Manage the risk and protect employees while improving business performance
20th October 2008
Today (Monday 20th October) marks the start of European Week for Safety and Health at Work. The theme for this year is 'risk assessment' - the key to reducing workplace accidents and ill-health. The Health and Safety Authority is calling on all organisations to use this week to refocus their efforts and ensure that their workplaces are safe and healthy for all employees.
Carrying out risk assessments is a legal requirement. According to Martin O'Halloran, Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority, "All businesses, including SME's, can easily undertake a thorough risk assessment by following the five-step process: identify hazards and those at risk; prioritise risks; decide on preventive action; take action; and monitor and review. This will help a business comply with the legislation but most importantly will help to eliminate many of the unnecessary injuries and deaths we see in Irish workplaces each year," he said.
During EU Safety Week the Health and Safety Authority will be highlighting the importance of pro-actively assessing workplace risk. Authority inspectors will be focusing on the issue during workplace inspections and information seminars will be run at various locations around the country in association with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.
According to the Health and Safety Authority there is also a clear financial benefit as well as the obvious health and safety benefits in carrying out effective risk assessments. "It is consistently shown that investing resources in health and safety is an investment, not a cost. In these times of economic uncertainty smart businesses, regardless of their size, know that it pays to invest in the safety, health and well-being of their employees," stated O'Halloran.