It is often said that when times are tough, the first depts. to be cut are H & S & Internal Training, purely because they don’t generate income in the same way as Sales. Just stop for a moment though & give it some thought.
What about the accident or injury caused because of lack of Risk Assessment, Training or not following Procedures? What about the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 & Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992?
The last thing you want is the HSE &/or Police knocking on the door following an accident, because the cost of litigation, compensation, criminal charges & fines can have a serious financial effect on businesses, large & small & the individual(s) within the company who will “carry the can”.
Small businesses in particular who don’t see the need, or simply cannot afford, to employ a H & S Adviser, are the most vulnerable, because they don’t know what they need to be legally compliant.
As a H & S Consultant I work with companies, large & small to ensure that the systems they have in place are legally compliant & meet the needs of the size of their business & the risks that they face. There is nothing to be gained from overloading a company with innappropriate policies & procedures which frighten them off, when all they want is to protect themselves, employees and their customers, & stay the right side of the law. Level of risk is individual to the business & H & S should be appropriate & specific, not generic or onerous.
A chat costs nothing, but may be just what you’re looking for.