1. Getting Buy-in From The Workforce
Having the workforce involved in health and safety makes the life of Directors and the Competent Person much easier (and the workplace much healthier and much safer). But getting their buy-in can be difficult. Health and safety has a reputation for being over-officious, boring and the cause of delays to work. This is almost entirely due to over-zealous interpretation of the legislation and use of H&S as an excuse for lazy business practices. This is why we have sprinkled the website with “Health and Safety Myths”.
In order to have a successful health and safety system in place, you need to have the workforce on side. It is impossible to monitor everything that goes on in an organisation without information from the people actually carrying out the work. They are the eyes and ears of the Competent Person. No-one knows the hazards and risks of any work operation better than the person actually doing the work. They are the expert, so tell them exactly that! Make them the expert to whom you are going for advice. Flatter them, thank them, and you will be halfway there. Tell them that they can complete a Health and Safety Concern form at any time, and it will be answered.
Consulting with your workforce - your responsibilities
Employers must consult with their workforce on "health and safety matters" according to the law. In practice, this means having open, two-way discussions about:
- the introduction of new systems of work (such as changes to shift patterns/working hours/teams), machinery, equipment, in fact anything which will substantially affect their health and safety;
- working with the Competent Person to ensure compliance with health and safety legislation;
- the hazards and risks that are in the workplace and which arise from the work they are carrying out;
- planning and carrying out health and safety training;
- the consequences of introducing new technology.
This will be stated several times throughout the Guide – risk assessments are the foundation of a health and safety system. They are legally required and vitally important! To be effective, risk assessments have to have input from the people connected with the hazards you are considering. They are the people who know the ins and outs of the work they are doing, the equipment they are using, the chemicals they work with and so on. They will be the best source of suggestions as to how to minimise the risks and will be delighted to have been asked.
Organisation values and ethos
Positioning an organisation as one which values its workforce ensures buy-in from staff. Employees are the most important asset an organisation can have and if this is seen to be part of the culture, it will make the Competent Person’s job much easier. And it goes without saying that an involved workforce is happier and more productive.
Health and Safety Myth
No reason given for change of rules about providing water for Hearing Dog - not the way to get the workforce on side with health and safety
An employee who is deaf has a Hearing Dog which accompanies her into the workplace. First thing in the morning, she empties the dog's water bowl and refills it with fresh water using the sink in the kitchen/rest area, which is located nearest to her. She has been told that she cannot do this as it's against health and safety and will upset the other employees. She is expected to take the bowl of water into the toilet, which is through three doors, two of which are operated by a pass system to dispose of the water and then collect cups of water from the kitchen to fill the bowl at her desk.
There are no health and safety regulations which could conceivably stop the filling or emptying of a working dog's water bowl in a kitchen area. The employer should be challenged to reconsider their decision and to explain why they felt it necessary to implement the ban – they cannot hide this one behind health and safety.
The employer also needs to consider whether this imposed restriction is consistent with making reasonable adjustments to enable disabled people to work.