14/07/2021

Benefits Of Health And Safety Training In The Workplace

We all know that workplace safety is important. Without it, workplace injuries happen, and employees can get seriously hurt. Negligence and ignorance are dangerous in any setting but especially in a work environment. For businesses, these dangers, and the risk of accidents, are amplified when workers carry out duties that involve handling dangerous equipment, chemicals, or carrying out intricate procedures. 

It's vital then that employees and staff are aware of safety procedures and policy, and are armed with at least a basic knowledge and understanding so that they can help themselves, and their colleagues, avoid accidents and injuries. All this can sound scary, however, did you know there are a lot of positive things that can be gotten from an introduction to health and safety? It's these positive aspects that we're going to be focusing on in today's blog. Here, we'll first be outlining what it is, and why safety matters, before examining the various benefits that come with it. 

Here at SMS Europe, we've been providing businesses with access to health and safety advice, training courses, and programmes, for years. Operating in the northwest, we have helped organisations in areas such as Manchester, Leeds, and Bradford. 

We offer an incredible range of workplace safety solutions and risk assessments. From fire risk assessments and fire marshal training to covid-19 risk assessments and online COSHH training - we really can do it all. To learn more, please get in touch with our safety professionals via email at office@smseurope.co.uk, or call us on 0845 224 0028.

Without further ado, let's examine the positive benefits of health and safety at work!

What Is Health And Safety At Work?

To accurately examine the benefits, we first need to establish what health and safety is. Ask the average person and they'd probably be able to give you a vague definition that mainly centred around making sure avoidable injuries are stopped, and accidents are, ideally, kept at zero. However, did you know that there is so much more nuance to it? Safety law in offices and workplaces covers so much more than just those flashpoint accidents. It's about making sure that every aspect of an individual's working environment is free from dangers or, at the very least, those unavoidable threats are mitigated as much as possible. 

For example, did you know that the way an employee sits at their desk, and how that affects their posture, is just one of many safety issues? Similarly, were you aware that the way they scroll with their mouse or carry out repetitive movements also come under the H&S umbrella?

Essentially, health and safety at work involves carrying out training, creating emergency procedures, and proactively doing as much as possible to minimise the risk of injury and accident, and drive down absenteeism (the rate at which people are off ill). This involves ensuring the little things, and the big things, are looked after in appropriate ways to stop accidents and prevent long-term chronic illnesses such as carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Who Is Responsible?

Responsibility for health and safety training at work, in theory, applies to everyone who attends an office, site, or plant. An emphasis on safety procedure and policy should be filtered down throughout an organisation. As should the need for individual responsibility to keep up safety obligations. All employees have a duty of care to their colleagues and must do everything they can to avoid them, or themselves, getting into an accident. 

What Legislation Is There?

The main piece of occupational health and safety legislation is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This was introduced, as it states in the title, in 1974 and introduced a wide range of responsibilities for employers. It stated that employers and business owners had a legal responsibility to provide adequate protection from risks. 

The main piece of legislation for Health and Safety Training comes from the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Section 2(2)c:

Health and General duties of employers to their employees.

(1)It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.

(2)Without prejudice to the generality of an employer’s duty under the preceding subsection, the matters to which that duty extends include in particular—

(c)the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees;

What Are The Benefits Of A Safe Working Environment?

From the obvious, like preventing someone from being mortally wounded by preventable safety risks, to more nuanced things such as stopping people having chronic back pain from poor seating - there is a wide range of benefits. Here, we're going to break down these beneficial features into two categories - employer, and employee. This way, we can highlight just how many amazing things that come from everyone having knowledge of safety risks and principles.

For Employers, The Benefits Of Occupational Safety And Health Are...

• Fewer accidents - This is obvious, but it bears repeating. An accident, especially a bad one, brings with it a million things that you want to avoid. From the obvious emotional distress to the potential legal action that could take place. Having fewer accidents is one of the most prominent benefits. If you can ensure you have the actionable procedures, and a company-wide, safety-first ethos, you can be pretty confident that you'll have fewer accidents.
• Lower employee turnover - From an economic standpoint, not having to constantly search, recruit, hire, and train new employees will save you a great deal of money. Estimates state that hiring someone costs around £50,000 in the first year of employment. By investing in health and safety outsourcing with SMS Europe, you'll be doing your business a big favour in the long term.
• Increased reputation - Regardless of industry, being known as a business that takes employee safety very seriously is going to help you attract and retain talent. If you have clients, you can reassure them that the money they are paying you is being used in ethical ways to promote safe working, all of which helps to create the best possible work.

For Employees, Safety Awareness Can Benefit Them In The Following Ways...

• Reduced risks - Working in a safe environment means fewer risks are lying around. There are no cables that you could trip over, no slick floors that you could slip on, and no dangerous equipment being left around. The risk of your colleagues accidentally exploiting risk and causing harm is also reduced, if the appropriate health and safety training is carried out. 
• Peace of mind - With all that risk reduced, your mental health and peace of mind will drastically improve. Having to worry and fret about risk is not conducive for good work, or mental health. 
• Fewer colleagues off sick - If you know you can rely on your colleagues to be regularly at work, you can focus on your job, and your job alone, without having to take on extra responsibilities as a result of chronic absenteeism. 

Want Adequate Safety Training? Get In Touch With SMS Europe Today

The benefits we've outlined are just the tip of the iceberg. Thorough health and safety at work policies and procedures will transform your business and provide dozens of benefits, both apparent and discreet. 

At SMS Europe, we can help with all this, and more. We will work with your business to overhaul the way health and safety fits into your operations. To learn more, email us at office@smseurope.co.uk, or call us on 0845 224 0028. We can't wait to hear from you.