| A significant number of small to medium-sized | | | | "Getting health and safety into businesses is not |
| businesses (SMBs) are not keeping their health | | | | onerous, it's actually helping them to keep best |
| and safety records up to date, it has been | | | | practice and keep the business up and running and |
| claimed - meaning many are in breach of | | | | operating," Ms Fowlie continued. |
| standards. | | | | "Good health and safety practice actually |
| According to Lisa Fowlie, president of the | | | | generates good business practice." |
| Institution of Occupational Safety and Health | | | | Ms Fowlie went on to warn small firms that even |
| (IOSH), small businesses in general are not fully au | | | | if they are still of the opinion that health and |
| fait with health and safety guidelines and | | | | safety procedures are an unwanted distraction, |
| regulations, and often view them in a negative | | | | they should still do all they can to ensure they are |
| light. | | | | fully compliant with the law - because if they |
| Rather than being seen an attempt to improve | | | | don't, the Health and Safety Executive or the local |
| standards in businesses, she said, too often SMBs | | | | authorities will be on their backs. |
| see health and safety legislation as being | | | | In order to reduce the burden of red tape while |
| detrimental to their cause. | | | | ensuring that they remain on the right side of the |
| However, Ms Fowlie has suggested that applying | | | | law, Ms Fowlie advised firms to keep things simple. |
| health and safety law is not only "very easy to | | | | "You don't want overkill; you don't want masses |
| do", but also confers positive benefits. She | | | | and masses of files if you don't need them," she |
| admitted, though, that these are facts all too | | | | said. |
| often lost on small businesses. | | | | "You want to put what we call sensible risk |
| "It's very difficult to get the message across to | | | | management in, so that they can continue with |
| small businesses, because by their nature they | | | | what they're doing, rather than anything that |
| have got very few people [so there's an issue] of | | | | stops them doing it." |
| who actually takes the role on… People | | | | Disclaimer: |
| think that you have to have a huge amount of | | | | This article has been written for information and |
| red tape, and that if you start on [health and | | | | interest purposes only. The information contained |
| safety procedures] then it's going to stop them | | | | within this article is the opinion of the author only, |
| operating," she commented. | | | | and should not be construed as advice or used to |
| "Whereas in actual fact, a lot of small businesses | | | | make financial decisions. Expert financial advice |
| are very low risk and so the actual | | | | should always be sought and any links contained |
| implementation is very reasonable and very easy | | | | within this article are included for information |
| to do. There's a lack of understanding quite often. | | | | purposes only. |