Health and Safety Legislation

Health and safety legislation can be complex and confusing. Most people are aware of the legal requirement to protect employees' health and safety by ensuring that risks in the workplace are properly controlled. But how do you do this?

Implementing health and safety precautions does not have to be expensive or time consuming. It is estimated that employee accidents and ill-health cost British employers an estimated £3.3 billion to £6.5 billion each year (source HSE) and that uninsured losses from accidents cost small businesses £315 per employee per year (source Norwich Union). By investing a small amount of time and money substantial savings can be made.

Working through a few basic and simple steps could minimise the risk to health and safety and provide a safer working environment:

• Look for potential hazards
• Assess who might be harmed and how
• Evaluate the risks - consider whether existing precautions are adequate or not
• Record your findings
• Review and revise your health and safety policy

It is always important to remember the following:

• It is not only obvious risks that need to be considered.
• Even if you already have adequate systems and procedures in place you must ensure that employees are trained and are able to comply with these requirements
• The working environment is ever changing - remember to revise and update your procedures

In addition to legal advice which Spratt Endicott can provide, we maintain close contact with a number of advisers specialising in this type of work who we are able to recommend.

March 2004