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We all have things sitting on our desks or niggling in the back of our minds that we know need doing in the business we work in; if only the day to day priorities would stop for long enough for us to get to them. Often issues with or improvement in health and safety are included in this ‘mean to do’ list.

Have you noticed that things only come out of that ‘mean to do’ list when they become urgent?  For safety issues, this can be when a Customer or the HSE wants to do an inspection or when an accident happens.  By this time, it can cause delays in getting contracts or loss of face with a customer if things are not as they should be.  (Not going there with the accidents, you’ve already considered that one!)

So, where do you start?

Think through your risk

Take a few minutes to note down the areas that make you nervous.

Take time to do a strategic review

Look at the documentation you have in place for those areas.  Does it cover risk assessment, training, process and guidance?

Get out there and see for yourself

Go and have a look, poke about in the business and ask the obvious (and the not so obvious) questions

Take action

From what you have found,  make a commitment  to take 5 small steps to improve in the coming month.  After that, you can take your next 5 steps.

Share your findings

Speak to your colleagues and key staff so that they know what you have found and are planning to do about it.