A recent survey by the Health and Safety Executive has discovered that some businesses are taking unnecessary and bizarre precautions in order to comply with health and safety regulations. The findings have highlighted the importance of Health and Safety training for business managers and employees.

The study questioned business professionals about common health and safety myths. A common misconception has caused many business professionals to believe that their appliances (toasters, microwaves and kettles) should be tested once a year by a professional electrician. This is an unnecessary precaution that wastes company time and resources, but 11% of respondents believed this to be true as the requirement for testing of any portable electrical equipment is risk-based. This means that the actual testing regime should depend upon manufacturers recommendations, usage patterns and previous history of damage or miss-use.

22% of respondents stated that their company was not able to manage health and safety and stated that they required the assistance of an external consultant. More than 30% of respondents described themselves as ‘hopeful have-a-go’s’, as they attempt to comply with health and safety regulations but are not entirely sure what they are doing or where to start.

By taking unnecessary health and safety precautions, companies waste valuable resources. They could save time and money by identifying the actions that actually need to be taken to protect their employees and reasonably managing health and safety concerns. As such, it is important for business owners to ensure that their employees have undergone occupational safety training.

British Safety Services offers a wide range of occupational safety training courses that address health and safety regulations for all types of companies. For more information on our programmes, visit our HSE Courses page or call us at +44 (0) 121 333 7232.