The risk of work related ill health or injury exists in every workplace. That’s why all employers are required by law to carry out risk assessments and maintain regular checks to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.
To dispel the myth that ‘risk assessments must always be long and complex’ the Health & Safety Executive says: “Risk assessments should be fit for purpose and acted upon. OK, if you’re running an oil refinery you’re going to need a fair amount of paperwork. But for most, bullet points work very well indeed.”
The Business Link guide Risk assessment - an overview summarises your legal obligations and how to meet them.
Of course, it’s not just about complying with the law. Demonstrating your duty of care by managing occupational health effectively will make your employees feel safer in their work. Preventing accidents and ill health could also save you money and improve efficiency.
If you are thinking ‘this doesn’t apply to my type of business’ or ‘the risks are low’ - think again. Here are just a few figures to change your mind:
- The Health and Safety Executive estimates that in 2005/2006: 2 million people were suffering from an illness they believed was caused by current or past jobs; 523,000 of these cases were new in the last 12 months; and 30 million days were lost overall due to work-related ill health.
- Affecting around 1 million people a year, Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common occupational illness in Great Britain. Upper Limb Disorder (often called RSI) can affect anyone using their upper arms to carry out their work - from computer users to assembly workers.
- A recent study carried out by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand found 34% of 62 people admitted to hospital with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) had spent long periods of time at their desks, compared with 21% who had recently made a long haul flight.
Such findings reinforce the fact that occupational illness affects lots of people across a wide range of industry sectors and job roles. Implementing a well-managed approach to occupational health (up to and beyond legal requirements) can help minimise the personal risks and business costs of occupational illness and injury.
More info - Occupational health and welfare: an overview
More info - Ensure your employees are operating computers effectively
Or visit the People, health and welfare section of the Business Link website for a wide range of health, safety and occupational health related topics.
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