A short independent guide to Health & Safety in your business. Protect your people – and you’ll protect your business, too.

Each and every day, accidents happen in workplaces across the UK. In fact, over 150,000 work-related injuries are reported every year, and over 2 million people are thought to suffer from ill health as a result of their employment. Even worse, around 250 people lose their lives at work each year.

The truth is that many of these incidents can be prevented – by simply protecting your people with basic Health & Safety measures, and by complying with Health & Safety law.

It also means your business will be protected, too: you could save thousands of pounds in reduced insurance claims and premiums, you’ll lose fewer working days through illness and accidents, and you could boost the morale of your staff.

We’ve designed this guide to introduce you to the importance of Health & Safety at work, and to ensure that you have enough information to be able to safeguard your people and your business.

Health & Safety – the facts

Did you know that …

- around 75% of work related illnesses in 2003-2004 were musculoskeletal disorders (back and limbs) or stress

- employers with five or more employees must have a written health policy

- each year, an estimated 6,000 people* die from cancer due to past exposures at work, including 3,500 from asbestos

- the number of reported injuries resulting in an employee being absent from work for 3 or more days increased by 0.7% in 2003-2004 to 129,143

- over 33% of all reported major injuries in 2003/04 were caused by slipping and tripping

- all employers have to provide Health & Safety training to their employees

- about 30 million work days* are lost in the UK each year through work-related illness or accident

- insurance only covers a small proportion of the costs of accidents. Costs that are not covered include sick pay, repairs to equipment, investigation time and fines

- directors and managers can be held personally responsible for failing to control Health & Safety

- employers are required by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to assess risks to their workers

(*Source: HSE)