How to stay aware of Asbestos

Asbestos, we have all heard of it but what actually is it?

Asbestos is a material used in older construction and when disturbed it releases tiny fibres into the air, which become extremely dangerous if inhaled. The material comes in many different forms and can be found in buildings built before the 2000s.

It was commonly used as insulation but is now a banned product in construction, with it being completely banned in 1999. Some common places it was used are:

  • Fireproof panels
  • Cement roofing materials
  • Sprayed insulating coatings on metalwork
  • Pipe insulation
Discarded asbestos material

The risks of asbestos

The main and most dangerous risk of asbestos is inhaling the fibres, this can lead to fatal lung diseases. However, this means it is only a threat when the material is disturbed, so if it is left alone, it poses little to no risk but should be respected.

Staff are particularly at risk of this as they will be the ones moving around your site and interacting with everything. This could put them in a situation where they are exposed to it directly, highlighting why it is important for staff to be aware of the risks.

The workplace as a whole is also at risk to asbestos, as if disturbed it could potentially harm anyone in the vicinity and will require that area to be shut off and assessed. Potentially harming workflow and productivity while the issue is ongoing.


How to prevent the risks

As part of “The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012” the law states that the duty-holder of non-domestic premises must ensure:

  • The type of asbestos is identified and the condition of it.
  • The risks are assessed, and control measures introduced to reduce the risk of exposure
  • They protect anyone using or working on the premises from the risks of asbestos
  • Findings are recorded in an asbestos register

Risk prevention can be simplified into a few practices, one of which is providing information. You should be transparent with your staff both teaching them about the risks and informing them on where it is located in your premises. This can be done by providing information on the risks or more simply an asbestos awareness course. Your asbestos register should also detail where it is present on your premises so you can either show them that or talk them through the relevant locations.

Laptop showing e-Learning courses

Asbestos should only be handled by licensed professionals, so make sure your staff know what to do if they find or worst case are contaminated with asbestos. This should be part of their awareness course and all staff should be aware if they are at risk.

Finally, if a staff member finds unknown asbestos they should stop immediately, warn others to keep out of that area and quickly report the finding to the manager. Where they can take the necessary steps to ensure the area is as safe as possible (this includes both a risk assessment – identifying the type and dangers and a plan to mitigate the impact).


Conclusion

Asbestos has the potential to be dangerous, however, with correct care and management, the risks it possesses can be minimised. As long as the correct measures have been taken to reduce the risks – such as a thorough risk assessment, an asbestos register and complete staff training – the risks will be minimal to both your staff and business, but it still must be treated with respect.


References

HSE (2023) ‘Introduction to Asbestos’. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/intro.htm (Accessed: 27/11/2023)

Why Health and Safety is crucial for all businesses

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people get injured, develop an illness or are killed at work. Although these numbers are mostly trending downwards over time, year-by-year the lives of many people are permanently changed through often through unsafe working conditions and employer negligence.

Health and safety risks can be found in every working environment, so all business owners are required to provide a workplace that is both safe for employees and the public.

However, these risks vary in severity, therefore it is recommended that companies use Risk Assessments and also take preventative measures in order to reduce the risks identified, regardless of their severity.

Whilst some may find the overall process to be time-consuming and, in some cases unnecessary, keeping everybody safe and healthy should be a priority for any organisation – good health and safety practices can boost overall productivity along with making staff feel safe and cared for.

With this in mind, we have put together some of the ways in which good health and safety practices can help.


Preventing Accidents

In 2022, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported that around 565,000 employees suffered an injury at work, with 150,000 of these people being absent for at least 7 days due to their injury and over 6 million working days being lost.

These statistics show the direct relationship between safety in the workplace and productivity. Every time an employee is absent, it costs the employer both money and resources, which is one of the reasons why avoiding injuries through good risk management should be a top priority for organisations.

It should be noted that not all of the accidents within these statistics will be due to poor health and safety practices, but it is likely to be a key factor.


The effects of stress

Research has found a link between stress and poor health, especially the low-level, chronic stresses often found within the workplace. As well as potentially leading to sickness and absence, due to a weakened immune system, stress can also be demotivating which can lead to employees becoming less productive.

Some of the main factors that contribute to workplace stress include:

  • feeling powerless (no control over your current situation)
  • feeling as if you are wrong for your job
  • witnessing traumatic events within the workplace
  • a poor working environment

Although health and safety practices do not cover all of these issues, any way in which you can relieve stress for your workers will not only benefit them individually, but also the business.


