The Bottom Line Secret Every Business Should Know ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Health and Safety has an image problem, we know that. Banning conkers, no throwing sweets at the pantomime, no hanging baskets, stepladders are banned by the HSE.
These myths and others like them do not help the image at all. My particular favourite is Trapeze Artists to Wear Safety Helmets, what a picture that conjures up. But Health and Safety also holds a secret no business can afford to ignore.
In this time of credit crunch surely any system that can improve the bottom line of a business by up to twelve times the investment should be implemented without delay. Good health and safety management can do this and there are plenty of case studies to show that it is true.
Rolling your eyes in disbelief? Well take a trip to the HSE website for proof www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm and see the real case studies for yourself.
Still incredulous?
Health and safety just slows things down. MYTH, Weve never had an accident, if they or you havent, it is probably more by good luck than good practice.
Comments like these are frequent and perceived to be true, but they aren't true at all.
Your business can save money through good health and safety practices. It lessens absence rates, lessens staff turnover rates, saves on training new recruits, reduces the chance of insurance claims, and could get you a reduction in insurance premiums. Productivity improves, as does your business image to clients and staff and your working practices.
Accident investigations typically cost a business a minimum of 5000.
There are three significant reasons, Moral, Legal and Financial, for business' to implement a good health and safety management system.
Can any business afford to miss out on these potentially large financial cost savings? Especially in these days of the credit crunch and shrinking markets. An practical and efficient health and safety management system can deliver astonishing financial returns.
Health and safety does not have to be restrictive, contrary to the adverse publicity that we see and hear. I recently did some work with a local school on risk assessment. The headmaster in a school local to my home is very proactive in getting the children to take part in risk/adventure activities as part of their all round education.
Adventure activities like camping, night walking, potholing, paintball with the army, mattress surfing (dont ask) and the climbing wall has been ordered. The pupils also canoe and build rafts to go on the river that borders the school land, in which they also swim.
Their St.Trinians ethos on the hockey field strikes terror into the hearts of their opponents.
They have, for a relatively small school, a disproportionate number of Area and County level sports representatives, in one of Englands largest counties. They do not appear to feel restricted by risk assessment in the slightest.
Have risk assessments been done? Of course. Are they restrictive? No. They provide sensible guidelines to staff and pupils to manage the risk without wrapping the children in cotton wool.
These activities ignite the childrens imagination, teaches them to manage risks for themselves and builds confidence and a rounded character for life after school. Do the parents object? No, they actively encourage the children to take part.
They wont understand about risk if they're wrapped in cotton wool and they wont have much fun either.
If your workforce had the kind of positive can do attitude that the pupils of this school show, you will enjoy the added bonus of saving costs through a good health and safety management system which is progressive not regressive.
Would we have a Great Britain if our ancestors had not taken risks?
Health and safety is cost effective, but it needs to be embraced by and communicated to the whole workforce, these are the criteria that should be used in business. The big stick downwards is much less productive than involving everybody from the grass roots up and valuing their opinion.
Manager Oh yes we have risk assessments
Auditor Where are they?
Manager In that box file on the top shelf Auditor
Have the staff read and understood them? A hush falls on the room.
How common do you think that response is, does it sound familiar? You wont make the cost savings if you dont make the effort to run the system professionally.
Do it right and pounds can be added to the bottom line of your business, you will also gain the respect of your customers and suppliers and add kudos to your competitive edge not to mention the pro-active involvement of the work force.
So with all this evidence and advantage, give it a go, what have you got to lose? Even your marketing gurus cant give you a 12 to 1 return on investment especially in these difficult times when businesses need every penny.
Go to www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm and see for yourself what can be done! - 15790
These myths and others like them do not help the image at all. My particular favourite is Trapeze Artists to Wear Safety Helmets, what a picture that conjures up. But Health and Safety also holds a secret no business can afford to ignore.
In this time of credit crunch surely any system that can improve the bottom line of a business by up to twelve times the investment should be implemented without delay. Good health and safety management can do this and there are plenty of case studies to show that it is true.
Rolling your eyes in disbelief? Well take a trip to the HSE website for proof www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm and see the real case studies for yourself.
Still incredulous?
Health and safety just slows things down. MYTH, Weve never had an accident, if they or you havent, it is probably more by good luck than good practice.
Comments like these are frequent and perceived to be true, but they aren't true at all.
Your business can save money through good health and safety practices. It lessens absence rates, lessens staff turnover rates, saves on training new recruits, reduces the chance of insurance claims, and could get you a reduction in insurance premiums. Productivity improves, as does your business image to clients and staff and your working practices.
Accident investigations typically cost a business a minimum of 5000.
There are three significant reasons, Moral, Legal and Financial, for business' to implement a good health and safety management system.
Can any business afford to miss out on these potentially large financial cost savings? Especially in these days of the credit crunch and shrinking markets. An practical and efficient health and safety management system can deliver astonishing financial returns.
Health and safety does not have to be restrictive, contrary to the adverse publicity that we see and hear. I recently did some work with a local school on risk assessment. The headmaster in a school local to my home is very proactive in getting the children to take part in risk/adventure activities as part of their all round education.
Adventure activities like camping, night walking, potholing, paintball with the army, mattress surfing (dont ask) and the climbing wall has been ordered. The pupils also canoe and build rafts to go on the river that borders the school land, in which they also swim.
Their St.Trinians ethos on the hockey field strikes terror into the hearts of their opponents.
They have, for a relatively small school, a disproportionate number of Area and County level sports representatives, in one of Englands largest counties. They do not appear to feel restricted by risk assessment in the slightest.
Have risk assessments been done? Of course. Are they restrictive? No. They provide sensible guidelines to staff and pupils to manage the risk without wrapping the children in cotton wool.
These activities ignite the childrens imagination, teaches them to manage risks for themselves and builds confidence and a rounded character for life after school. Do the parents object? No, they actively encourage the children to take part.
They wont understand about risk if they're wrapped in cotton wool and they wont have much fun either.
If your workforce had the kind of positive can do attitude that the pupils of this school show, you will enjoy the added bonus of saving costs through a good health and safety management system which is progressive not regressive.
Would we have a Great Britain if our ancestors had not taken risks?
Health and safety is cost effective, but it needs to be embraced by and communicated to the whole workforce, these are the criteria that should be used in business. The big stick downwards is much less productive than involving everybody from the grass roots up and valuing their opinion.
Manager Oh yes we have risk assessments
Auditor Where are they?
Manager In that box file on the top shelf Auditor
Have the staff read and understood them? A hush falls on the room.
How common do you think that response is, does it sound familiar? You wont make the cost savings if you dont make the effort to run the system professionally.
Do it right and pounds can be added to the bottom line of your business, you will also gain the respect of your customers and suppliers and add kudos to your competitive edge not to mention the pro-active involvement of the work force.
So with all this evidence and advantage, give it a go, what have you got to lose? Even your marketing gurus cant give you a 12 to 1 return on investment especially in these difficult times when businesses need every penny.
Go to www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm and see for yourself what can be done! - 15790
About the Author:
Sean Fowden, the author of this article is a respected health and safety consultant, with his own company for health and consultancy and training, rass ltd. Their web site is full of free advice and free downloads to help any business.