FAQs
Why do we need THSP services?
To ensure that your company or organisation has properly addressed the legal, moral and financial responsibilities that are health and safety related.
The Health and Safety People's tailored health and safety management systems, procedures and policies will save you time, demonstrate your commitment to keeping your workforce safe and, unlike ‘off the shelf’ documentation, won’t let you down in court.
Are your Health and Safety Consultants experts?
Yes. All our Health and Safety Consultants are professionally qualified and have varying workplace experience gained over many years. All are able to assist with the normal health and safety problems, risk assessment, COSHH, manual handling, generating management systems and so on. In addition we have consultants who specialise in more specific areas such as asbestos, transport, fire, mining, noise, the environment, railways and workshops
Will you do my risk assessments for me?
Would you like us to?
Risk assessments are the employer’s responsibility and need to be undertaken by a competent person. Retained annual clients may use our name as their competent person to assist and they have access to our library of risk assessments on this web site. These are downloadable and amendable. We will check your work if you would like us to.
As part of our service we can train your staff to assess risk.
Special risk assessments can be carried out by our consultants during their normal visits to your premises or by special arrangement.
It's your choice.
Can you provide legal protection/support?
We do not supply legal fees insurance. Any prosecution by the HSE or EHO is a criminal matter and the only insurance cover available is to cover the legal fees required to defend the case.
Most organisations already have this as part of their other commercial insurances or part of their membership to trade associations or chambers of commerce.
It is very rarely needed, and even less so by organisations who are well organised in terms of health and safety. If you want to purchase this separately we can recommend a broker to you.
Will my insurance costs be reduced?
They ought to be. If you employ The Health and Safety People to assist you to properly manage health and safety, the risks which are covered by your employer’s liability insurer will be reduced. It is certainly true that by proper management your claims history ought to reduce and that future increases will be kept in check.
We have an arrangement with a major broker who are regularly able to achieve substantial discounts on behalf of our clients (because they are properly managing the risk). If your insurer does not respond positively to your request ask us to refer you to someone who does.
What will I receive as a client? - Legal compliance
- Peace of mind
- Control over insurance premiums
- Access to tender lists
- Reduced costs
- Professional assistance
- Greater staff productivity
How do I ensure that I stay up to date with the law?
We provide our clients with regular legal updates, newsletters and items on this website to provide easy to digest information on the complex and rapid changes to legislation. Retained clients will automatically receive updated information to be included within their policy when applicable new legislation is introduced.
Can I pass over to THSP my entire health and safety responsibilities?
No. We will work with you and your team to ensure that you are taking all the appropriate steps to ensure that risks to your organisation are minimised and that you comply with all the appropriate legislation. But, ultimately the responsibility of ensuring a safe place to work for your employees and complying with health and safety legislation is that of the employer.
How often will you visit my premises?
As often as you need. Normally two or three visits a year are sufficient but not always.
What does an audit of our premises involve?One of our health and safety consultants will, in accompaniment with a representative of your organisation, undertake the following:
- An inspection of the physical premises and an assessment of risk from both the premises and the work being carried out in it.
- A fire risk assessment (if necessary)
- A check of the emergency preparedness and signage of the organisation
- A check on mandatory and recommended health and safety training requirements
- A discussion on the management structure and responsibilities for health and safety
- A close out meeting with the senior management of the organisation
- A full written report.
Will I need to specially prepare anything for this audit?
No. If you have any existing health and safety paperwork to hand, this would be useful.
What happens if I am visited by the HSE?
If you are contacted by the HSE regarding a health and safety issue then you should contact us and let us know immediately in order for us to discuss and agree what steps to take.
However, with the documentation provided, if our advice is taken on board, and a commitment is made by the organisation to ensure that health and safety practices are upheld, it is unlikely that the HSE will be dissatisfied with your organisation.
What happens if there’s an accident involving one of our employees or on our premises?
Let us know as soon as possible. Certain categories of accidents must be notified to the Enforcing Authority and we can help with this.
You are required to ensure that all serious incidents are properly investigated. It may be that a visit from one of our health and safety consultants to assist you with this needs to be arranged very quickly.
Talk to us straight away.