Creating a safe working environment

The conditions of a working environment can affect productivity in a variety of different ways. For example, employees that are often uncomfortable are not going to work to the best of their ability.

On top of that, certain conditions can even affect the health and safety of your employees and therefore lead to absence. Environmental factors which can cause this include:

  • temperature
  • humidity
  • lighting
  • air quality
  • bathroom facilities
  • the presence of dangerous particles (such as asbestos or moulds)

All of these need to be factored into a business’ health and safety practices, with measures in place to protect employees from the risks identified.


The impact on reputation

Health and safety is also a key aspect of a business’ reputation, which can either be positively or negatively affected by your health and safety standards.

Companies that have a reputation of providing a safe working environment, are more likely to be respected and therefore favoured by potential employees. The same is also true of the opposite; a business with a poor reputation for health and safety is less likely to attract workers.

With more avenues for public reviews such as social media channels, and companies such as Glassdoor providing a platform for current or former employees to provide first-hand insight into a business’ practices, the potential for reputational damage is bigger than it has ever been. Additionally, for more serious incidents, the HSE publishes a list of all convictions and notices which is publicly available to view.

Health and safety reputation is also built into the way customers perceive companies, which in turn will affect their choices concerning your products or services. This perception could stop customers from buying a business’ product, therefore creating another crucial reason to upkeep your health and safety standards.


Conclusion

Health and safety can often be complex, and therefore requires good management and commitment. Good practices will not only safeguard your employees and your customers but will also help protect your organisation from lapses in morale and productivity.


Bibliography

HSE (2022) ‘Health and safety statistics’. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/ (Accessed: 06/07/2023)

NHS Inform (2022) ‘Handling Stress’. Available at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/mind-to-mind/handling-stress (Accessed: 06/07/2023)

Glassdoor (2023) ‘About Us’. Available at: https://www.glassdoor.com/about/ (Accessed: 07/08/2023)

How to Spot Safety Risks

Every year, over half a million accidents occur in the UK workplace, which leads to around 60 million lost workdays through injury. From freak occurrences to oversights in safety, these injuries often occur for a range of reasons.

As the responsible person you have a legal requirement to identify and minimise the risks, and a common way to do this is through a Risk Assessment.

The law states that employers must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the safety risks to their employees that they may encounter whilst at work. If you are an organisation with 5 or more employees, this is then required to be recorded – both detailing the findings and any employees that may be at an increased risk.

A risk assessment covers this legislation, as carrying one out involves finding the potential hazards and introducing control measures to minimise the risks, which in turn will ensure a safe workplace.

So, who can complete risk assessments?

Anyone who is deemed ‘competent’ can complete a risk assessment. According to the HSE, this is deemed as having the “relevant skills, experience, and knowledge to manage health and safety”.


Inspection

The first step towards increasing safety is to identify any potential risks: Take a walk around your workplace whilst being mindful of any potential hazards, regardless of the severity.

Make sure to take into account any changes that may happen, as workplaces are often busy and changing, so make sure to try this at different times of the day and week, to see if any other issues present themselves.

These changes could affect the overall safety of your business, so it is important to check often to keep everyone safe.

After all, a business environment can be completely different from one day to the next and this should be factored into your overall assessment. To avoid missing common risks that are often forgotten, we would suggest that you use a risk assessment template.


Communication

As well as conducting inspections, it is imperative that you communicate with all employees.

Your employees are working within your business every day and likely encounter a range of risks daily, therefore developing an in-depth understanding of the risks involved, so make sure to ask them!

They will be able to offer a different perspective on the issues faced, as well as being able to point out anything you may have missed.

This can be valuable feedback to help you keep them safe and feel heard.

It can also be useful to reach out to external organisations for advice. If you have any machinery or equipment within your workplace, it may be a useful idea to contact the manufacturers or check the manuals for guidance.

You can also get in touch with occupational safety organisations for more generalised guidance.


Expectation

When identifying the risks in your organisation, you need to be thorough and not just look for expected hazards. You need to be considerate of unexpected events which could occur, and these can include anything from faulty equipment to something coming loose and falling, for example.

By looking beyond the expected hazards, it allows you to plan for the unexpected – just in case. This will, therefore safeguard everyone that might enter the working environment – both employees and the general public.

