Workplace safety has transformed in the last decade, with many laws and regulations being tightened by a significant margin compared to years gone. Many people over recent years have argued that rules and regulations when it comes to workplace health and safety have become too restrictive and going ‘too far’. However, it is easy to lose sight of why these new rules and laws are brought into place and how important they can be.
It can sometimes be easy to complain about the restrictions that new regulations bring with them, but at the same time, it cannot be ignored just how important of a role health and safety regulations play in today’s workplaces. With today’s health and safety regulations in place, we see millions of workers protected from harm in a multitude of ways.
No matter the size of the business, whether it be big or small, health and safety must always be placed at the forefront of the business goals, providing a safe space for workers that fall in line with the law.
There are many reasons that health and safety regulations are so important within the workplace. This post will go through the main reasons that health and safety should take such an important place among business goals.
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Legal Requirements
The first and most obvious reason for the importance of following health and safety regulations is that you violate the law and risk facing repercussions from a legal perspective if you don’t.
The foundation of the health and safety regulations is unavoidable by law. They must be respected and acted upon when structuring the rules and regulations that must be followed by all members of the business.
Brought in in 1974, The Health and Safety at Work Act is an important piece of legislation. The act requires employers and employees to take reasonable steps to ensure that health and safety in the workplace are maintained by way of preventative methods. In addition, some regulations specify health and safety procedures that must be followed in certain industries.
As health and safety regulations are enforced by law, the consequences of not following through with doing everything by the letter of the law can have damaging effects on a business. Fines for health and safety breaches continue to grow and become more common as the government continually clamps down on those that do not choose to follow regulations.
Fines can have significant implications, depending on the business, and can be quite damaging should they continue to be received. Continued breaches of health and safety laws could even potentially lead to criminal prosecution, damaging the business reputation as well as its finances.
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Risk Can Be Found in Any Workplace
No matter the workplace, dangers can be found anywhere and must be treated seriously to prevent worker injury. No matter the industry, risks are everywhere, and regulations prevent accidents as much as possible. Unique hazards can be found in all industries, and it is just as important to not ignore them in a quiet office space as it is in a busy construction site.
Anything from small wires and other obstructions to unsafe scaffolds and machinery are classified as a hazard. Although worlds apart in their severity, they still have the potential to hurt and injure workers in that environment.
It’s important to do everything in the power of your business to not become complacent with health and safety protocol, keep in mind that no working environment is ever completely safe, and always be vigilant when looking for possible dangers. You will never complete your health and safety policy completely in a workplace; it is an ongoing process that involves cooperation between employees and owners to ensure a happy workplace.
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Increases Efficiency
Efficiency is key in the modern workplace, and many owners don’t realise that good and well-maintained health and safety regulations can actually increase the efficiency of their business.
Health and safety procedures are followed step-by-step and allow for a safe and structured approach to following regulations. Following these procedures by the book eliminates any flexibility in said procedures and ultimately streamlines the process.
As well as making the process much quicker, having a set list of procedures to follow makes it easier for employees to understand exactly what needs to be done and how it needs to be done. While health and safety protocols are being followed effectively, employees can carry out their work efficiently and, ultimately, much safer.
A safe workplace that is maintained using health and safety procedures also provides peace of mind to employees. Employees’ focus remains on their roles and tasks for the day, without having to worry about any health and safety mishaps.
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Reduces Costs Across the Board
Health and safety training may have a cost in the short term to a company, but in the long term can reduce costs and save money for a company in many ways, giving many benefits of health and safety regulations when implemented properly.
By streamlining health and safety procedures and clearly defining what must be done, time spent on unnecessary tasks is cut dramatically, making room for efficient work that makes for more productive working hours, working as a collective and not spending as much time on smaller individual tasks.
Losing valued workers due to an accident, injury or illness that occurs in the workplace is not only an awful thing to happen, but from a business perspective can also have an impact on workplace operations. Not only do employers lose valuable time managing the situation and finding a replacement, but they are also now without a valuable, dedicated worker along with their thoughts, ideas and expertise.
The true cost of losing an employee in this way is not always financial, the loss of an employee, even if only a temporary loss, can be just as detrimental to the growth of the company.
When looking at the importance of following regulations by law, a clear advantage that effective health and safety training has is that it can help companies avoid fines for breaches in health and safety regulations. In some cases, fines for these health and safety violations can soar into the millions as the UK government has cracked down on offenders of these breaches over recent years.
With breaches in health and safety, it is important to note that not only would fines be prominent in this situation, but heavy amounts of compensation would also need to be paid to injured employees, showing the true cost of ineffective health and safety training could be huge.
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Creates a Safe Company Culture
It may be an advantage that gets overlooked quite often when thinking about health and safety policies and training, but workplace culture can potentially be a big beneficiary of a safe workplace.
A strong and thoroughly thought out health and safety policy has the potential to create an environment in which employees feel safe and secure. Having a policy in place also ensures staff feel valued due to the extent of the measures taken to keep them safe.
A great health and safety policy has the potential to increase employee retention rates, as well as boost morale in the workplace by showing employees that they are valuable to the company as people, rather than just workers.
A safe, secure and happy company culture is also something that potential hires really value and actively search for when looking for a new position. A safe and secure workplace can be an effective way to attract a highly skilled pool of potential candidates, which can aid an organisation in building the workforce you desire.
We live in an evolving world where workers look for value in a business rather than just a job. It is important to move with this new shift and evolve workplace culture through health and safety policies and training.
Health and Safety Training is a Must!
Health and safety training is such an important practice to have in the workplace because it can unite employers and employees with the common goal of creating a safe, secure and prosperous workplace that is a great place to be for everyone.
Ultimately, the benefits of a business having a solid health and safety policy far outweigh the cost of training all staff to carry out health and safety procedures effectively. Health and safety training should never be seen as a hindrance or obstacle for a business and should never be seen as an afterthought.
When managed properly, health and safety regulations and training can act as a catalyst for positive workplace culture, providing a safe and happy working environment that has the potential to thrive as a result of structured, well thought out policies.
Take a look at the fantastic training and support that we offer here at 4 Cladding Services, you can never offer your staff too much training, so it is the perfect time to take a look and expand the skill set of your employees!
If you have any questions about our training, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Our fantastic team is more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
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