The benefits of hiring a health and safety services company

Health and safety legislation is applicable to all businesses, regardless of how small they happen to be. Whilst many new business owners imagine the process of implementing health and safety measures to be time consuming and complicated, this needn’t be the case, provided the right health and safety services company is hired.

The role of a health and safety consultant is to ensure that business owners comply with the law, and to offer them guidance on how this can be done. By ensuring that business owners are not unintentionally endangering their staff or their premises, consultants help them to create a more efficient, productive work environment, as staff members who work in a health and safety conscious office are less likely to call in sick due to occupational injuries and illness. The implementation of proper procedures and systems can also save business owners a great deal of money, as their risk of incurring a non-compliance fine, or facing costly litigation, will be dramatically reduced. Moreover, the enterprise’s reputation will be enhanced, as it will be perceived as being more socially responsible, and this in turn may lead to further business opportunities.

‘Health and safety services’ is an umbrella term which encompasses a wide range of work, including, but not limited to, the preparation of health and safety policies, audits of a company’s existing systems and procedures, fire risk assessments, the provision of training for staff members and workplace inspections. The type of assistance offered by a consultant will vary depending on the business, as these services are usually tailored to meet the specific requirements of each client.

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How to ensure that you hire the right health and safety consultant for your needs

All businesses operating within the UK are legally obliged to comply with certain legislation in regards to health and safety in the workplace. Whilst very small start-up businesses may be able to manage their obligations without bringing in a professional consultant, most enterprises reach a stage where their health and safety requirements are too complicated, and the risks associated with non-compliance are too high, to handle using their own resources. In such cases, health and safety consultants are normally hired to carry out this work.

A good consultant should be able to quickly and efficiently identify the primary health and safety risks within a workplace, and offer in-depth advice regarding how these risks can be reduced or eliminated. They should then assist the business owner with the implementation of risk-management procedures and systems. In order to do all of this, health and safety consultants have to be qualified, and have the necessary knowledge and experience. At the very minimum, they should have membership to professional bodies such as IIRSM and IOSH. These memberships serve as an indication that the consultant is trained and has the experience to carry out the health and safety work to a high standard.

It is also crucial that the chosen consultant has suitable insurance – at the very least, they should have professional indemnity insurance. In addition to this, it’s worth enquiring into what resources the consultancy firm can make available for the work – some firms choose to subcontract, in which case it may be necessary to check that subcontractor’s references and qualifications as well.

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The role of CSCS tests in the construction industry

 The abbreviation CSCS stands for the Construction Skills and Services Scheme. This scheme has been put in place as a means of safeguarding the lives of those who are employed within the construction industry. Introduced by the UK Government, the scheme ensures that a certain standard of safety is consistently maintained on all construction sites, thus helping to dramatically reduce the number of accidents and subsequent injuries which occur during the workday. Many site owners now refuse to allow those without CSCS cards onto their sites, as these cards serve as an indication of the contractor’s or private client’s occupational competence. There are currently more than 1.7 million CSCS in circulation.

There are a range of cards, and the type of CSCS card a person applies for will be dependent on their qualifications, the level of experience they have in their occupation, and the type of work which they do. In order to obtain a card, construction workers and tradesmen must successfully complete CSCS tests, which examine their level of knowledge and skill in relation to construction site work, and health and safety procedures.

In order to pass CSCS tests, applicants must study the revision materials in great detail. A wide range of DVDs, CDs and books are readily available, and will give test applicants the best chance of passing the exam. It may also be useful to attend health and safety courses, to improve your overall knowledge of the subject matter. Most construction site owners are happy to provide assistance to those who wish to learn more about how to pass their CSCS tests.

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A guide to the processes involved in a typical fire risk assessment

Fire risk assessments play a vital role in ensuring that a business is run safely and in accordance with the law. If this assessment is not carried out, or is undertaken by a person who does not have the expertise to do the work effectively, the owner of the building runs the risk of being fined, and potentially being held responsible for any injuries which occurred due to a fire breaking out.

These assessments involve the systematic identification and evaluation of the hazards in a building which could cause a fire. The process itself includes the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods of risk assessment. In addition to this type of physical inspection, most risk assessment consultants will also carry out a review of the organisation’s fire safety management, so as to determine how employees would react in an emergency, and whether they are armed with enough information to take appropriate action.