Although commonplace, you might forget to think about employees who work outside of regular hours, such as cleaners or maintenance staff. This highlights the importance of considering all aspects of the working day, so make sure to take everyone into account.


Long Term

Long-term risks can often be overlooked during inspections, but it is important to take them into consideration. This is particularly important for environments with unique conditions such as a high level of noise or the use of chemicals.

Although most long-term risks may not appear dangerous at first, they have the potential to cause lasting damage to employees who deal with them regularly.

Due to them being less prominent, long-term risks can often require more research. For example, if you are unsure about a specific hazard (such as sound levels for example), it might be useful to read up on it or contact an organisation who are more knowledgeable in that area.


Analysis

Analysis of the illness and accident records can be a great tool to help you to identify safety risks. They can highlight patterns in ill health, which in turn will aid you in finding the root causes.

Patterns may include anything from location, use of machinery, time of day or even training level.

These real-world examples can often be very informative of the working environment, therefore are key for helping you to prevent future ill health due to a recurring risk.


Personalisation

Risk assessments are ultimately about protecting people, and this should be kept in mind when looking for hazards.

Extra consideration should be given to vulnerable people, including older, younger, people with disabilities, pregnant women and new mothers.

Consideration should also be given to employees with little or no training who may not be fully acclimatised to your business yet.


Conclusion

To recap: risk assessments are a legal requirement for employers to ensure the safety of everyone in their workplace. It is important they are completed by a competent person to a high standard, taking into account all potential risks both long and short-term.

This should be done whilst also considering the changes in the workplace during the day and any vulnerable people who may require extra attention to ensure their safety.

Analysing past incidents and speaking to employees will help improve the quality of the risk assessments you complete, as this will assist you in finding any overlooked hazards and also provide a different perspective on issues.


Bibliography

HSE (2022) ‘Health and safety statistics’. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/ (Accessed: 08/06/2023)

Gov (1999) ‘The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999’. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/3242/regulation/3/made (Accessed: 08/06/2023)

HSE (2022) ‘Managing risks and risk assessment at work’. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm (Accessed: 08/06/2023)

Gov (1974) ‘Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974’. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37/contents (Accessed: 08/06/2023)

7 Fire Safety checks to do regularly

England’s Fire and Rescue Services attend around 65,000 fires every year, with 14,000 of them taking place in business premises. Evidently, fire safety is crucial to any organisation, and we can never be too safe when dealing with something so devastatingly dangerous.

Who is responsible for your fire safety?

By law, you need to reach a minimum standard for preventative fire safety measures in all buildings except single-owned dwellings, as per the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This order holds a legal obligation for the ‘responsible person’ to manage the fire safety of the premises.

The ‘responsible person’ is most likely the employer, but can also be the building owner or the person that has control over the premises. Their responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • ensuring that a fire risk assessment has been completed by a competent person,
  • ensuring the safety of their employees from harm,
  • providing employees with relevant information on the risks identified and measures to prevent it,
  • providing employees with adequate fire safety training.

The responsible person is held accountable for an organisation’s fire safety standards, and can face unlimited fines or a prison sentence for up to 2 years if they do not withhold these standards.

In this blog, we have compiled a short list of important checks you should carry out alongside your other preventative safety measures.


1. Check your fire alarms

Fire alarms play a vital role in saving lives, so it is key that they are checked regularly.

Article 17(1) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) requires the responsible person to ensure that any fire alarm system are “subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”

To comply with this legislation, you should check your fire alarms weekly.

All manual call points should also be checked at the same time for damage, and you must make sure they are easily accessible with nothing obstructing them.


2. Check your bins

Bins are a common target for arson, which according to The National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC), are the leading cause of fires that require a response from the Fire & Rescue services. Therefore, maintaining and checking them regularly is key to minimising risk.

You need to check that external bins are not located close to buildings and are emptied regularly. You also need to check that fuels or anything that has been previously alight is correctly disposed of (e.g. cigarettes and matches).

Some other preventative measures you can take include:

  • Keeping large bins and waste locked away, so they are not accessible to anyone unauthorised
  • Ensure bins are not wall-mounted beneath a window, by a door, or an overhanging roof
  • Ensure they are kept away from the perimeters of the property

3. Check your fire doors and fire exits

Fire doors are key to preventing the spread of fire, as they can hold back smoke and flames between 30-60 minutes, depending on their quality. The first thing you should check:

Is the door structurally intact?

