Health and safety
A happy, healthy workforce is creative and productive. Good health and safety practice gets everyone thinking about how they work and how they can prevent accidents and illness. For example:
- Location managers can take steps to ensure safety on location
- Games designers can take regular breaks from the screen
- Riggers and crew can use safe platforms and restraints when they work at height
Every business employing five or more employees must carry out a risk assessment and have a written health and safety policy. The five steps to risk assessment are:
- Identify the hazards
- Decide who might be harmed and how
- Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
- Record your findings and implement them
- Review your assessment and update if necessary
In the long run, taking these steps is cheaper than paying compensation, sick pay or the costs of hiring replacement staff.
Workplace Health Connect is a free, impartial and confidential service that helps small businesses examine and control the risks. In some areas, advisers can visit your premises. They will help suggest cost effective steps you can take to reduce the risks. The Workplace Health Connect helpline is on 0845 609 6006.
The Health and Safety Executive has published a leaflet to help you assess health and safety risks in your workplace Five steps to risk assessment. The HSE helpline is on 0845 345 0055.