Setting up a new business venture can be terrifying – particularly in today’s uncertain economic climate. It may seem that one big obstacle to consider is all the health and safety rules you’ll have to adhere to, but there are some simple steps you can take when setting up a new project.

New Premises Safety

When you have a workplace premises to move in to, you should take a good look around and try and identify any accident hotspots that might present themselves. Obviously, if there is a kitchen area or place where machinery will be operated this will be the first place you go to, but there are many other places where safety and emergency signs will be necessary.

You should consider appointing someone to help you observe your health and safety commitments and think about how best to draw up a policy document that will let your staff and any visitors you may have what you have in place to protect them. A risk assessment will help you identify any areas where you need to control potential hazards around the workplace and put measures in place to avoid any mishaps or accidents. This could be as simple as putting up first aid signs or making sure cables and wires are safely kept away from where they could trip people.

Later, you may want to think about consulting your employees on what they think of the health and safety policies and protection you have in place. There is every chance they may have identified areas of risk which you have not, so opening a dialogue with them could well prove to be a smart move in the long-term. This can all then be fed back into the training you give staff members and should be included in any induction packs and presentations you give to new employees or temporary workers.

All of this is connected to the health and safety rules that you are bound to by law, but by doing everything you can at the earliest stage, you’ll also be in a much better position when it comes to insuring your business. You can consult expert Health and Safety Consultants for advice and support at any time.