Implementing a health and safety statement and policy is essential for all businesses in order to comply with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, which mandates businesses to ensure the safety, health, and welfare of employees.
The Safety Statement gives an overview of the risks in the particular business and how they will be mitigated. The Health and Safety Policy is built after a risk assessment and outlines the steps everyone in your organisation needs to follow in order to mitigate risks.
The purpose of these documents is to identify and mitigate the risk of injuries and illnesses. It protects the physical and mental well-being of workers.
Proper compliance minimises the risk of legal claims against the employer, and enhances the reputation of the business demonstrating ethical responsibility. It can lead to lower insurance premiums as the business is shown to have best reduced the risk of claims.
Good health and safety measures allow for better operational efficiency. Disruption caused by accidents will be reduced, and employee morale will be higher leading to greater employee satisfaction and retention.
Specific industries have particular regulations, and businesses must establish what is applicable to their industry.
Failure to properly address health and safety can lead to injury, illness or death. It can lead to compensation claims from employees and others, reputational damage, and prosecution. Financial and criminal penalties are a risk of non-compliance.
The above is intended for information purposes only. It is not legal advice. If you would like to discuss health and safety for your business or any aspect of compliance, please contact Fitzsimons Redmond LLP on 01-6763257 or by email at law@fitzsimonsredmond.ie.
By Lisa Quinn O’Flaherty
Partner at Fitzsimons Redmond LLP
