How to create a health and safety culture in your business

As an SME business, prioritising health and safety is even more important as it can make or break your reputation – here is how to promote a culture of health and safety to keep your staff (and reputation) safe

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on HSE Network

Creating a culture of health and safety in your small business is important for the well-being of your employees and the success of your business. It’s important to remember that a safety risk may have a more significant impact on the reputation of a small to medium-sized business, so it’s even more important to ensure that health and safety are a top priority for both managers and employees. Here are some steps you can take to promote health and safety in your workplace and create that culture which will make all the difference.

Develop a safety policy

Clearly outline the safety expectations for your employees and make sure they understand the consequences of not following safety procedures – for example, when a new employee joins a small business, it should be the norm that they have a run-through of all health and safety policies – knowing where the fire exits are, and knowing who the first aiders are on site is a great start for a new employee. Having strict policies will help small businesses know what to do in an emergency. 

Conduct safety training 

Provide regular safety training for your employees to ensure that they are aware of the potential hazards in your workplace, and how to prevent accidents. Conduct regular health and safety sessions for the whole team to help ensure that everybody is ‘on the same page’ if an accident occurs so that the risk of serious injury will be mitigated. Employees could be asked for ideas on how to improve health and safety training, which will also further benefit the culture you are trying to develop. 

Identify and assess hazards

New hazards come up all the time in busy workplaces, so another important step in creating a culture of safety in your small business is to regularly assess your workplace for potential hazards and take steps to eliminate or mitigate them. This can be achieved through regular hazard checks across the company site, with all employees notified of any new hazards. 

Provide personal protective equipment

If necessary, provide your employees with the personal protective equipment they need to stay safe on the job. If your small business does not currently have the correct equipment, invest in this – consider first aid kits, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, to help prevent accidents and injuries in your workplace. If you think about how it would feel to have a member of staff injured – or worse – while at work, you’ll see that this represents money well spent.

Make health and safety a priority in your workplace by setting a good example and promoting this culture throughout your business. No matter what the small company’s current situation is, if the culture is in the right place the majority of employees will be happy (and will stay safe!)