Why is Health and Safety in the Workplace Important?

When it comes to health and safety in the workplace, there is no cutting corners. Health and safety in the workplace is there to protect yourself, your employees and any visitors to the building. Health and safety in UK workspaces is as much about being a good employer as it is a legal requirement.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, also known as HASAWA, is legislation that lays out the general principles and practices of good workplace health and safety. The law is in place to ensure the necessary measures to prevent injury or reduce risk. Health and safety is the responsibility of the appointmented person as well as your local authority.

Why Do We Need Health and Safety in the Workplace?

The main reason we have laws around health and safety is to ensure everyone in the workplace is kept safe and the risks around them are reduced. Health and safety measures are there to protect yourself, your workers, any contractors, customers and any other visitors that might enter your place of work.

Any business that chooses to ignore the law or do the bare minimum will likely suffer from high staff turnover and it could also lead to legal cases from accidents and injuries that happen at work. Businesses that choose to flout health and safety laws are also at risk of being fined by the local authority as well.

How Can a Company Provide a Safe Working Environment?

There are a number of things businesses can do to help ensure they are complying with current health and safety laws. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the correct health and safety measures are in place, however employees also must use their own due diligence and follow any practices that have been put in place to protect them.

If an employer is following health and safety and has put in the appropriate measures to project staff and they then choose to ignore this, the employer won’t be liable for any accidents and injuries that occur, as they have done what they can to reduce the risk. The main aim of health and safety legislation is to ensure your works are protected from anything that could cause harm at work.

How Can An Employer Reduce Risks

• Carry out risk assessments on areas that could pose a threat
• Give employees and visitors essential information about potential risks
• Have employees read and agree to the workplaces health and safety practices
• Give health and safety training to employees
• Have an independent health and safety audit carried out
• Keep health and safety practices updated regularly

What Happens if you don’t Follow Health and Safety Laws?

If you choose to flout the law and not obey current health and safety practices, then you are leaving yourself and your business open to prosecution by both your employees and visitors, as well as the local authority. Any breaches no matter how big or small could cause an accident or injury to happen and you will be liable for it if you haven’t put in the right health and safety practices. Some of that could happen if you choose to ignore the Health and Safety At Work Act are:

• A raise in insurance premiums
• Personal injury legal cases
• Damage to your business’s reputation
• Fines
• Potential Closure

How Do I Get Help with Health and Safety?

At Safetynet Scotland, we fully understand how complicated health and safety at work can be and that’s why we offer a wide range of health and safety services. From policy writing to training and much more, we can help to ensure your business is taking the appropriate measures to protect your employees and any visitors to the premises. For more information or to discuss your requirements in more detail, be sure to get in touch with us. One of our team is always on hand to answer questions and deal with enquiries.