How to Identify Health & Safety Hazards in the Workplace

There are many different industries and working areas which contain health and safety risks, all of which are overseen by a range of laws.

The breaching of these laws can see criminal prosecution and could even result in a prison sentence; however, the biggest incentive to following the law should be that of protecting your workforce.

Accidents are not only fatal but they can create a downturn in productivity and you could face claims for compensation.

How can you identify the hazards in your workplace then? In this article, the team at Euro 1 Training has created a short guide to identifying and protecting your premises from health and safety hazards.

Identify Hazards in the Workplace

Risk Assessments

There are several parts to a risk assessment, all of which can be applied to almost any working environment. By performing a risk assessment you will be able to identify the hazards, decide who is at risk, decide on the precautions, record findings and review the assessment.

The five steps set out by the HSE mentioned above are in place to help you easily know your specific risks, they also cover the whole of your property from the car park to the loading bays you may have on site.

The assessment can be carried out by you, the business owner, or you can outsource to another company.

Fire Safety

Almost every workplace will need to assess how they deal with this most dangerous hazard. Fire risk assessment can be related to electrical equipment, large stocks of flammable materials, fire exits and evacuation programmes.

Scalding and burning

Depending on your working environment you may need to provide specific training to help staff avoid any burns or scalds. In other instances guidance and reminders should be in place to keep staff aware of the risks involved and to ensure they wear appropriate equipment.

Falling

When we say falling we don’t just mean from a height, though this is one of the most dangerous kinds of falls. There is also the risk of slipping and falling in almost any environment, whether it’s caused by liquids, packing material or unsuitable flooring.

Bumps and scrapes

Considerations need to be made in relation to any obstacles in the working environment on which staff could injure themselves. You need to make sure staff have the room to work without sustaining bumps and scrapes, some of which can have more serious consequences than others.

Safety Training

If you want to have health and safety credentials then it is worth getting the proper training and certification. Here at Euro 1 Training we provide comprehensive health and safety training, with courses on fire safety, working at height, manual handling, first aid and much more.

Get in touch with us today if you’d like to expand your health and safety accreditations or if you simply wish to add extra weight to your CV. Our friendly team will help find the right course for you.