Health and Safety have become buzz words in the workplace and even MI5 recently advertised for a new Head of Health and Safety (although few details concerning the position were released). This is a guest post written for us around that very subject by by Jennifer Parker.
For businesses, putting safety first is an obvious priority but why? PPE, or protective personal equipment, are vital components needed in almost all workplaces and failing to protect your staff with them could cost more than you think.
Understanding PPE
Before you can look at the risks and costs of neglecting PPE, you must first understand what it is. PPE equipment is apparatus or clothing which is solely designed to protect wearers/users from specific harm.
As explained by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), employers are responsible for providing and replacing PPE equipment for their workforce and must also absorb the costs of this. Common examples include safety goggles and glasses, reinforced footwear, hard hats, respirators or face masks, protective gloves and other forms of protective clothing such as boiler suits.
Why is it important?
Alongside the physical benefits of PPE to the safety of your employees, there are also financial considerations to keep in mind when evaluating the effectiveness of these products. While PPE is primarily important because it maintains a safe work environment that puts the health of your employees at the centre, it is equally important for protecting your finances.
For evidence of this, you need only look at recent news articles concerning workplace accidents. In July 2013, the BBC reported on a firm that had been fined £67,000 for health and safety breaches which resulted in an accident that ultimately led to the death of an employee.
The company involved, Fresh Direct Local, admitted their liability after it was discovered the employee died from injuries he sustained when attempting to dispose of waste in an unsecured skip.
The company admitted that they failed to provide the necessary equipment to complete the task, with one of the requirements of investing in PPE in your workplace being to assess the products’ suitability for purpose. More than just being responsible for the original provision of safety equipment, it is also the duty of employers to ensure it is properly maintained and that means replacing or repairing equipment and clothing where necessary.
Another example of health and safety breaches that result in financial penalisation was reported by the HSE themselves and detailed how an East Ayrshire dairy farm had been fined £10,000 for breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974). In this example, a worker had sustained severe leg injuries after falling 11 feet through a cow shed roof.
According to the HSE’s investigation, no safety measures had been implemented to prevent a fall with the worker given no instruction or training on how to complete the job safely. A lack of PPE equipment was also noted, meaning there were no safety tools or equipment in place to allow the labourer to work in a safe manner.
The assignment of financial penalties for firms guilty of breaching health and safety regulations is not unique to specific industries either.
Another BBC report, this time from August 2013, detailed how a supermarket chain had been fined £27,500 for selling contaminated cooked meat. Booths admitted to 10 counts of health and safety law breaches which resulted in them selling food containing listeria bacteria and led to the allocation of the fine.
How to protect your business assets
For employers, these examples demonstrate how PPE is responsible for protecting more than just your employees – it can also safeguard your finances. Businesses that fall short of health and safety regulations are rightly fined for their misdemeanours but simply investing in the necessary tools and equipment could prevent this action from being taken.
To ensure your business is operating in a safe manner it is vital that you consult professionals like the HSE to see what your legal requirements are. You can then begin contacting suppliers of safety equipment to get everything you need to build a safe work environment that protects your two most important assets: your staff and your finances.
However, it is important to remember that regulations surrounding PPE demand that you train your employees on how to use it as well as providing it to them free of charge. Buying the right tools is not enough – you must make sure everyone knows how to use them too.
This means that new employees should be given a thorough induction which provides them the appropriate training while existing employees should be given refresher courses where appropriate. Testing your staff on their knowledge of health and safety protocols and how to use PPE may also be beneficial and can help ensure everyone is up to speed on what is required to maintain a safe and healthy work environment.
