Health & Safety Services
Occupational Health and Safety
The main objective of Occupational Health and Safety (oh & s) is to ensure that workers can carry out their work in a healthy and safe environment.
Creating a safe and healthy workplace requires a holistic approach that involves identifying hazards, assessing risks, implementing controls, training employees, reporting and investigating incidents, and continually evaluating and improving OHS measures.
What is Occupational Health & Safety?
Occupational Health and Safety (oh & s) involves identifying and controlling hazard and risk in the workplace that can cause injury and illness (physical & mental) and minimizing the costs associated with workplace injuries and illnesses, such as medical expenses, and workers' compensation claims.
It is also responsible for promoting and maintaining the physical, mental, and social well-being of workers and in reducing absenteeism, improving productivity and employee morale and job satisfaction, by creating a safer and healthier workplace culture.
What is involved in Occupational Health and Safety?
Occupational health and safety involves a range of activities and measures to protect the health, safety, and well-being of workers. These may include:
Hazard identification: This involves identifying potential hazards in the workplace that could cause harm to workers, such as unsafe work practices, machinery, or hazardous materials.
General risk assessment: Once hazards have been identified, a risk assessment should be carried out, to determine the likelihood and severity of harm, and to prioritise actions to eliminate or control the risks.
Risk control: Measures are then taken to control or eliminate identified risks. This could involve engineering controls (redesigning equipment, ventilation systems, guarding on machinery), administrative controls (safe work procedures, changing work practices or schedules) personal protective equipment PPE (gloves, masks, respirators or safety glasses).
Health and safety training and education: Employees are trained on safe work practices, hazard and risk controls to help them recognise potential danger, prevent accidents or injuries and deal with emergency procedures.
Accident investigation in health and safety: Procedures should be in place for workers to report incidents, injuries, and near-misses, and for investigating the root causes of incidents to prevent them from recurring.
Health surveillance: Depending on the nature of the work, health surveillance may be necessary to monitor workers' health and identify any adverse health effects that may be related to their work.
Ongoing evaluation and improvement: oh & s should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure it remains effective and relevant to the changing needs of the workplace.
Why does my business need Occupational Health and Safety?
Occupational Health and Safety can benefit your business in numerous ways, including legal compliance, cost savings, employee well-being, and reputation enhancement:
Legal compliance: Occupational health and safety regulations are put in place to protect workers from harm and ensure that employers provide a safe work environment. Failure to comply can result in legal penalties, fines, and lawsuits.
Cost savings: Investing in occupational health and safety can actually save your business money in the long run. By preventing workplace injuries and illnesses, you can reduce the costs associated with lost productivity, compensation claims, and insurance premiums.
Employee well-being: Your employees are your most valuable asset. Protecting their health and safety is not only a legal obligation but also a moral and ethical one. By promoting a safe and healthy workplace, you can improve employee morale, reduce absenteeism and turnover, and promote a positive workplace culture.
Improved productivity: A safe and healthy workplace can contribute to increased productivity. When employees feel safe and comfortable in their work environment, they are more likely to be engaged and focused on their work.
Positive reputation: A commitment to occupational health and safety can also enhance your business's reputation among customers, investors, and potential employees. It can demonstrate that you take your social and ethical responsibilities seriously, which can improve your brand image and attract top talent.
Is occupational health the same as workplace health?
Occupational health and workplace health are related, but they have different focuses and objectives.
Occupational health generally refers to the health of workers and their ability to perform their job duties safely and without risk of injury or illness. It involves identifying and controlling workplace hazard and risk, such as exposure to hazardous chemicals or physical strains from repetitive work.
Workplace health encompasses a broader range of factors that can impact the health and well-being of workers, such as stress, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and mental health concerns. It can also include measures to promote healthy lifestyles, such as providing healthy food options, encouraging physical activity, and offering wellness programs.
By creating a workplace health and wellbeing policy, employers can create a more supportive and health-promoting work environment, that benefits the overall well-being of their employees.
Do I have the right workplace facilities?
You must always consider the needs of all employees, including those with disabilities in the workplace.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues and apply to most workplaces, such as:
Suitable lighting
Moving around the premises - with no obstructions to floors and traffic routes.
A clean workplace
Hygiene - such as toilets, showers with separate facilities for men and women – failing that, rooms with lockable doors, hand basins, hot and cold water, soap
Welfare – fresh drinking water and having somewhere to rest and eat meals.
Comfortable conditions – including temperature, ventilation, the right amount of space and seating, a place to store clothes or change clothes, well-maintained premises and equipment, and windows that can be easily opened and cleaned
Working outdoors
Emergency procedures – you should write a plan for emergencies, such as serious injuries, explosion, flood, poisoning, electrocution, fire, release of radioactivity and chemical spills.
Why not talk to us about your Occupational Health and Safety needs
Our Popular Health and Safety Packages
Our clients often tell us that they would benefit from a package of our health and safety services, rather than using each service individually. That’s why we have put together our most popular Health and Safety services into easy-to-understand packages for you here.
H&S Essential
£30/month
H&S Enhanced
£90/month
Most Popular