Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Workplace Health Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992
Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992
Manual Handling Regulations 1992
First Aid at Work Regulations 1981
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
Etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc To the Small Businessman, it seems never ending.
Unfortunately as soon as you employ one person there are certain points contained within the various regulations which we must all pay attention too. Once we pass the magic figure of five employees some of the regulations become mandatory, and plus ten produces more calls for compliance. The regulations are not only aimed at you the employer. Equal responsibility is placed on your employees to ensure that they comply and assist you with observance of the regulations.
The Health and Safety Executive have been tasked by the Government to be more pro-active in checking compliance with the regulations. For the average small business this needn’t be as traumatic as you would imagine. Non-compliance will certainly be a shock to the system and bank balance.
The various regulations strangely enough are very permissive and applied properly can only help a well-run business in terms of safety and welfare for the workforce. Good safety = less accidents. Good welfare = Healthy happy workforce.
It is fully appreciated that not every business can afford to employ a full time Health and Safety advisor, indeed most small firms certainly do not need a full time post when staff training and an on call advisor would suffice and leave less of a dent in the finances.
Accidentally Yours is a local firm based in Redditch, which specialises in Personal Injury claims and Health & Safety advice to Small to Medium sized businesses in the Warwickshire and Hereford and Worcestershire area. We would be happy to hear from Forum browsers who may need assistance wading through the regulation maze.
You can look at our website at www.accidentally-yours.co.uk or ring us on 01527 456985 or fax us on 0870 8311149.