Health and Safety Executive

What’s in it for me and my business

This section will show you the benefits of this toolkit and what it contains.

This toolkit will help you to improve your health and safety performance. Doing this will bring additional benefits to your overall business performance and productivity.

Leadership & worker involvement - “What’s in it for me and my business?” Research shows companies with highly engaged employees achieve a financial performance four times greater than companies with poor involvement “I knew that without getting the workforce fully engaged and committed the company would die. Instead of which it was reborn” The McLeod Report “{if staff} feel that they have got the company behind them... they are more motivated to take responsibility.”One company said that leadership and worker involvement approaches cut accidents by half on their sites... “...we have been able to demonstrate the benefits of consulting with our workforce both directly employed and through our supply chain for making business improvements.” Gerry Mulholland, HSE Leader CHT part of Laing O’Rourke Group Reducing accidents and incidents saves you money in the long-run They will help you with your legal responsibilities and obligations towards your workers The Health and Safety (offences) Act 2009 means that Courts have greater powers to fine and imprison those who break health and safety law. Even the Magistrates Court can impose a maximum �20,000 fine and a prison sentence. Can you afford that to happen to you? Still not convinced? Then think about the price of getting it wrong. On Friday 31 July 2009, a crane company was fined �125,000 and ordered to pay costs of �264,299. In 2008-2009 93,000 construction workers suffered from an illness caused or made worse by their job. In 2008-2009 2.4 million days were lost to work-related ill-health. That’s 1.1 days for each worker. Nearly 4,000 major injuries are reported to HSE by the construction industry every year. In 2008-2009, 0.6 million days were lost due to workplace injury. That’s 0.27 days per worker. And what about the other hidden costs...? Work slows down... It might even stop... And the additional paperwork! It all adds up! 17.8 working days are lost in the construction industry per injury Accidents in construction can account for 2 -�6% of total project costs. A serious disruption lasting more than 9 days could put you out of business. In 2007 there were 2156 mesothelioma deaths In the last 25 years, 2,800 people have died as a result of an accident on a building site That means 2,800 grieving families Jennifer’s husband was killed on a building site... “It’s wasn’t a big thing that caused (Kieron) to die... It wasn’t something major. It was something small.” Simple changes would have made a big difference to these people and their families. If something happens have you got a cushion against accidental losses? If you think your insurance company will cover all your costs think again! What your insurance does not cover when there is an accident: Delays, Investigation time, Lost time, Fines, Legal costs, Sick pay, Extra wages, Overtime, Temporary labour, Loss of contracts, Damage or loss of product and raw materials, Repairs to plant and equipment, Loss of business reputation There are other reasons though why you should consider the leadership and worker involvement approach. “If you don’t have the people, and you don’t look after the people doing the job then you wont have a business...” Jennifer Deeny “The activities are not magical or new, they are all common sense and good management but in this case engaging with employees has shown just what can be done. The important thing is to make a start”
Read full article Find out more Find out more Back to the beginning How does this protect my workers health and safety? How does this help me fulfil my legal duties? The 10 pillars of LWE Find out more Find out more Back to the beginning What's in it for me and my business Find out more

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Updated: 11.10.11