Handling Health and Security in the Office

Managing health and safety in the workplace is of major importance in almost any business. To make this happen you'll need to take into account what could potentially cause injury to people, both your staff and customers, and decide if you are doing enough to prevent that harm. This is generally accepted as a risk assessment. Once you've identified the risks, you'll need to ascertain how to handle them and put the correct measures in place.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (known because the Management Rags) introduced a legal duty on business/employers to recognize and control workplace hazards where the chance of injury is significant.

A risk assessment isn't about creating huge levels of paperwork, but rather about identifying sensible measures to handle the risks in your workplace. What regulations states does not expect you to get rid of all risks, but to guard people by investing in place measures to handle those risks. You're probably already taking steps to guard your employees, your risk assessment can tell you whether you should be doing more.

Just how can I measure the risks in my own workplace?

A great starting place is definitely to walk around your workplace and try to look for any hazards - a hazard is anything which could cause harm. Then go through the risks - a risk is the chance, high or low, of somebody being harmed by the hazard, and how serious the harm could be.

Consider how accidents could happen and who could be harmed. Ask your employees what they believe the hazards are, as they may notice things that are not obvious for you and may possess some good ideas how best to manage the risks. Look closely at the true risks - people who are likely to cause harm. Go through the measures you're already taking to handle the risks and ask when you yourself have anything you must do to create your workplace safer. Once you've identified the risks and what you need to do to handle them, you must put the correct measures in place.

Then record your findings. When you yourself have fewer than five employees there isn't to create anything down, but it's good practice to keep a record. A good way to record your findings is to use a risk assessment form. No standard legal form exists that can be utilized, but provided that you record the chance and everything you're doing to handle it, that's all that's required. It's far better to keep it simple and straightforward and not give it time to be harder than it must be.

Few workplaces stay the same and eventually you will need in new equipment, substances or procedures which may lead to new hazards. It makes sense to examine your risk assessment on a typical basis. If anything significant changes, check your risk assessment and update it.

By following these simple steps, managing health and safety in the workplace won't be an arduous task, but something that's an all-natural task in almost any business.

Nigel J Welford is often a qualified Health & Safety professional and believes to make the technique of health and safety in the workplace as simple as you are able to whilst still being effective and meeting all of the regulations. Obtain a copy of his free report "The Secret To How Health & Safety Can Improve Your Business And Profits: 7 Everyday Pitfalls To Avoid" from  www.centerforworklife.com/