Every business, both large and small, needs to take H&S seriously

Oct 23 2007 by Evening Gazette

WITHIN the world of business and industry, there are many experts in the field of health and safety who can help to not only protect employees or the public from harm, but also maintain strict guidelines within the law.

The range of services encompasses help for the small entrepreneurial business to the large conglomorates. Whether dealing with health and safety training, best practices or prevention and protection from terror attack or similar large-scale incidents, safety within the UK is prominent in many’s minds.

Health and safety in the workplace is all about preventing people from being harmed by work or becoming ill through work. This is so important that the law says we must not put ourselves, other workers or the public in danger.

Health and safety law applies to all businesses however small. It covers employees, full - or part-time, temporary or permanent, the self-employed, young people doing work experience, apprentices, charity workers, mobile workers and homeworkers.

If you hire temps or casuals from agencies you have responsibilities too.

On a larger scale, the impact of a fire, flood, spillage or other emergency can be devastating to life, business survival and reputation. Although the unthinkable is unlikely, all businesses must prepare for the worst case scenario just in case.

There is no scope for complacency or lack of awareness with the extensive help and support that is on offer from the North-east’s safety sector.

Whether it is basic health and safety guidance or full-scale incident management and protection – be prepared.

Thanks to better safety regulations and support from experts within their fields, there has been a substantial reduction in work-related injury rates and numbers in Great Britain since 1974.

Headline trends

For injuries, between 1974 and 2006:

The number of fatal injuries to employees fell by 76%;

The rate of fatal injury (per 100 000 employees) fell by 79%;

The number of reported non-fatal injuries fell by 68%;

There have been reductions in injury rates and numbers in all main industry sectors

Around 24% of the reduction in the rate of fatal injury in the last 10 years can be attributed to a shift in employment away from manufacturing and heavy industry to lower risk service industries.