New thoughts on small firms' safety issues

Mar 2 2009 by Karen Dent, The Journal

HEALTH and safety watchdogs are considering a new strategy to ensure small businesses are keeping up to date with regulations and requirements.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is consulting on ways to ensure small firms meet their legal obligations “in a manner proportionate to the risks posed by their work activities”.

However, it is still insisting that each SME must have “at least one competent person” to be in overall charge of a business’s workplace health and safety policy.

Newcastle-based law firm Ward Hadaway said that the HSE is using a carrot and stick approach to ensure the firms abide by the regulations.

James Thompson, a partner in Ward Hadaway’s health and safety team, said: “The HSE is clearly acknowledging that small businesses face very different challenges to larger counterparts when it comes to fulfilling health and safety criteria.

“This is an encouraging move because what is appropriate for sizeable companies with many employees may not work for SMEs.”

Although regulations demand a “competent person”, Mr Thompson said this figure does not have to be the business owner or a member of staff.

“The competent person can be an external consultant brought in to provide advice, draw up policies and give assistance as and when required,” he said.

“Since many SME owners already have their hands full coping with the many other aspects of running their business in what are challenging times, this may prove an increasingly popular solution.”