Could your business be a health and safety nightmare?
If so, trouble will eventually follow you. If your employees aren’t safe, and if your customers are risking life and limb by stepping over the threshold of your premises, then you are going to attract both legal and media attention. Oh, and your staff and customers might also leave your business in the dust, for fear of their lives! As the business owner then, you need to fix anything that’s wrong. And while you may be tempted by the benefits to visible changes for customer and employee peace of mind, it’s also behind the scenes where special attention needs to be held. There is no excuse for cost-cutting or papering over any rough cracks!
These are the signs that your business could be a health and safety nightmare.
- You have a leaky roof. Those wet patches on the floor may not be simple drink spills. Perhaps because of bad weather, or perhaps because your perimeters have long since been in ruin, you need to get on top of the problem, possibly literally by climbing up to the roof. Alternatively, and especially if you are a vertigo suffer, hire roofing contractors to sort out any issues. Slips and falls will be the consequence if you don’t, and you may be looking at hefty compensation claims.
- There are fire hazards. This is a hot topic at the time of writing, especially considering the tragedy in Poland. If there are issues with your electrical wiring, or if there is a risk of a gas leak, you could have a disaster on your hands. Similarly, if there are no clearly signed emergency exits, or if your smoke alarms aren’t working, then you are further putting lives at risk. You don’t want to be responsible for any losses of life in your business, so risk-assess your business and fix anything that is problematic. If you want to help yourself when it comes to preventing fires, then it’s wise to work with a wholesale electrical supply store, as they can help you to invest in the right electrical products so you can lighten your power load.
- There is a lack of proper ventilation. If windows aren’t a possibility, perhaps because your business is located within another business, you do need to sort out a ventilation system. Without something fit for use, you run the risk of mold and other bacteria’s within your business, and that will affect the people you are working with. Those sick days are going to become more common if you don’t.
- Your staff aren’t fully trained. Health and safety training is a must for everybody within your business, so despite the expense, ensure each person is fully aware of their responsibilities. You might also consider risk-assessment training, as well as training in how to use certain pieces of equipment and/or hazardous materials. Without training, both you and your employees are walking and talking health and safety nightmares!
- There is low or no lighting in certain areas. Sure, you will be keen to cut the costs of your utility bills, but when lighting is necessary, you do need to have those lights on. And while you might want to create the ambient effect too, you should still forego any aesthetic appeal for something more practical. Those light bulbs need to be bright enough to ensure the risk of injury is reduced, so leave your customers and employees in the dark no longer.
So, could your business be a health and safety nightmare? Only you have the answer, so with our suggestions in mind, carry out those all-important checks as a priority. You are only heading for trouble if you don’t!
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