8 Reasons Why Health and Safety Training is Essential for Every Business.

Has your business considered the presence of avoidable slips or falls? Do your employees know the correct manner in which they should report an accident? How fire-safe are your sites? These are just a few examples of Health and Safety failures that can be fatal.

However, health and safety goes far beyond banning open-toed shoes or introducing designated smoking areas, it plays a crucial role in protecting millions of employees, employers, and customers from harm every single day.

As workplace safety has become more and more discussed in the last 10 years, it has become somewhat of a trend to mock rules and guidelines when we feel they might be extreme or overzealous. However, the importance of health and safety simply cannot be underestimated. Put simply, health and safety in the workplace refers to managing risks to protect individuals inside and outside of your business. Regardless of the type of business you run or the number of people you employ, it is crucial that you ensure every member of your organisation is trained in the most up-to-date health and safety practices.

In case you need convincing, here are 8 reasons why it’s important…

1. You have a moral responsibility to the people who work for your business.

It goes without saying that you should want to avoid putting others at risk where you can, especially when it is their health, or in some cases, their lives in jeopardy.

2. Regardless of moral responsibility, it is a legal requirement in most countries to ensure the safety of your employees. In Britain, this is in the form of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and the USA holds businesses to The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Similar legislation exists across the world. Breaking health and safety laws can have serious consequences in the form of fines or the complete shutdown of your operations. It is the law that you take responsibility for the health and safety of those who work for you or pay for your services, and therefore you are obliged to provide your employees with training.

3. Risk is everywhere. Of course, different types of businesses come with different hazards. Whether you carry out work in an office, a factory, a construction site, or even mobile around the country, you are not exempt from risks. Health and safety should be an ongoing process that allows your business to monitor risks in all areas of the company and ensure that the necessary steps are being taken to minimise these dangers.

4. Productivity. Protecting your employees means fewer absences, subsequently contributing to overall efficiency. Not only that, but the feeling of security felt by employees who know there are sufficient procedures in place contributes to their focus. Whilst the idea of training your employees in health and safety may feel time-consuming and tedious, it functions to save time. When individuals are not concerned about unsafe working environments, they can work day-to-day without any distractions caused by concern for safety. Thus, the overall productivity of your business improves.

5. Saves Money. Health and Safety training helps you save money in more ways than one. The reduction in absences means less disruption of operations. Losing employees because of workplace injury disrupts the nature of your work-chain, and the loss of time and resources when trying to manage being an employee-down can cost the business money. With a reduced risk of absence, you are limiting the risk of long-term disruptions in your practices.

Moreover, when you are monitoring all sectors of your business for risks, you become more familiar with the chain of work, and the functions of each part of your organisation. This has an indirect positive effect on financials, as you will come to understand your business better, and consider ways that you may be able to streamline your operations. This can save you money on resources or practices that may not be necessary.

Not to mention, by ensuring your health and safety training is up to legal standard, you are eliminating the risk of any fines – Not guaranteeing health and safety training puts you more at risk of sudden and unexpected costs.

6. Customers. Increasingly, customers are seeking products and services that are ethically produced. Therefore, you must consider the operations throughout your supply chain and seek suppliers who protect their workforce. Likewise, potential investors may seek the same commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. Lack of health and safety in your business could have an impact on how your business is perceived in the wider industry.

7. And for job-hunters. The same goes for potential employees, as health and safety becomes increasingly prevalent, new professionals are seeking roles with organisations who share their moral compass. Strong corporate responsibility and sustainability practices are important to many individuals, and without these things you may struggle to attract or retain the best employees.

8. Safe culture. Similar to the first point about moral responsibility, a strong health and safety policy creates a healthier environment not only in the physical sense as risks are managed, but in the atmosphere. Staff who feel cared about and valued will perform better and are more likely to stay with your business longer.

Overall, whilst these points are all distinguishable, they are heavily intertwined. At its core, having a strong health and safety policy boosts morale, and improves productivity in more ways than one, this helps you save money in your organisation, and impacts your wider profile in the industry. If you offer a service or product to the public, exhibiting a commitment to social responsibility may build you a stronger profile and ensure ongoing success, bringing in new customers, as well as helping you gain and retain the best employees or partners.

Even those at the most entry-level of a company have a role to play in ensuring the health and safety of themselves and those around them, and therefore it is crucial that every single individual in any organisation is well versed in health and safety practices and laws.

The thought of ensuring compliance can be intimidating, but with Trainer Bubble it’s made easy. We offer an extensive and RoSPA Assured range of Health and Safety resources for your business. Many of these can be used as a part of your own training courses. If you are looking for the most comprehensive option, our E-Learning courses are excellent educational tools for your employees. It is, as evidenced above, crucial that your employees are familiar with Health and Safety practices, and the legal requirements surrounding them.

Our essential Health and Safety E-Learning course sets out to provide the basic principles of health and safety. It creates an awareness of key health and safety principles and highlights the risks that are prevalent in the workplace, explaining both what the risks are as well as what should be done to avoid and remove them. It also describes what should be done when accidents occur and the measures that should be put in place to avoid them happening again. Various purchase options are available!

Not exactly what you’re looking for? Our extensive range can be explored more here.