The Bottom Line Secret Every Business Should Know ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 Times the investment, what a Business Return? Banning conkers, stepladders are banned by the HSE, no throwing sweets at the pantomime, no hanging baskets, .
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.
The benefits of good health and safety management far outweigh the costs of implementation. 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 examined and utilised without delay.
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 dubious?
"We've always done it like this without a problem." Unlikely, more by good luck than judgement, "Health and safety just gets in the way."
Comments like these are frequent and perceived to be true, but they aren't true at all.
A good health and safety management system, saves money by lessening absence rates, lessening staff turnover rates, saves on training new recruits, reduces the chance of insurance claims, and could get you a reduction in insurance premiums. It also improves your business image to clients and staff, working practices and productivity.
An accident investigation alone will probably cost a business around 5000
There are three significant reasons, Moral, Legal and Financial, for business' to implement a good health and safety management system.
In these days of the credit crunch and shrinking markets, can any business afford to miss out on these potentially large financial cost savings? An efficient and practical health and safety management system can deliver astonishing financial returns.
Health and safety does not have to be restrictive, 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. I recently did some work with them on risk assessment.
The pupils canoe and build rafts to go on the river that borders the school land, in which they also swim. They go camping, night walking, potholing, paintball with the army, mattress surfing (dont ask) and the climbing wall has been ordered.
Their St.Trinians ethos on the hockey field strikes terror into the hearts of their opponents.
I dont think they feel restricted by risk assessment and for a relatively small school they have a disproportionate number of Area and County level sports representatives, in one of Englands largest counties.
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.
Saving costs through a good health and safety management system which is progressive not regressive can be achieved. Think of the other benefits to your business if your workforce had the kind of positive can do attitude that the pupils of this school show.
Would we have a Great Britain if our ancestors had not taken risks?
The big stick downwards is much less productive than involving everybody from the grass roots up and valuing their opinion. These criteria should be used in business, health and safety is cost effective, but it needs to be embraced by and communicated to the whole workforce.
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.
Cost savings will be negligible if you do not run the system professionally. If the scenario above sounds familiar then you are not doing a professional job with your health and safety.
Conversely, do it right and pounds can be added to the bottom line of your business, 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.
Even your marketing gurus cant give you a 12 to 1 return on investment, especially in these difficult times when businesses need every penny. So with all this evidence and advantage, give it a go, what have you got to lose?
See for yourself what can be done, go to www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm if you want more proof - 16492
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.
The benefits of good health and safety management far outweigh the costs of implementation. 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 examined and utilised without delay.
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 dubious?
"We've always done it like this without a problem." Unlikely, more by good luck than judgement, "Health and safety just gets in the way."
Comments like these are frequent and perceived to be true, but they aren't true at all.
A good health and safety management system, saves money by lessening absence rates, lessening staff turnover rates, saves on training new recruits, reduces the chance of insurance claims, and could get you a reduction in insurance premiums. It also improves your business image to clients and staff, working practices and productivity.
An accident investigation alone will probably cost a business around 5000
There are three significant reasons, Moral, Legal and Financial, for business' to implement a good health and safety management system.
In these days of the credit crunch and shrinking markets, can any business afford to miss out on these potentially large financial cost savings? An efficient and practical health and safety management system can deliver astonishing financial returns.
Health and safety does not have to be restrictive, 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. I recently did some work with them on risk assessment.
The pupils canoe and build rafts to go on the river that borders the school land, in which they also swim. They go camping, night walking, potholing, paintball with the army, mattress surfing (dont ask) and the climbing wall has been ordered.
Their St.Trinians ethos on the hockey field strikes terror into the hearts of their opponents.
I dont think they feel restricted by risk assessment and for a relatively small school they have a disproportionate number of Area and County level sports representatives, in one of Englands largest counties.
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.
Saving costs through a good health and safety management system which is progressive not regressive can be achieved. Think of the other benefits to your business if your workforce had the kind of positive can do attitude that the pupils of this school show.
Would we have a Great Britain if our ancestors had not taken risks?
The big stick downwards is much less productive than involving everybody from the grass roots up and valuing their opinion. These criteria should be used in business, health and safety is cost effective, but it needs to be embraced by and communicated to the whole workforce.
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.
Cost savings will be negligible if you do not run the system professionally. If the scenario above sounds familiar then you are not doing a professional job with your health and safety.
Conversely, do it right and pounds can be added to the bottom line of your business, 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.
Even your marketing gurus cant give you a 12 to 1 return on investment, especially in these difficult times when businesses need every penny. So with all this evidence and advantage, give it a go, what have you got to lose?
See for yourself what can be done, go to www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm if you want more proof - 16492
About the Author:
Sean Fowden, the author of this article is a respected health and safety practitioner, who runs his own company for health and consultancy and training, rass ltd. Their web site is full of free advice and free downloads to assist any business.
