Health & Safety FAQ

There are a few Health and Safety terms that are commonly used but what do they mean? And how does Health and Safety law apply to you. Indeed what can Award Health & Safety do that other companies can't.  ­ We answer all these questions and more.

What is a Risk Assessment?

A risk assessment is a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The aim is to make sure that no one gets hurt or becomes ill.

What is the difference between a "hazard" and a "risk"?

Hazard means anything that can cause harm (e.g. chemicals, electricity, working from ladders, etc). Risk is the chance, high or low, that someone will be harmed by the hazard (perhaps a good question for your next pub quiz!!)

How big do I need to be before I have to have a written health and safety policy?

As soon as you have five or more employees you have to have a written policy AND you have to record any significant findings of your risk assessment

I'm sitting in an office at a PC, just how dangerous can that be for goodness sake?

Ah, well in fact there are serious health consequences to things like poor design of workstations (and associated equipment such as chairs), insufficient space, lack of training or not taking breaks. We are talking about things like back problems, repetitive strain injury, or other musculoskeletal disorders.

I'm having the office refurbished. Presumably it's down the contractors to cover themselves health and safety wise?

No sorry, if you are the person responsible for your business, you are also responsible for contractors, service engineers, etc who do work for you!

I notice you deal with asbestos. Surely this is a thing of the past isn't it? There can't be much around these days

Unfortunately it is still very much around, it can be found in roofs and exterior walls, boilers, vessels and pipework, ceilings, interior walls and panels, flooring materials, air handling systems, domestic appliances, brake/clutch linings and fire blankets. It's even in Artex.

How come Health and Safety even extends to stress in the workplace? A bit OTT isn't it?

Well no, the key is the word HEALTH. We all know the ill effects of stress on people and it can hugely impact your business. So do you have a high staff turnover, low productivity or low morale? Have you noticed bullying, changes in behaviour, staff working late or increased sickness absence? We can help - better call us!