A Brief History
Although steps to improve health and safety in workplaces were started as far back as early Victorian times, the most important piece of legislature in recent decades was the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This important law continues to form the basis of health and safety legislation across many parts of the world even today. While the principles have largely remained the same, the Act continues to see updates and reforms alongside the evolution of the workplace and new health and safety challenges that arise.
The Health and Safety as Work Act encompasses all industries and employees and places responsibility on both the employer and employee to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of individuals across all workplaces, and members of the public who could be effected by work activities.
The act also led to the creation of the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which was put in place to regulate and reinforce UK health and safety legislation.
Changes in the workplace because of the Act, saw an incredible 73% reduction in the number of workplace fatalities between 1974 and 2007. Non-fatal injuries also fell by 70%.
Because of the importance of health and safety in the workplace (not to mention the struct legal requirements involved) it follows that training courses in Health & Safety are some of the most utilized across industry and business, and at ACI we recognise their place at the core of training within the care sector.
Why is Health & Safety Training so important?
Originally because of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, health and safety training is mandatory in many sectors- in other words, it’s a legal requirement.
From a business point of view, breaking health and safety law can have severe consequences for many organisations. Many companies are fined for health and safety violations each year and the number continues to grow. These fines are often for large sums of money and can severely affect the financial viability of the business. In some cases they can even lead to bankruptcy. Breaches of health and safety legislation may also lead to criminal prosecution which has a profound impact on an organisation’s ability to operate, not to mention its reputation.
One aspect of Health & Safety which has come into focus much more following the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdowns across the world, has been due to the vast increase in people working from home. As a result, the HSE released new guidance for employers encouraging them to consider the health and safety of home-based employees.
There continues to be a shift towards working from home, and due to the rise in remote workers across the globe, there is a need for business in general to think about how to adapt to these changes and continue to remain compliant with the law.
From a business owner perspective, the provision of Health & safety information and training helps to ensure that employees are not injured or made ill by the work they do. It develops a positive Health & Safety culture, and most importantly it facilitates the meeting of the company’s legal duty to protect the health and safety of their workers.
Effective training contributes towards making employees competent in Health & Safety related matters, helps the business avoid the distress that accidents and ill health cause, and helps the business avoid the financial costs of accidents and occupational ill health.
Some workplaces, such as construction or forestry sites, are obvious examples of places where the health and safety of employees is of paramount importance, but even a business office may present hazards such as the potential for slips, trips and falls, dangerous equipment etc. There is no such thing as a workplace which is 100% safe.
In the care sector, Health & Safety training is even more important because of the human aspect involved. People are being cared for and looked after and depend upon others for their safety and well-being.
There are still many who might think health and safety to be time-consuming and tedious, but in fact it can have a positive influence on any business, boosting an organisation’s efficiency and productivity and even its reputation. A workplace which has been made safer means that employees are free to concentrate on their work without worrying about working conditions being unsafe. Clearly this leads to more focused, motivated workers which in turn impacts positively on productivity. Staff who feel that their employers take their safety seriously are also less likely to leave, bringing about the obvious benefits of low staff turnover and high retention.
If workers are lost because of a workplace accident or injury, or due to illness, clearly this will have a detrimental effect on operations within the business. The employer must divert valuable time and resources to management of the situation, as well as source a replacement. In the meantime, a gap is created due to the unavailability of the specific knowledge, skills and experience that the injured or ill employee possesses. On the flip side, good health and safety procedures mean fewer employees need to be absent for the reasons outlines above. This in turn reduces the chance of disruptions to ongoing projects, availability of experience and knowledge and the loss (whether permanent or temporary) of valuable workers.
One often overlooked aspect of Health & Safety training is that it can play a role in what contracts a company can bid for. An organisation that can show a clear commitment to health and safety and compliance with Health and Safety Executive requirements is more likely to be awarded lucrative contracts.
In summary, a comprehensive Health & Safety policy can bring employers and employees together in the pursuit of creating a safe and secure workplace and fostering a positive culture, contributing to the safety and success of everyone involved.
Take a positive step today and talk to our team about our available courses.
Phone 01291 624451 or email info@aci.training
