A safe working environment is productive for small businesses |
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Published
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Sun, 19 Jun 2005 19:35
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There seems no agreement over who exactly is supposed to worry about the health and safety in the workplace and this is leading to avoidable injuries, says Croner Consulting Scotland.
38 workers have died of workplace accidents and more than 2800 were injured in Scotland last year. The firm says that 60 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises are "dangerously unaware" of healthy workplace practices The fact that within the European Union billions are spent each and every year for work-related injuries or consequences thereof underscores how neglected safety within the workplace is for some. The Health and Safety Authority says that the only way to avoid these additional costs is by putting proper systems in place.
Tom Beegan, the HSA chief executive, says, “It is not acceptable that any worker could lose their life by just turning up for work and carrying out their job.” He points out that the construction and the agriculture sectors are the worst offenders. Nine construction workers and seven agriculture workers have already succumbed to unsafe practices in their workplace. These figures prompted the HSA to conduct 1,000 health and safety inspections across the country. These inspections were primarily targeted at the construction sector.
| Pat Delaney, the director of the Small Firms’ Association (SFA) says that other sectors are equally vulnerable to safety problems, “While there are many visible consequences and costs associated with workplace accidents, the hidden costs are estimated to be between two and three times the visible costs,” he points out. Besides having to shell out legal fees, insurance and medical costs, employers will also have to spend on replacement staff and sick pay schemes.
“The consequences of accidents can also result in failure to complete orders, meet delivery times and a loss of goodwill to a small business,” Delaney said. He concludes by saying that providing a safe workplace is beneficial to both employee as well as the employer, “It is important for companies to realize that good workplace health and safety not only protect people from harm but also contribute to business success. It is imperative for businesses to continue to address and implement the key steps to successful management of safety at work. That means prepare a safety statement, organize staff, set health and safety standards, measure company performance, audit and review,” Delaney stressed.
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