Perry Scott Nash: Workplace safety and health advice just got simple ...

I was interested to read that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have initiated a radical revamp of the way small businesses access official advice about health and safety online with the launch of the new Health and Safety Toolbox.

This is being hailed as bringing together, in one place, everything a small, low-risk business could need to manage health and safety, and is said to be written with busy firms in mind, making it easy to find relevant guidance on specific risks with a few clicks of the mouse.

The package of guidance, developed by the HSE, with the support of businesses - will help business owners and employers avoid wasting precious time reading what they don't need to, wasting money on unnecessary bureaucracy or resorting to hiring costly consultants.

Here?s a background quote from Judith Hackitt, the HSE Chair:

"This package is everything small and low risk businesses could need to manage health and safety, online and free.?

"It will help businesses save time and money by getting them focusing on the real risks, guiding them to what is relevant for them and steering them away from what's not.

"By going online and working through it for themselves, for free, we hope low-risk SMEs will realise that they don't need expensive consultancy or reams of paperwork to manage their responsibilities. It is of no benefit to businesses or workers if over the top precautions are introduced?.

Included in the site are sections on the most common risks such as manual handling, trip hazards and harmful substances.

I have to say, any initiative to make Health and Safety information either easier to access or easier to understand, should be viewed as a force for good. My only reservation would be that more often that not, the full spectrum of H&S issues cannot be covered by a simple checklist and tips. Site visits looking at how businesses operate and understanding the conditions, demands and systems in place are vital for employee and consumer safety.? Businesses should not automatically assume they are ?low risk? ? it?s better to have procedures in place to ensure safety rather than to come face to face with a claimant in the Courtroom.

Andy Cox, Business Development Manager

Source: http://www.blog.perryscottnash.co.uk/2012/11/workplace-safety-and-health-advice-just.html

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