This means that there is no damage to the door and it is still fitted correctly, with the closing mechanism still automatically closing the door shut.

It is also important to check that your fire doors are not being propped open by an object.

Next, the condition of cold smoke seals and intumescent strips needs to be checked for damage.

Without these, the door loses functionality and will no longer meet the required standards. It is also important to check that the door’s opening mechanism works well every time.

And finally, for fire exits you should check that the path is clear and there is nothing obstructing them.


4. Check your signage

The law requires the responsible person to ensure that all emergency routes and exits are indicated by signage.

You need to check that signs are clean and visible, so that in case of an emergency the way out is clear and well-lit.

Also check that signs are not damaged or have a loose fixing, as this may become problematic if not fixed.


5. Check your electrical equipment

Faulty and misused electrical equipment is a common cause of fires, so it is important that they are checked regularly as part of your fire safety checks.

They often have many hazards to check for, from where they are placed to the sockets they are plugged into. You need to check that:

  • Plug sockets are not overloaded or hot
  • Wires and cables are not damaged

It is also important to make sure that anything that may get hot or has moving parts (like fans) are kept clear of any obstructions and are at no risk of falling over.

It is also good to make sure all electrics are PAT tested, as that is one of the ways you can fill the legal duty to maintain your electrical equipment to a safe standard, as per the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.


6. Check your fire extinguishers

BS 5306-3:2017 is the British standard for fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises, and Paragraph 11.2 recommends that all fire extinguishers are subject to a visual inspection by a competent person on a monthly basis. The result of the test should be recorded, and any deficiencies acted upon.

To meet this standard, the check must ensure:

  • Each extinguisher is correctly located in the designated space, is unobstructed, and accessible
  • The operating instructions are clean, legible, and face forwards
  • The reading of the pressure gauge is within the ‘green’ zone and any indicator is within safety limits
  • Each extinguisher has not been used, damaged, or tampered with

Fire extinguishers must be readily available for use throughout the building but especially on an emergency exit route. They need to be checked regularly for obstructions that may block access to them and for damage.

Also, are there enough of the right extinguisher type for the risks present?

For example, you should have enough CO2 extinguishers for use on any electrical fires that are accessible throughout the whole building – minimum requirements should be detailed within your fire risk assessment. For advice on this you, you can also try our free fire extinguisher calculator.


7. Check your emergency plan

It is also key to make sure that there is a suitable emergency plan for when a fire is detected. The law places a duty on the responsible person to manage arrangements for actions to be taken in the event of a fire on the premises.

The emergency plan should include:

  • A detailed description of everybody’s roles
  • The alarm systems in place to alert everybody
  • All assembly points
  • Arrangements for the evacuation of the vulnerable (young children, disabled, elderly etc.)
  • Contingency plans

Overall, these checks will help give you that little bit more confidence and peace of mind. If completed regularly, they will also boost the fire safety standards in your premises and make sure that any simple-to-fix flaws are checked for regularly.

These checks will also aid in helping you comply with your responsibilities as a ‘responsible person’, but they should ideally be used to complement established professional fire safety measures you follow, not replace them.  


Bibliography

The National Archives (2005) ‘The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005’. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/contents/made (Accessed: 28/04/2023)

Gov.uk (2023) ‘Fire safety in the workplace’. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities (Accessed: 28/04/2023)

BSI (2017) ‘Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises – Commissioning and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers. Code of practice’. Available at: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/fire-extinguishing-installations-and-equipment-on-premises-commissioning-and-maintenance-of-portable-fire-extinguishers-code-of-practice-1/tracked-changes (Accessed: 28/04/2023)

NFCC (2019) ‘Arson’. Available at: https://www.nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/Arson (Accessed: 28/04/2023)

Gov.uk (2023) ‘Fire statistics data tables’. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fire-statistics-data-tables (Accessed: 02/04/2023)

Improving your office Health and Safety

Office health and safety

When we think of health and safety we often think of industries such as construction and manufacturing, whose work environments are typically littered with hundreds of safety hazards.

Offices are often the last places we think of as unsafe or potentially hazardous.

However, the latest figures show that around 10% (6,240) of all workplace injuries occurred within an office environment. We have put together a short list of easy-to-implement tips to improve your office health and safety.

