Are you competent when it comes to health and safety?
Posted on 12th Sep, 2016 | By Lorretta Tatham
Whether you work in a factory, warehouse or school, competency in health and safety is critically important. Whatever your workplace, there are dozens of risks every day – each one of which can be managed with health and safety training and awareness. From working at a height to manual handling and occupational health, every employee and employer needs to be aware of the risks and how to achieve better safety standards in the workplace.
How competent are you when it comes to health and safety?
If you’re an employer, you have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of staff. You’ll need to understand health and safety basics and make sure key safety information is passed on to staff.
As an employer or person in a senior or supervisory position, you should have a good understanding of the following.
- Hazard spotting
Are you aware of the main hazards in your workplace? Do you know how to best minimise these hazards? Key information about hazards and how to avoid injury should also be passed on to staff.
- Risk assessment
All jobs in the trades industry require risk assessment – from a demolition project to the smooth running of stocking a warehouse. Do you know what questions should be asked before carrying out a job and which jobs require risk assessment? If not, this is definitely something to swot up on!
- Manual handling
Almost every job requires some form of manual handling at some point or another. With this in mind, it pays to be aware of correct handling protocols. Do you know how to safely lift a heavy item? Would you be able to pass relevant information on to your staff? If not, we advise booking on to our Manual Handling Training Course, along with a member of staff.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Do you have all the PPE available for your employees to work safely? Do you know when safety glasses should be worn and harnesses should be used? PPE can help ensure safety in dangerous or uncomfortable work situations. Awareness of how and when to use PPE and availability of PPE is key in ensuring a healthy, happy workplace.
- First Aid
We don’t expect all managers to be first aid experts, but it is a good idea to know a thing or two about first aid. If you’re not qualified, make sure a member of your workforce is. At Browns Safety Services, we offer two first aid training courses. You can choose from and 3 day course or 1 day course.
As an employer or supervisor, it’s also important to be aware of your responsibilities and to properly manage the reporting of injuries and accidents. You should also have workplace safety regulations and awareness of the key risks in your trade – for example, working at a height or asbestos exposure. You can discover our range of specialised courses over on our Safety Training page.
If you’re looking to step up health and safety in your workplace, why not book in for our Ladder Inspection Services? Inspecting up to 50 items a day, we help ensure your access equipment is safe to use, improving the health and safety of all employees in the workplace.
