What is The Reality?

  1. The reality is that so long as we employ human beings, who are prone to human error and use machines that are not 100% fail safe, we will have accidents.  The trick is to recognise why accidents occur …

Accidents result from a combination of unsafe acts and unsafe conditions – the latter can be controlled, while the former depends upon the development of a top-down and bottom-up safety culture.

    and then manage the unsafe conditions and unsafe actions by managing and working safely. If an incident does still occur the injury to people or the damage to goods and property will be slight.
  1. Failure to manage health and safety in the same way that we manage say finance, human resources, marketing or production will inevitably lead to accidents and work related ill-health.
  2. The enforcement authorities do not have the resources to inspect your organisation on a regular basis, indeed – so far – you may never have had a safety inspection or a fire inspection.  However, when things go wrong your organisation will become the centre of the Inspector’s attention.

 The reality then is:

  • HSE and Local Authority Inspectors have wide powers to enforce health and safety legislation – claiming ignorance or lack of resources or indeed more pressing business imperatives will not deflect them.
  • The average fine for one breach of one regulation could cost £5,000 plus legal costs.
  • The average civil claim for compensation following an accident at work is £7,000!
  • The first ‘stress’ claim was settled at £85,000 plus costs plus attendant adverse publicity for the organisation defending the claim!
  • The indirect but real costs of an accident at work is four times the direct costs including vast increases in insurance premiums!

Why not find out if your people are Managing and Working Safely using our free initial check-up service.

Contact, in the first instance, Phillip Allen today: Ring 01666 860911 or email apallen@supanet.com