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, .
Trapeze Artists to Wear Safety Helmets, what a picture that conjures up. Mischievous stories like this do nothing to help the image of health and safety, but it has secret for saving money that 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.
Take a trip to the HSE website for proof www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm and see the real case studies for yourself, instead of rolling your eyes in disbelief.
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.
If implemented properly a good health and safety management system, improves business image to clients, working practice, productivity, morale, lessens absence rates, lessens staff turnover rates, saves on training new recruits, reduces the chance of insurance claims, and could get you a reduction in insurance premiums.
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.
Astonishing financial returns can be delivered in these days of the credit crunch and shrinking markets, just by introducing a practical and efficient health and safety management system. Businesses cnnot afford to ignore these potential savings.
Health and safety does not have to be restrictive, contrary to the adverse publicity that we see and hear. I recently did some work with a local school on risk assessment. 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.
Adventure activities like camping, night walking, potholing, paintball with the army, mattress surfing (dont ask) and the climbing wall has been ordered. The pupils also canoe and build rafts to go on the river that borders the school land, in which they also swim.
The girls at St. Trinians would probaly take flight when they take to the hockey field like demons.
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.
Do the parents object? No, they actively encourage the children to take part. It ignites the childrens imagination, teaches them to manage risks for themselves and builds confidence and a rounded character for life after school.
They wont understand about risk if they're wrapped in cotton wool and they wont have much fun either.
If your workforce had the kind of positive can do attitude that the pupils of this school show, you will enjoy the added bonus of saving costs through a good health and safety management system which is progressive not regressive.
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.
How common do you think that response is, does it sound familiar? You wont make the cost savings if you dont make the effort to run the system professionally.
Gain the respect of your customers and suppliers, add kudos to your competitive edge not to mention the pro-active productive involvement of the work force. Do it right and pounds can be added to the bottom line of your business.
Give it a go, what have you got to lose? Your marketing gurus cant even give you a 12 to 1 return on investment, especially in these difficult times when businesses need every penny.
See for yourself what can be done, go to www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm if you want more proof - 15246
Trapeze Artists to Wear Safety Helmets, what a picture that conjures up. Mischievous stories like this do nothing to help the image of health and safety, but it has secret for saving money that 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.
Take a trip to the HSE website for proof www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm and see the real case studies for yourself, instead of rolling your eyes in disbelief.
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.
If implemented properly a good health and safety management system, improves business image to clients, working practice, productivity, morale, lessens absence rates, lessens staff turnover rates, saves on training new recruits, reduces the chance of insurance claims, and could get you a reduction in insurance premiums.
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.
Astonishing financial returns can be delivered in these days of the credit crunch and shrinking markets, just by introducing a practical and efficient health and safety management system. Businesses cnnot afford to ignore these potential savings.
Health and safety does not have to be restrictive, contrary to the adverse publicity that we see and hear. I recently did some work with a local school on risk assessment. 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.
Adventure activities like camping, night walking, potholing, paintball with the army, mattress surfing (dont ask) and the climbing wall has been ordered. The pupils also canoe and build rafts to go on the river that borders the school land, in which they also swim.
The girls at St. Trinians would probaly take flight when they take to the hockey field like demons.
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.
Do the parents object? No, they actively encourage the children to take part. It ignites the childrens imagination, teaches them to manage risks for themselves and builds confidence and a rounded character for life after school.
They wont understand about risk if they're wrapped in cotton wool and they wont have much fun either.
If your workforce had the kind of positive can do attitude that the pupils of this school show, you will enjoy the added bonus of saving costs through a good health and safety management system which is progressive not regressive.
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.
How common do you think that response is, does it sound familiar? You wont make the cost savings if you dont make the effort to run the system professionally.
Gain the respect of your customers and suppliers, add kudos to your competitive edge not to mention the pro-active productive involvement of the work force. Do it right and pounds can be added to the bottom line of your business.
Give it a go, what have you got to lose? Your marketing gurus cant even give you a 12 to 1 return on investment, especially in these difficult times when businesses need every penny.
See for yourself what can be done, go to www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy.htm if you want more proof - 15246
About the Author:
The author Sean Fowden is an experienced 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 help any business.
