As part
of a
small
business,
you know
just how
important
your
employees
are. If
they get
injured
it could
damage
your
productivity
and
cause
serious
issues
for the
running
of your
business;
yet many
businesses
are
still
failing
to treat
health
and
safety
with the
care it
merits.
Every 25 minutes, someone breaks or
fractures a bone at work according to the
latest figures from the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE).
The HSE has created their 'Shattered Lives' campaign, to highlight
the devastating consequences of simple
slips, trips and falls - including falls
from height - in the workplace. The figures
are alarming - every week, one person dies
from a slip, trip or fall at work and the
serious injuries from slips, trips and falls
make up almost a third of all injuries
reported to the HSE.
Discussing the 'Shattered Lives' campaign, Dr Elizabeth Gibby, Head
of the Injuries Reduction Programme, HSE
said, "Each year slips, trips and falls cost
the British society nearly £811 million
pounds with £31 million of this coming from
the catering and hospitality industry. But
what these figures don't reflect, is the
extent to which these injuries affect
individual workers and their families.
Slips, trips and falls can also have a shattering effect on
businesses through costs such as employee
absence, sick pay and reduced productivity.
Irrespective of the size of the business and
the job that you do, it could happen to
you."
HSE's Shattered Lives campaign offers guidance to employers and
employees in the construction, building and
plant maintenance and food manufacturing and
retail industries where the incidence of
injuries resulting from slips, trips and
falls is highest.
Keeping your business safe might only take a
little bit of work, but it can save you a
lot of expense and difficulty. Simply taking
some time to look around the workplace,
identify and deal with areas that might be
dangerous (slippery floors, sharp edges etc)
could help prevent injury to an employee in
the future.
For more information on health and safety
issues visit our Business Law section.
