Protecting Your Workplace's Reputation and Assets

Apart from complying with the law, company Directors will not want to risk the reputation of their businesses by having a serious accident and the adverse publicity that would bring.

Directors and officers of undertakings would also wish to avoid undue pressure from employees, trade unions and customers due to poor safety and health management.  All undertakings would also wish to avoid the stigma and other consequences of a prosecution (criminal conviction, fines or prison).

There is also considerable evidence of financial benefits from effective safety and health management, such as:

• Increased productivity when using safe operating procedures
• Reduced insurance premiums
• Less sickness-related absences and training costs for replacement staff
• Better staff retention and morale.

Many businesses are now placing more emphasis on their corporate ‘social’ responsibility to look after work colleagues who may be friends, family members or other relations. ‘Peer’ pressure, i.e. not wanting to lag behind in your sector, is also important.

Key factors

Avoiding the costs associated with poor safety and health management ensures that an undertaking’s reputation and assets are protected. Factors which lead to poor corporate safety and health accountability include:

• Failure of the Board to take control
• Rubber stamping of management decisions on safety and health issues
• Lack of resources assigned to safety and health by the Board
• Failure to have competent safety and health advice available, either internally or externally
• Failure to have adequate communication on important safety and health issues.