These tips will quickly boost the safety in your workplace when implemented well, and will also aid in improving the overall health and safety practices in your organisation.


Removing trip and slip hazards

One of the easiest things you can immediately implement is removing trip hazards.

Whether it’s an object in a walkway or a loose cable, fixing this small issue can help prevent trips and falls, which are the leading cause of workplace injuries in the UK according to the HSE (making up 30% of all injuries).

To prevent injuries occurring from trips, make sure all walkways are clear of objects, spills are cleaned up and any overhanging objects are moved to a safer place.

Well-organised cable management will also aid your overall safety, as it stops a loose cable from potentially being dragged into somebody’s way, creating a trip hazard. Anti-slip mats can also be a great option for entrances, and remember to keep your floors dry.


Checking equipment regularly

Another simple step that can be taken is to check over all your equipment, from wires to machinery. This will make sure that no faulty equipment will be used that would potentially pose a health and safety risk – varying in severity based on the problem.

You need to check for faults, wear and damage.

If any problems are found, the equipment must not be used due to the safety hazard, and should also be removed to stop others from endangering themselves. It should only be put back in use when it is fixed to a high standard or replaced.


Regular employee training

Health and safety training by Safesmart

Another easy tool you could implement in your workplace is regular training. This can be done either online or physically, and will make sure you and your colleagues all know the correct procedures and safety measures to use.

Online learning, often referred to as ‘e-learning’, will be the easier one to implement. It will both save time on travel and allow your organisation to schedule and monitor the training all in one place.

This will therefore keep everyone’s knowledge up to date, which in turn creates a safer workspace.


Electrical outlets

Regular checks for your electrical outlets are necessary to maintain a high safety standard, and all employees should know about the risks associated with electrical outlets.

Some common mistakes include overloading outlets, putting liquids near electrics, and resting objects on outlets.


Overall, implementing these quick tips will help to prevent injuries caused by common avoidable hazards. It will also bring awareness to the common hazards that you might not think of, which in turn will make your office a safer environment to work.

We have created an online Health and Safety at Work course which goes into greater detail concerning the office health and safety tips we have provided in this blog.

To also learn more about the other training courses we provide, click here.


Source

HSE (2023) ‘Index of data tables’. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/tables/index.htm#riddor (accessed: 19/04/2023)

HSE (2023) ‘Health and safety statistics’. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm (accessed: 19/04/2023)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Business Resources

More information about our COVID-19 eLearning course can be found here: https://safesmart.co.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-awareness/

As industries slowly re-open and schools & businesses resume operations, it is of utmost priority to ensure that work premises of all types are risk assessed for COVID-19, necessary control measures are applied, and all employees are fully trained on minimizing the transmission of the coronavirus.

Brand New Courses

In order to help our customers navigate through the health & safety challenges which the COVID-19 pandemic presents – and its legal & practical impact on key business functions, Safesmart has created a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Awareness training course utilising the latest information available from Public Health England, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the NHS and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

This course provides information about the following practical measures that can be implemented by businesses – if necessary:

  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Hand sanitizer/disinfectant
  • Temperature checking
  • Clear Signage
  • Working from home
  • Social distancing/restricting numbers

A Safe Working from Home eLearning course is also available to help protect against the dangers associated with DSE for those employees working from home.

Re-opening Schools

Along with a separate COVID-19 eLearning course for educational institutions, an in-depth COVID-19 Risk Assessment Checklist has also been created to ensure that schools and colleges re-open as safely as possible – and within government guidelines.

Open and Closed Protocols – What Does It All Mean?

open and closed protocol alarms

When choosing a fire alarm system for your building or business you can be faced with a number of different choices. Arguably, one of the most important decisions facing owners is whether to opt for an open or closed protocol system.

What’s the Difference?

Fire alarm systems include a variety of different components, all of which communicate with each other. The language that these devices use to communicate is called a ‘protocol’ – and this is what can be ‘open’ or ‘closed’.

Companies who provide open protocol systems disclose the relevant technical data required for manufacturers to produce compatible devices. These companies can work with any number of different manufacturers, providing customers with a range of different suppliers to choose from.

Companies who produce closed protocol systems don’t disclose their technical information, and therefore customers are forced to acquire all of the relevant components from a single source.

Open Protocols

Open protocol fire safety systems offer customers a greater degree of flexibility, and this is one of their main benefits. As a result, customers can choose from a variety of different suppliers, allowing them to install components which are completely suited to their specific circumstances.

