In recent years, health and safety has garnered the public and official attention that it requires, and owing to the increased awareness of accidents and stringent legal measures, the UK now has some of the safest workplaces in the whole of Europe. Contributor James Ware, from Legal Expert.

Despite this multi-pronged commitment to improving health and safety, workplaces can still present hazards, and some still do not approach health and safety with the seriousness it requires, so workplace accidents still occur. Here are some tips from the team at LegalExpert.co.uk on how HR departments should be addressing workplace accidents.

Risk Factors
Of course, some forms of workplace accident are industry-specific, and if you work in an office environment, you are unlikely to have any employees fall victim to radioactive exposure. But it is important to understand exactly the sorts of hazards that can be present in your kind of workplace so that measures can be taken to protect against them. Workplace accidents tend to fall into these six categories:

• Organisational – caused by poor workplace practices, i.e. fatigue, harassment
• Chemical – caused by exposure to chemical solids, liquids or gases, i.e. burns, fumes
• Physical – caused by exposure to harsh conditions, i.e. radiation, extreme temperature
• Biological – caused by exposure to organic matter, i.e. bodily fluids, mould or fungi
• Ergonomic – caused by unsuitable equipment/furniture, i.e. uncomfortable desks
• Safety – caused by unsafe working conditions, i.e. spills, trips, work at height

Your Responsibilities
As an HR professional, the health and safety culture of the workplace is up to you, and if any part of this culture is lacking, you are the one in charge of fixing it. In addition to providing the necessary support to employees, you also have some legal obligations when it comes to establishing and maintaining a culture of high H&S values. HR professionals are bound by two legal policies:

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1999 – it is the responsibility of HR departments to have adequate health and safety measures in place

 The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 – HR departments must write, enforce and update health and safety policies and carry out regular risk assessments

Under these two policies, it is vital that HR departments make health and safety one of their main priorities, and give it fresh attention regularly. Any discrepancies between the policies and measures HR departments implement and the practical needs of the workplace may well lead to disciplinary or legal action.

Self-Care
Promoting health and safety in the workplace is as much about healthy culture as it is about rolling out safeguards against accident and injury. Over-demanding company cultures are still prominent, and such workplaces make for an environment in which accidents occur more frequently. Cultures that encourage extensive working hours and little work-life balance risk having a far higher rate of employees who are unrested, undernourished and simply not ready for a day of work. Fatigue has been found to be a significant cause of accidents, so it is your responsibility as an HR professional to advocate a healthy lifestyle. Reasonable working hours, nutritious meals before shifts and proper hydration throughout the day are all important factors.

If Accidents occur
In the event of an accident in the workplace, it is the responsibility of the HR department to support both the manager in their obligations and the injured employee. The manager is responsible for ensuring that health and safety policies and procedure are followed, and that an adequate report is written and filed.

Depending on the severity of the injury, it may be necessary for the employee to take time off work, in which case, it is your responsibility to regularly assess their needs and readiness to return to work, and to ensure that they are paid the Statutory Sick Pay they are entitled to. In some cases, they may be entitled to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, which you should help them in claiming.

In extreme cases, the employee may wish to file a claim for compensation if they feel they have been failed by their workplace to provide a safe environment. Such matters should be brought to the attention of the company’s liability insurance provider, who will provide more specific guidance. In the meantime, it is important that the employee still feels supported and not vilified by anyone in the workplace for their pursuit of compensation.

The combined power of improved legal standards, employee rights and widespread awareness have made workplace accidents more preventable than ever, but as an HR professional, much of this raised bar – and the continuous maintenance of it – is up to you. Instilling the right values, culture and practices in the workplace is the real key to making workplaces safer, and HR departments everywhere are integral to this mission.