The Myth:

Health and safety will cost me and my business money.

The Reality:

For most small and medium-sized enterprises, managing health and safety does not need to be expensive. Employers have a legal duty to control hazards in the workplace, but for many sectors (retail, office, service, commercial) the hazards are few and simple. In most cases managing workplace health and safety is straightforward and based on common sense.

There is no legal requirement to pay for an external consultant to manage health and safety. Employers in smaller firms often understand their workplace better than anyone – they are in the best position to identify workplace hazards, assess risks and produce their own safety statement. The HSA has produced a range of sector-specific guidance to help businesses do this, as well as BeSMART.ie – a free online risk assessment tool which allows employers to develop a comprehensive safety statement for their business.