Imagine you’re with a group of friends. You’re joking and laughing with each other over a few drinks discussing your week at work. Everything is great, everyone is having a good time and then there’s a lull. Fearing awkwardness, someone fills the gap and foolishly mentions health and safety. The conversation slows, wary glances are exchanged, and escape plans are hatched. In no time at all the group has dispersed and the evening has been ruined. Health and safety is a silent killer of conversations everywhere.
Ok that might be a bit of an exaggeration but it is true that most of us tune out when we hear health and safety mentioned. The point I want to make is that we really shouldn’t.
Just think, without a good health and safety policy and training the Golden Globes would not have happened last Sunday night. None of the stars would have been able to surpass the monster slips and trips hazard that was the result of a rogue fire sprinkler dousing the red carpet. Luckily the problem was managed safely and quickly and the show went on.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has just undergone a triennial review to assess its usefulness and whether its practices are still relevant. What they have determined on this occasion is that everything at the moment seems to be hunky-dory. The report by Martin Temple states:
“Having considered the evidence, I concluded that there is a continuing need for the functions that HSE delivers, and a very strong case for those functions to continue to be delivered by an arms-length body.
However, this is not to say that there is no room for improvement, and I have identified a number of areas where there is scope for innovation and change, to ensure that HSE continues to operate efficiently and effectively in the 21st century.”
Not being much of an expert in health and safety myself, I sought the opinion of someone who is, one of Cullen Scholefield’s very own valued clients: Paul Johnson, Safety and HR Director of Shoreham Port Authority.
I asked Paul what his opinion on the review was and he said:
“There is always room for improvement. While the review suggests that nothing needs serious adjustment now that does not necessarily mean that it won’t in a few years. These reviews are crucial for keeping measures up to date and should be happening more often.”
This review claims that everything is as well as can be at the moment, but I can’t help but note the disinterest in most people when the topic is brought up and really those working in HR cannot afford to neglect the importance of health and safety.
It relates back to the last blog on trust in organisations. If your employees can see that you’re not interested in their safety then they aren’t likely to trust you to have their best interests at heart.
Paul Johnson explained the benefits of a good health and safety Policy, he said:
“There is a place for health and safety in HR. When it’s bad you can see it in staff turnover, sickness and absenteeness but when it is good you can see it everywhere. It increases staff trust and confidence in the organisation.”
And as we know from last week, employees’ trust in their organisation has a multitude of benefits.
If you think back a few years, the HR department was seen as the gatekeepers to the organisation, the department that spoiled the fun by telling you what you can’t do. We have worked hard to turn this opinion around by showing people how HR works for them and not against them.
Perhaps health and safety is next on the list for this makeover? It’s hard to show people how you are working for them when you’re hiding behind a clipboard, scribbling infractions and violations at a rapid rate. It’s all about putting a positive spin on things, engaging and teaching rather than reprimanding.
Damage caused by roof collapse at Apollo Theatre
Just remember there are times when there is nothing you can do to avoid an accident. For example, consider the collapsed ceiling at the Apollo Theatre last month. Luckily there were no fatalities but several theatre-goers were seriously injured. On further inspection it was revealed that there were no health and safety infractions and the collapse was labelled an isolated incident. There’s no telling if this kind of incident will occur in your workplace but I know you’ll want your health and safety policy in order when it does.
Don’t forget to take part in our word game for the chance of winning a bottle of bubbly! Using the word diagram here make either of the following:
- The best sentence using the three words from one of the six segments
- The most innovative sentence using as many words as possible
- The worse possible sentence using all words available
Post your answer in the comments or email it to us at develop@cullenscholefield.com
And please support us as we battle through January without a drink to console us! Most of us are still dry and we appreciate any donation, big or small for a worthy cause!