As the winter nights draw in and we battle Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it could be a good time to focus a little attention on Health and Safety issues in the work place.

 

Health and safety of course is a year round concern but the odd review from time to time does no harm and all conscientious employers will have Health and Safety as a regular item on the Senior Teams agenda.

 

So a few items to check:

 

• Travel – have you given clear instruction to those travelling on work business to make contingencies for bad weather?
• Drivers – have you got recent copies of driving licenses and insurance certificates and have those driving vehicles on your behalf been reminded to ensure that their vehicles are serviced, and that they make periodic checks of their tyres, oil and water.  It might be worth making sure employees undertaking long journies know to carry a mobile phone, additional warm clothing, blankets and food etc in the car in case of an emergency. (Laugh not at this caution – remember the M69 and M11 freeze-ups)
• Lone workers/ travellers – do they tell someone else where they are going, the route they are taking and what time they plan to arrive at their destination? 
• Lone workers – are they checked in and back?
• Fireworks, parties, spooks and booze – have you given appropriate guidance to avoid the shock horrors of inappropriate behaviour at work and the fall-out from avoidable accidents, incidents and claims