Whilst identifying fire hazards is one of the most important aspects of the process, the scope of fire risk assessments extends much further than this, and typically includes the inspection of flammable materials in the building, the handling and storage of flammable gases and liquids, the positioning of the fire safety notices and signs, the fire exits around the workplace, the fire alarm systems and the smoke control systems. It may also include the risk assessment consultant making arrangements for fire safety management, providing training for those working in the building and the development of fire procedures.

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Why thousands of companies across the UK hire health & safety consultants

Almost every business will eventually reach a point where it requires help with the management of its health and safety procedures. This may be due to the expansion of the company, which has made its health and safety issues more complex, or because this expansion has resulted in the triggering of legislative requirements. For other businesses, it may be the case that the company’s management team simply doesn’t have the time, knowledge or the resources to implement and monitor these procedures by themselves. In these types of situations, it’s common for companies to hire health and safety consultants.
Health and safety consultants offer their expert skills and knowledge, so as to create and promote a safe working environment, thus ensuring that occupational risks are kept to a minimum. No business is too large or small to benefit from this type of service; from agencies to multinational corporations, safety has to be a top priority in order for any organisation to thrive. Health and safety consultants often work in conjunction with company directors, employers, employers and even trade unions.
Consultants are responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures are followed, and that all legislation relating to health and safety is adhered to by everyone in the workplace. They can create policies which are tailored to specific work environments, and will help with their implementation, monitoring and review. This service helps to minimise occupational injuries, accidents and health problems, and can also reduce operational losses. If you are considering hiring a consultant, make sure that they are fully accredited by the IOSH.
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Who should carry out fire risk assessments – employees or professional consultants?

From a legal perspective, anyone who is deemed to be ‘competent’ has the authority to carry out fire risk assessments within the workplace. This means that technically, any employer or employee can be assigned this task. However, not everyone will necessarily be capable of handling this responsibility, as in order to be competent, they must have sufficient experience, knowledge and training.
The problem here is that employers, not realising how crucial competency is in relation to fire risk assessments, unwittingly place this burden on managers or employees, without considering whether that person has the skills, knowledge or even the time to meet the demands of such assessments. This can lead to the endangerment of other employees, if the designated person fails to properly identify and assess fire hazards. Furthermore, if this failure results in an injury or accident, the legal ramifications would be extremely serious for the company.
As such, unless an employer is willing to invest a great deal of time and money in training an employee and providing them with the information they would need to carry out this task correctly, it is best left to a professional consultant, particularly when you consider that the money and resources used to train an employee would be far greater than the costs associated with hiring a consultant.
Consultants who specialise in fire risk assessments follow the guidelines issued by the Fire and Rescue Services, the HSE and HM Government – these include how to identify fire hazards and persons at risk, how to evaluate these risks, record all findings, and monitor and review risk-reduction procedures they implement. As these consultants have years of experience in such matters, they’re likely to be able to carry out this work far more efficiently, and to a much higher standard, than even a well-trained employee would be able to.
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Why fire risk assessments are essential for businesses

Fire poses a risk to all companies, no matter how large or small they happen to be; each year in the UK, lives are threatened, premises are damaged and the ability of businesses to survive is compromised by fires breaking out. This is why fire risk assessments, carried out by trained professionals, are so important. Whether your business premises are within old or new buildings, there are an untold number of ways in which a fire might begin. These potential hazards, which could ignite a fire, can easily go undetected if specialist risk assessments are not carried out.
A fire risk assessment will identify such hazards and based on this information, steps can be taken to reduce or eliminate the risk of a fire occurring as a result of them. The assessment will also identify any members of staff who are particularly at risk, and take measures to keep them safe.
Fire is of course, a threat to both life and limb, but it can also cause an enormous amount of disruption and damage to a business, and make it difficult for a company to continue to operate afterwards, due to the financial and reputational repercussions. Aside from the obvious risk which fire will pose to the health and safety of employees, business owners who choose to forego a fire risk assessment may face company and individual fines, imprisonment if they are found to be responsible, publicity of prosecution and director disqualification, should a fire break out on their premises.
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