Appointing a Health and Safety Consultant can transform the way your business works and improve health and safety standards throughout your organisation, but what will your Consultant actually do?
Many people do not realise that a Health and Safety Consultant has a broad remit and carries out many tasks that are invaluable to modern businesses. A qualified Health and Safety Consultant will not just be interested in ensuring compliance, but will be invested in protecting the people in your organisation and improving performance at all levels. This can build a health and safety culture that is embedded throughout your business, and we can help you to find the right person for your team.
Health and Safety Consulting Roles
A Health and Safety Consultant can be part of your organisation on a full or part-time basis, and you can outsource this position on a short- or long-term basis. Your Consultant will bring their expertise to your business, identifying any areas in which you could improve your practice to drive up safety standards, as well as carrying out gap analyses, risk assessments and productivity checks.
Here in Ireland, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 sets out the responsibilities of employers to protect the health and well-being of employees and members of the public entering business premises, and this is a helpful framework for a Health and Safety Consultant. Ensuring compliance with the law is another key focus for Consultants, and it is often a relief for businesses to know that an experienced professional is in control of this process.
Your Health and Safety Consultant
When you appoint a Health and Safety Consultant in your organisation, you will benefit from experience and technical knowledge. Services you can expect from your Consultant include:
- Identifying Hazards and Assessing Risk. Carrying out risk assessments is an essential part of protecting your business premises and personnel, and this includes identifying potential hazards and highlighting areas in which improvements can be made. An experienced Health and Safety Consultant will take the time to get to know the workplace and activities involved, and provide practical solutions to reduce the level of risk, whether you are working on a construction site or in a factory or office space. Being aware of the risks is the first step in making your workplace safer, and risk assessments are the strategic way to manage this.
- Establishing policies and legal documentation. Every workplace in Ireland must have health and safety documentation in place, and this includes a Safety Statement, as well as policies and procedures that are clearly laid out for staff members to follow. Your Health and Safety Consultant will ensure that you have all the required documentation in place and that the standards of these documents are sufficient to protect your employees as well as your reputation in case of an incident. All staff should be kept updated on policies and procedures, and all changes should be shared with employees immediately.
- Training your team. One of the best ways to protect your premises and your team is to keep your health and safety training up to date, and this is essential for legal compliance as well as for the smooth running of your operations. Your Health and Safety Consultant will highlight any training gaps and ensure that the appropriate training is provided, sometimes in-house where possible. This includes mandatory courses such as Safe Pass in the construction industry, as well as First Aid training and specialist training for roles that involve additional risk, such as working at height and manual handling.
- Ensuring legal compliance. Maintaining strict compliance with health and safety legislation can be challenging for businesses, especially when legal requirements change, and it is reassuring to know that your Health and Safety Consultant has the expertise you need to stay ahead of the curve. Having robust policies and incident investigation processes can help to protect your reputation as well as your business, and establish your organisation as a leader in your industry.
- Investigating accidents. Incidents inevitably occur in the workplace, especially in high-risk roles, and watertight investigation processes are essential to identify problems and prevent similar incidents from occurring again. Your Health and Safety Consultant will take the lead on this, and this includes reporting and making improvements to your practice and to relevant polices going forward. This is vital in order to protect your business and your reputation, as well as your team and any members of the public involved in your organisation.
- Ongoing safety consultants. If you do not have a Health and Safety Department in your organisation, perhaps if you are a smaller-scale business, you will find that a Health and Safety Consultant can guide you and offer expertise on an ongoing basis. It will be important for you to carry out regular site inspections, risk assessments and gap analyses, as well as management and safety briefings and annual reviews. Your Health and Safety Consultant can support your organisation in delivering ongoing training, and will update your practice if processes or equipment change. When you outsource this role to one of our professional Health and Safety Consultants, you will work in partnership to enjoy all the benefits of expert health and safety support.
- Improving safety culture. The culture in your workplace will influence every aspect of your daily operations as well as the way your business works in the world, and a strong safety culture will embed high standards and ensure that your employees and clients feel valued and protected at work. Improving your safety culture at work will reduce the number of accidents in the workplace, as well as improving staff retention, and can also save you money on your operations and insurance.
Work With Our Professional Health and Safety Consultants at ASM
Here at ASM, our experienced Health and Safety Consultants can provide the expert knowledge and practical experience you need to protect your business and your team. Talk to us today to find out more.
