at least basic health and safety skills as an employer, such as knowing the laws, being aware of what might happen if you breach regulations and the basic knowledge regarding management.
Finding the Right Help and Support
You are able to pass on the management of your health and safety to your managers or other senior members in your organisation. In order to perform this duty for you the individuals given the responsibility will have to be suitable experienced or trained to fulfil their role fully. By law it is up to you to train up anyone who doesn't come ready with the necessary qualifications.
You can find suitable health and safety courses for any member of your workforce; there are plenty to choose from at various levels of intensity. The HSE will come down hard on any employer who fails to ensure their workers are suitably trained in health and safety issues so it's not worth ignoring the requirement for training.
What Training is Out There?
Health and safety courses can be taken in your own work environment or in the comfort of your own home via e-learning. As an employer you do have to provide the time for you employees to take the training out of their usual working hours. E-learning is more flexible and allows the candidate more time to complete the training.
Why Health and Safety is Important
The HSE will prosecute any employer who is found to be in breach of the health and safety law. This will result in numerous problems including potentially large fines, court costs, legal fees and fees for intervention. You must also consider your moral duties and how it will affect you and your business if poor management results in someone being injured, falling ill or even killed in an incident which could have easily been avoided. The health and safety HSE independent watchdogs will come down hard on any employer breaching the law. Don't take risks; instead get trained and know how to manage your health and safety.