Powerpoint 3 - Consequences of poor standards of health and safety practice - Enforcement and consequences Flashcards
Who are the Health and Safety legislations enforced by? What do they do?
Health and Safety Executives (HSE)
They have 3 main tasks:
- Inspect
- Investigate
- Provide guidance
How do the HSE give their guidance?
Proactively, to help employers remain compliant.
Reactively, following a suspected problems with health and safety provision in the workplace, potentially leading to enforcement action.
Who can report their health and safety concerns to the HSE?
Anyone.
The executive will then establish whether the issue falls under their jurisdiction and, if it does, they will investigate further.
HSE inspections
HSE inspections have a legal right to enter a premises and carry out an inspection without prior warning. If no problems are found, the inspection costs nothing.
If a minor problem emerges, the HSE inspector may serve a notice of improvement, which outlines the improvements required and what date the improvements should be finished by.
If a law has been broken, the inspector will issue a formal caution. If a second incident occurs, legal action will be take and the case will go to caught. In serious breaches, legal action can be taken immediately.
In serious cases, the HSE can issue a prohibition, which prevents the business from continuing the work until improvements have been made. This comes into effect immediately.
When inspectors identify a problem the company must pay an intervention fee to the HSE for identifying the problem and helping to solve it.
What are the consequences of poor standards for a business?
- Consequences for employees
- Financial Consequences
- Emotional Consequences
- Reputational Consequences
- Social Consequences
Financial Consequences?
- Having to repair or replace broken equipment
- Problems retaining and recruiting new staff resolution in increased costs and lost productivity.
- financial loss due to legal fees, increased insurance premiums and fines from the HSE.
- Individuals suing the business independently.
Emotional Consequences?
Increased stress can impact the owner or manager of the business, workers and their family members and sometimes members of the public.
Reputational Consequences?
- bad publicity
- loss of reputation
- loss of customers
- difficulty in attraction new staff.
Consequences for employees?
- Reduced morale and productivity
- iIncreased tree causing mental health and other personal problems
- Increased absenteeism
- Loss of income due to absences form work or having to change careers
- Difficulty getting employment in the future
- Physical injuries resulting in time off work
- Physical injuries resolution in long-term disablement, or death
Social Consequences?
Can impact anyone connected with the business.
- Loss of independence
- Reduced social activity
- Loss of income/financial stress
- prison time in serious offence cases.
Consequences for individuals?
- Reduced morale and productivity.
- Financial compensation claims.
- Mental Health issues and stress
- Damage to personal reputation.
- Sickness, injuries, death.
- Social consequences
Benefits of Compliance?
- Reduced injuries, illnesses and fatalities.
- Protection of the workforce.
- Improved efficiency.
- Reduced staffing costs
- positive impacts on emotional wellbeing, resulting in increased staff morale.
- Better maintenance of the working environment.
Equipment and facilities last longer.
More efficient work as a result of suitable, well-maintained equipment.
