Workplace Safety 101

It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure all employees are kept save at work. Regardless of the environment you work in whether it’s an office building or a construction site, health and safety is an essential for all workplaces.

Legal Requirements for Workplaces

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the main piece of UK health and safety legislation. It places a duty on all employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees whilst at work.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995, also known as RIDDOR requires employers to report all work-related deaths and serious injuries.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 requires employees to undergo training to limit injuries associated with lifting or pulling heavy objects as 10% of major injuries are reportedly linked to manual handling. Adequate training in this area will reduce the number sick days taken as a result of workplace injuries.

Control of Substances hazardous to Health 2002, also known as COSHH is a law that requires employers to control any substances that may be hazardous to the health of employees.

Training in each of these fields will provide a further understanding for your employees, alongside reducing the risk of any accidents occurring allowing for more productivity in the workplace.

Office First Aid Kit

A first aid kit is one of the most important pieces of office equipment as this will be the first port of call if an accident were to arise.

The contents of an office first aid kit may vary depending on the environment that you work in. For example, an office first aid kit within an environment classed as low-hazard, such as an office, would possibly contain the following items:

• Plasters
• Bandages
• Safety pins
• Gloves
• Sterile eye pads

It is important to consider any items within your first aid kit that may have an expiry date. These should be monitored and replaced as necessary. To ensure that everything is in date, appoint someone in the office to check regularly, that way you can replace swiftly after expiry.

It is important for your office first aid kit to be stocked up at all times and kept somewhere that is accessible for all who are on the premises. This will save time when treating any work-related injuries that require a first aid kit.

First Aid at Work

First aid training provides your employees with the knowledge of what to do in various emergencies. In order to obtain the appropriate qualifications, it is necessary to enrol onto a First Aid at Work course.

There are a variety of ways for you to train, so you will be sure to find the option that is perfect for you. In-house first aid courses are a popular choice for most companies of all sizes. This involves you attending a class with a qualified trainer who will demonstrate what you need to know and then test your knowledge to gain your certification.  

E-Learning options give you flexibility with your training, allowing you to improve your first aid skills when it is convenient for you from any computer or device that is connected to the Internet. Open Courses are also the perfect solution for you if you wish to pick a place and a time that suits you.

Around 27 million working days are lost each year due to work related illness or workplace injury. Approximately 140,000 people in the UK die each year from incidents where first aid could have potentially saved their lives. 24% of people would not do anything in an emergency situation and wait for an ambulance or hope that a passer-by knows first aid.

Unfortunately, in the time that it takes emergency services to arrive, the condition of the patient can deteriorate. Having someone who is first aid qualified present will ensure the patient receives appropriate treatment immediately.  

AEDs in the Workplace

A cardiac arrest can occur at any given moment without warning. Anyone could suffer a sudden cardiac arrest at any time. With no one being immune to these risks, it is important to take the necessary precautions to ensure your workplace is equipped to save lives.

Alongside effective CPR, a defibrillator is the only definitive treatment against a cardiac arrest, so this life-saving device should be a workplace essential. With the chance of survival decreasing by 10% for each minute that passes without treatment, it is essential for the victim to be given a lifesaving shock as quickly as possible after their collapse.

Employees are what make a company tick, so by investing in their lives and ensuring their safety is a priority, you are also investing in the future success of your business.

Stay Safe at Work

We hope we’ve covered everything you could think of when it comes to workplace safety. If you would like to know anything else about safety within the workplace, head on over to our Twitter page @imptraining and tweet us with your queries, we would be more than happy to help!