Running a business means constant firefighting, both metaphorically and literally. This is crucial for a safe workplace. It is the basis of a healthy functioning economy. Therefore, it is critical for businesses to take care of all safety parameters and comply with health regulations. There is no work without workplace safety after all! In this context, it would be prudent to mention the importance of getting comprehensive health and safety consultancy services for your business.
Businesses need to follow certain regulations like the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 among a host of others. The Act lays down the guidelines to be followed by businesses to ensure the safety of employees. A breach of these guidelines could bring heavy penalties to your establishment. But navigating through these laws and guidelines could be a cumbersome process. Big organizations have a legal team that takes care of all these legal requirements but smaller businesses don't have the economic heft to hire a permanent legal team. There are so many small and medium businesses operating all over the country and it's important to guide through the regulatory framework. Management consultancy services do exactly that.
How do management consultancy services help your business?
Health Audit:
The first order of business is to maintain a healthy workplace environment. The consultancy firm you choose would start with a health audit of your establishment. The audit is conducted in the initial stage of the work and then annually. Based on the audit, they'll present a detailed report on the safety parameters that are in place as well as those that need work. Any lack of safety thereof would be identified in the audit. Looking at the audit report, you can figure out the infrastructural bottlenecks and fix them immediately. They also help you come up with a standard workplace health safety document to be used as needed.
Legal Register Maintenance:
The legal register is a whole record of all applicable health and safety laws, regulations, and standards an organization needs to comply with. It helps ensure that the organization stays up to date with the ever-changing legal requirements and can effectively manage health and safety risks. Consultancy services help identify the relevant laws and regulations that apply to the organization based on its industry, location, and nature of operations. They continuously monitor changes in legislation to ensure the legal register remains current.
Risk Assessment:
Assessing risks at the workplace is important to safeguard lives and property. In case of emergencies, it's crucial for the management to take appropriate measures. Be it a loose ceiling or identifying fire hazards, prior risk assessment comes in handy during the evacuation, if needed. Checking electrical wires and equipment as well as maintaining fire extinguishing devices is important to secure the workplace. Conducting fire and emergency exit drills are preventive measures that would save you money in the long run.
Environmental Audit:
The increasing pollution worldwide and the resultant global warming have led to a lot of environment-induced complications in the workforce. By conducting an environmental audit, you can improve the air quality in your work premises. Also, if there are heavy metals in soil and water, relevant authorities can be informed immediately. Management consultancy services offer a wholesome environmental impact assessment for your business and make sure you are in compliance with all kinds of environmental regulations.
COSHH Assessment:
Your business premises can be filled with harmful dust particles that remain invisible to the eye. For instance, if there's asbestos dust in the office building and employees are exposed to the invisible dust particles for a long time, it affects their respiratory and nervous systems. Long-term exposure to hazardous dust can cause diseases like asbestosis and silicosis. You may be liable to legal action if a proper COSHH assessment is not done. Therefore, it is important to conduct Completing Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) assessment.
Occupational Hygiene Monitoring:
Occupational hygiene is a broad term and includes things like dust monitoring, noise monitoring, Electromagnetic field (EMF) assessments, and indoor air quality assessments. Consultancy service agents will make you aware of the steps to be taken to maintain the optimum hygiene quality inside the work premises.
Key Takeaway
Health and safety parameters in the workplace have to be followed in order to safeguard the health of workers as well as to get rid of legal liabilities. These regulations are mentioned in laws such as the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. If you're a small business that doesn't have the resources to maintain a permanent legal team, you should consider taking the help of health and safety consultancy services. They will conduct a health audit for your business and make sure you're in compliance with all the regulations.
