A Safety Management System based on the ISO 45001 certification will provide a comprehensive approach to identifying and managing risks and hazards.

It will demonstrate to clients and customers that you provide a safe and healthy working environment, improve your business performance and enable you to comply with legislation. Your Safety Management System will cover staff training and competence, performance measuring and improvement, and operational controls. It will ensure that you can respond to emergencies and have procedures in place in case of accidents.

OMS can support you through your external ISO 45001 assessment to successful certification and can continue this support through updating and maintaining your systems in line with changes in legislation whilst you maintain full document control.

• Ensure a safe workplace
• Promote safe working practices

A regular Health and Safety Audit will help you to remain compliant with regulations and ensure that you can maintain a safe workplace.

A Health and Safety Audit provides invaluable information about your level of legal compliance and identifies areas where you could be vulnerable to prosecution. Depending on the size and nature of your organisation you might require an audit annually or more frequently. Monthly, annual or ad hoc inspections will provide you with an action plan to ensure you remain compliant.

OMS can carry out audits against the requirements of either HS(G)65 or ISO 45001. These can be focused on single or multiple locations, particular operations or on the whole of your organisation. We can also carry out Accident Inspections to provide a report for continuous improvement.

• Remain compliant with legislation
• Maintain a safe and healthy workplace

Your organisation is legally required to appoint a competent person to this role to ensure that you have access to specialist advice and support.

It can entail coaching managers on Health and Safety issues, giving expert advice on relevant matters, and ensuring your Health and Safety certifications are up to date.

If you do not have a suitably qualified person within your organisation, OMS can fulfil this role for you, giving advice by email or phone. This does not absolve you of responsibility under UK law but it does ensure that the job will be carried out in line with legislation and to a professional standard.

• Be confident that your organisation complies with the law
• Have access to the expertise you need

If your workplace uses hazardous substances you must carry out assessments to identify and eliminate or minimise risks of their use.

The legislation that applies is the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) regulations which require you to take all necessary control measures to reduce exposure to the substances to as low as is reasonably practicable. A risk assessment covers the substance being assessed, how and where it is used and stored, and who could be affected by it.

OMS has experienced consultants who can conduct your COSHH assessment and review it on a regular basis and/or when there is a change, or anticipated change, in the way the substances are used. We can also provide COSHH risk assessment training to train your team to carry out risk assessments themselves.

• Ensure safe use and storage of hazardous substances
• Protect your employees from risk

Employees with eye strain, back ache, fatigue and other problems caused by unsuitable display screen equipment will be unhappy and unproductive.

The safe use of computers and other display screen equipment is required by the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) regulations and employers must assess users’ workstations to ensure their health and safety are not detrimentally affected. You should also provide eye and eyesight tests on request.

OMS can conduct your DSE Assessments or train your employees to do this for new starters and those needing a review for any reason. We can analyse workstations to assess and review risks, provide you with the information you need and help you make sure that adequate controls are in place.

• Minimise the risks to your employees
• Reduce fatigue, eye strain, upper limb and back problems

Fire safety law requires organisations that are responsible for premises to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment to protect everyone who uses those premises.

Whether you are a business owner, self-employed with business premises, a charity or voluntary organisation, or a contractor with controls over any premises these regulations apply to you and they carry heavy penalties if you do not comply. A Fire Risk Assessment must identify who is at risk and what hazards are present. You must record the findings, evaluate the risk and make any necessary changes to precautions.

OMS has experienced fire risk experts who can conduct your Fire Risk Assessment on an ad hoc or annual basis. We can also provide training so that you have a qualified assessor on your team.

• Minimise the risks to users of your premises
• Create a safer working environment

If your organisation employs five or more people, the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) requires you to have a Health and Safety Policy and for this policy to be brought to the attention of your employees.

It must address your organisational responsibilities, your statement of intent to comply with health and safety legislation, and your arrangements to put your policy into practice.

Our experienced health and safety consultants can help you to develop a new policy and manual or update your existing policy so that it reflects your current practices. We can identify any health and safety procedures that you need to keep you compliant.

• Create a culture of safety for your organisation
• Enable employees to play their part

All UK organisations are required to protect their employees from sustaining the kind of injuries that can come from moving heavy items badly.

Musculoskeletal disorders including back pain are responsible for 12.3 million lost working days each year and around 10% of major injuries are linked to poor manual handling, that is, any activity that requires someone to lift, move or support a load. The Manual Handling Operations (MHO) Regulations 1992 aim to protect workers from this risk.

OMS consultants are specialists in Health and Safety and can help you undertake a risk assessment of manual handling activities. They can then make recommendations to reduce these activities where practicable and to minimise the risk of injury associated with any necessary activities.

• Minimise risk of injury to your employees
• Reduce lost working days

If your organisation has five or more employees you must undertake documented risk assessments of all your activities.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states that you must carry out this risk assessment and, where appropriate, put into practice suitable control measures to reduce the level of risk to as low as is reasonably practicable. Your assessment should identify the people at risk from hazards and how they may be harmed.

Specialist consultants from OMS can conduct your Workplace Risk Assessments to the standards of the Health & Safety Executive’s guidance, “5 Steps to Risk Assessment”, and support you in implementing recommended precautions giving due attention to the special requirements of young workers and new and expectant mothers.

• Ensure a safe workplace
• Promote safe working practices

If two or more union-appointed Health and Safety representatives request in writing that you set up a Safety Committee, you must do so.

You will have three months to act on this request and it can be difficult to do so without guidance. A Safety Committee is a good way to ensure communication between management and the workforce. It will review Health and Safety inspection reports, and evaluate accident investigations and accident and illness prevention programmes.

OMS specialists can give guidance on structuring a committee and the format and content of meetings as well as offering ongoing advice and support in running the meetings. They can offer an impartial view of the facts and recommend appropriate actions, monitoring progress in implementing Health and Safety interventions.

• Respond positively to Health & Safety concerns
• Engage employees with Health & Safety initiatives

Reducing stress in the workplace makes sound sense: employees are more engaged and more productive and your organisation is protected against claims.

A workplace where stress is commonplace sees increased sickness absence with the associated costs and reduced productivity that comes from covering a role. With one in five of the working population suffering from stress, that can mount up. Health and Safety legislation requires employers to assess and control risks from work-related stress.

OMS have specialists in Health and Safety and HR who can help you develop a comprehensive Stress Management Framework including carrying out audits and assessments, developing policies, and giving you advice and training to help improve the well-being of your employees and reduce the risk of litigation.

• Lower workplace stress and sickness absence
• Improve employee engagement and morale