Health and safety – have you got it covered?

Health and safety – have you got it covered?

Recently, an accident on a construction site in which a worker died has resulted in an £80,000 fine for the company involved, who admitted two breaches of the Health & Safety Act. The worker who died had been hit on the head while operating a digger he’d not been trained to use.  While this is an extreme case, all businesses should be aware of their health and safety responsibilities both towards their employees and anyone working in, around or visiting their premises.  A thorough risk assessment, including a fire risk assessment, is the most effective way of improving your firm’s health and safety. If you employ five or more people, you must have a written policy in place, of which all employees are aware, and you must display the poster ‘Health and safety law: what you should know’, available from HSE books, or distribute the leaflet.  Find a guide to health and safety on the Law Donut as well as plenty of other useful health and safety information, including how to carry out a risk assessment and 27 health and safety FAQs. The Health & Safety Executive website also has guidance and resources for small businesses.

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