“It is an employer’s duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and other people who might be affected by their business.” (Health & Safety Executive)
Workplace safety is an important issue. Not only is it the responsibility of a Manager or Business Owner to keep their employees, visitors and customers safe while on the premises but a safe working environment will also improve staff motivation and increase outputs. Reducing stress, which can be caused through feeling unsafe, for your employees will help to improve their job performance ultimately benefiting the business.
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) reported the following statistics for Great Britain:
- 144 workers killed at work (2017/18)
- 70,116 injuries to employees reported under RIDDOR (2015/16)
- 31.2 million working days lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury (2015/16)
- £14.9 billion estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions (2015/16)
How to protect your premises
Risk assessments should be carried out on a regular basis to review the premises and identify potential hazards to anyone on site. This can be done by a member of staff with health & safety training or outsourced to a professional security or health & safety consultant. Either way it is an essential process and will help you identify the right procedures to put in place.
There are plenty of simple steps that can be taken to make staff feel safer and to deter potential intruders or thieves.
- CCTV cameras located strategically around the site, along with warning signs. If they are monitored by a professional security company this will add to their effectiveness.
- Good lighting, both inside and outside.
- Security guards on site either 24 hours a day or overnight depending on the risks determined.
- Secure parking for staff and visitors, especially if the site is in a remote location.
- Keep track of keys distributed to employees
Lone working
For those working alone, either all the time as part of their job or just on the odd occasion when they stay late at the office, there is often a greater risk to their safety. The development of technology helps to keep track of lone workers and allows them to check in easily on a regular basis so the rest of the team know they are safe. Risk assessments should also be carried out for lone workers and it is essential that regular checks are carried out during their shift to ensure their safety.
Alarm Response
Many companies select the member of staff who lives closest to the premises to be a keyholder and rely on them to come out if the building alarms go off. This may seem like a good idea, but there are many things that can go wrong.
The staff member might miss the phone call, they might not be able to get to the site. And if they do, have you considered any risks they might face, especially in the middle of the night? What would happen if an intruder was still on site? Don’t forget that you are responsible for the safety of your staff.
A much safer and reliable option is to use the keyholding and alarm response services of a professional security company.
If you are considering employing security guards or professional keyholders for your workplace please get in touch to find out how Leisuresec can help you.