Other factors such as repairs and upgrades can be completed by virtually any trained engineer, which allows customers to take advantage of an open market and choose a technician who offers the most value for money or expertise. Another advantage to open protocol is that the co-operation between different companies almost guarantees that a component is well tested and reliable.

There are very few disadvantages to utilising an open protocol fire alarm system but they should be kept in mind prior to making a final decision. As this system allows users to install components from different manufactures there is a slight chance that some of these devices won’t be compatible after a full system upgrade.

Customers can choose from a wide range of engineers when they wish to have their system upgraded or repaired, but this is the basis of another disadvantage. With so much choice available, there is a chance that an untrained or unprofessional engineer will work on the system, which can obviously be risky.

Closed Protocols

Whereas open protocol systems allow customers a greater degree of choice, closed protocol systems are much more insular. Customers can only install components from the same company who have provided the overall system due to compatibility issues.

Furthermore, clients can only use engineers from that company when repairing or upgrading their equipment.

Manufacturers claim that one of the main benefits of utilising a closed protocol system is harmony, as all of the components have been manufactured by the same company they are designed to work together successfully. Another benefit to utilising this system is that customers can often receive a discount on their initial quote.

In terms of criticisms, closed systems have their fair share. Customers are forced to use the same company when they require spare parts or repairs. And with no competitors forcing prices down, these services tend to be expensive, and parts can even become discontinued if the manufacturer decides to do so.

Furthermore, customers are unable to choose from a wide range of equipment and therefore they may not be using the most suitable components for their circumstances.

Lastly, within closed systems upgrades are made when and if the manufacturer chooses to make them, which isn’t ideal for the customer.


Choosing the correct fire detection protocol system is dependent upon circumstance. Open protocols offer a greater degree of freedom, choice and long term value for money; however if cost is not a primary concern you may prefer the closed protocol system which can offer a straightforward alternative.

How to Perform a Health & Safety Benchmark

How to Perform a Health & Safety Benchmark

Many aspects of business are continually assessed in order to facilitate improvement and progress. However, this doesn’t universally apply and a specific area which is often overlooked is health and safety. This can be due to a variety of issues but often it’s because it can be difficult to assess the effectiveness of health and safety and therefore difficult to judge whether improvements are required. One way in which to tackle this problem is by conducting a safety benchmark, which is a method of analysis which provides useful information on a single aspect and therefore the overall state of health and safety within a company.

The benchmarking process involves the pairing of the business in question with a partner which is usually a similar company, this is known as external benchmarking. Internal benchmarking describes the same process but the company is paired with a partner from within this same organisation but from a different location. Many larger businesses will utilise both external and internal benchmarking methods in order to gain a more accurate result.

Health and safety covers a large range of topics so benchmarking usually zeroes in on a single issue on which to focus on. Normally this will be a particularly pertinent issue which demands urgent attention. A small benchmarking team can be formed with employees from different levels of the company, including managers, health and safety specialists and of course someone from the partnering business.

The next stage involves the company assessing its current situation, what’s working, what isn’t and how it’s affecting their overall health and safety. The benchmark team can and should utilise different types of information, including qualitative and quantitative data. They can also employ research methods such as questionnaires or even short interviews with staff. Special attention should also be paid to regulations.

A partner is then chosen and both organisations compare the information they have gathered. With an understanding of each other’s practices and policies, both partners can ascertain how well their health and safety issue faired against the other. This allows both businesses to gain a much better understanding of the problem in question and therefore they can develop an action plan in order to rectify any issues which may have arisen. It is worth pointing out that this exchange of information should be respectful of confidentially.

A specific individual or team of people should be given the task of implementing this action plan. The HSE have provided advice on implementation in the form of a pneumonic. ‘SMARTT’ which stands for Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, Trackable and Timebound. Contact between the partner companies should be maintained throughout this process and the overall implementation should be continually monitored. It is also worth noting that health and safety legislation is often in flux and so this should be kept in mind at all times and any changes within the law should be immediately represented within the action plan.

Health and safety can be a particularly troublesome area but many companies are adapting their strategies in order to gain a better understanding of the issue. This is particularly encouraging when compared with past approaches but it may just be that no single measure can provide a complete picture. In this instance it could be that a more multidimensional approach is required that utilises a variety of different methods.

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