How Can I Manage Workplace Safety Compliance?

Ensuring a safe workplace is no easy task and can be a minefield to manage processes and compliance requirements, especially when sometimes staff or contractors and subcontractors do not follow procedure, which can lead to the risk of serious injury in the workplace. However, when you have established health and safety procedures in place, this is a great place to start to action workplace safety compliance.

Workplace safety compliance is about following established health and safety standards and regulations, and it one of the key components for business development and growth; a business will always struggle to move forward without a safe and healthy workforce.

Under health and safety law, employers are legally required to protect their workers from becoming ill or injured in the workplace. Failing to do so may result in action to be taken against the employer under criminal law by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or local authority and the affected/injured person may take legal action and make a claim for compensation against the employer under civil law. Nurturing the right mentality in the workplace around healthy and safety compliance and contractor compliance and implementing a culture of safety by ensuring the correct measures are in place, providing the right training, and regularly reviewing safety management processes can be a huge benefit to ensuring a safe workplace.

We want to share with you some tips that will help you encourage health and safety compliance and manage your workplace safety compliance.

3 Tips for workplace safety compliance

Lead by example

One of the best ways to encourage health and safety compliance at work is to show them how it’s done yourself. Showing rather than telling and leading by example and following health and safety procedures to the letter can have a huge impact on health and safety culture. If a member of staff watches a superior comply with health and safety procedures, they are much more likely to do so. So, get the ball rolling from the top and ensure that the higher-ups are all following health and safety procedures standards and requirements.

Appropriate training is available

Adequate and appropriate training is a must-have, and it is important that staff and even contractors and subcontractors coming onto the site are given the correct training and inductions to learn about your company’s health and safety policies and procedures. Induction videos, training material and health and safety assessments will make sure that everyone is kept informed and has the required knowledge to stay safe as well as encourage compliance in health and safety.

An open line of communication

Your workforce will be dealing with health and safety issues on a daily basis, and you need to bear in mind that any external contractors often work in unfamiliar settings so strong lines of communication are key throughout a job to ensure workers are aware of any hazards and feel comfortable in their working environment. Consider creating an open line of communication to help you better understand health and safety issues at work, and make sure you are aware and always informing your workplace of risks and any changes to your health and safety practices.

It is legal obligation to ensure all employees and contractors are aware and comply with current legislation to carry our work on site. Approval would normally depend on criteria such as site inductions, adequate and current insurance, compliance with environmental and health and safety policies. You can keep on top of workforce with improved and automated information management systems to ensure they don’t make costly mistakes. Improving contractor compliance and job audits more effectively means organisations have everything they need to know about their workers to evidence due diligence.

Considering putting a good contractor management system in place?

External contractors introduce their own risks and often undertake high-risk works that pose a risk to your workplace safety; contractor compliance and workplace safety are intricately linked. They aren’t as familiar with your site and as such might not benefit from contextual knowledge, nor your expectations around workplace safety like your own workers would. However, as we’ve seen above, you’ve obligations in place to ensure they follow protocol and policies all the same. A good contractor management system will ensure that your contractors meet the compliance requirements of your organisation as efficiently and consistently as possible. This means you can focus and deliver on other business and operational objectives while reducing the overall risk exposure to the organisation.

With a good contractor compliance management system in place, you can keep workers safe, reduce business risk and save valuable time, money, and resources.

If you would like to learn more about keeping your workforce safe at work, and managing workplace safety compliance, contact us today at Verature to discuss our contractor compliance app.