25-08-2006
Health & Safety Commission tells employers to 'get a life'
The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has urged employers to concentrate on preventing genuine threats to worker safety and to "get a life" by not getting distracted by trivial risks.
To help fulfil this message, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a series of practical principles to help employers keep their staff safe and content, without hindering productivity with excessive red tape.
"I'm sick and tired of hearing that 'health and safety' is stopping people doing worthwhile and enjoyable things when at the same time others are suffering real harm and even death as a result of mismanagement at work," explained Bill Callaghan, chair of the HSC.
"My message is that if you're using health and safety to stop everyday activities - get a life and let others get on with theirs," he added.
The HSE's message to employers is that the principles of risk management are:
- taking steps to ensure workers and the public are adequately protected
- tackling risks which arise often and with the most serious consequences
- balancing benefits and risks
- enabling innovation and learning
- ensuring that creators of risk act responsibly and face action for not doing so
Sensible risk management is not about:
- creating a risk free society
- generating paperwork
- exaggerating risks or intimidating employees
- preventing recreation or learning activities
Employer's liability insurance
Even by following these principles and working to protect employees and the public, an employer cannot expect to anticipate and prevent every incident. Accidents will happen.
It is a legal requirement for a boss to have employer's liability insurance, which will provide protection in the event of an injury to one of your employees in the course of business. Not having a valid certificate can cost you up to £2,500 per day.
Important things to remember when purchasing employer's liability insurance:
- it applies to all firms with employees
- unless you only employ members of your immediate family
- minimum cover by law is £5 million, which should be adequate for a small firm
- liability insurance is rarely standalone and will often include public liability cover, for example, which protects you against the actions of the public
- some insurers offer different extents of cover, remember this when comparing quotes
- the geographical remit of your cover is vital if you conduct work outside the EU
