The Health and Safety and Risk Management Committee
The FSB has a 13 strong Health and Safety and Risk Management Committee which is made up of health and safety experts from across the field. The role of the committee is to steer the work of the policy unit as well as to provide specialist advice in the lobbying context.
The Chairman of the committee is Mary Boughton MBE.
Health and Safety
Businesses rely on having a healthy and productive workforce. Conditions like anxiety, depression and unmanageable stress are experienced by one in six British workers each year. Read the FSB / MIND report Taking care of business
Lord Young review of Health and Safety and the Compensation Culture
The FSB welcomed this review and has given written and oral evidence. The FSB has called for a review of the duties that low risk, micro firms have to undertake to be compliant. The FSB also raised concerns about the 'gold-plating' of EU Directives. The report is due to be published soon.
Business Continuity
The FSB published a policy paper in January 2010 which looked at the problems that small businesses have during times of severe weather and what support they need to keep trading. Read the report.
The FSB has created a checklist for small firms to use for contingency planning in events such as a flu pandemic, floods and extreme whether.
A Guide to Health and Safety
The FSB has joined forces with the Institute of Directors to offer advice to small businesses on taking the lead on health and safety at work.
Health and Safety Executive
The FSB continues to work closely with the HSE taking part in various consultations and discussions to ensure that member's concerns are heard. The FSB is working with the Health and Safety Executive to achieve better regulation for businesses which enables them to protect their workers without getting caught up in too much unnecessary red tape. Following the Common Commencement Date of April 6 some changes were made to Health and Safety regulations, please find details here.
The HSE have produced a range of tools to help small firms including example Risk Assessments for different small businesses to make it easier produce your own.
Changes to First Aid training and approval arrangements
From the October 1 2009 changes were made to the regulations on First Aid training and approval arrangments, if you are an employer or First Aid trainer click here for more information. Further information can also be found on the St John's Ambulance website.
Replacement of Corgi gas registration to the 'Gas Safety Register' from 1 April 2009
From April 1 2009 Corgi gas registration was replaced by the Gas Safety Register.
Occupational Health
Occupational Health is the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations by preventing departures from health, controlling risks and the adaptation of work to people, and people to their jobs. (ILO/WHO 1950)
The FSB Health Matters: the small business perspective report
This gives an interesting insight into health and absence issues in small businesses.
The study looks at: the health of small business owners; the nature and extent of sickness absence; its impact on the business; how small businesses are managing sickness absence and rehabilitation and views on relevant advice and support services
Our key recommendations coming out of the report are:
- Incentives for businesses to enable them to promote healthy workplaces; reduced Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance in return for good health and safety practices being an important part of this;
- Clearer advice from government about the rights of employers and employees in the return to work process;
- More effective training for GPs on occupational health and more timely access to NHS care; and
- Simplification of the process for administering Statutory Sick Pay.
External Links
HSE: Small business pages of the HSE website where you can download the free basic guide ‘An introduction to health and safety' and advice on risk assessment, reviewing your health and safety policy and training programmes. For more information and case studies please click here.
The HSE have produced guidence to identify and deal with Legionnaires' Disease.
The British Occupational Hygiene Society website provides advice on aspects of workplace health issues the routine health and safety inspections may not cover in full.
IOSH: Business start ups: Go to Safe Start Up the IOSH (Institution for Occupational Safety and Health) website for basic information on how to comply with Health, Safety and Environmental regulations.
Action on Stigma document for top tips on mental health for businesses. 'Health Matters' shows that 11 per cent of staff are absent because of mental health related illness, stress or depression. See also the Mindful Employer mental health initiative
The Asthma UK website provides advice to business on how to deal with asthma in the work place.
ROSPA have produced some guidence for small businesses on driving safely for work.
Arthritis Care provides advice to business on how to deal with arthritis in the workplace. Find out more information on World Artritis Day.
The Chartered Society of Physiothrapy has produced some guidence for small firms on how to deal with sickness at work. You can access them here.
Mind's Taking Care of Business Campaign aims to support employers to cut the costs of mental ill health to business.
If you are interested in encouraging your employees to use local works you will find these guides helpful.