Useful links:
Employer Guidance re COVID:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
Health & Safety legislation places an increased burden upon Employers to ensure they have a current EU/UK compliant Health & Safety policy in place.
As well as carrying out Risk Assessments for key processes within your business, there are statutory requirements and Insurance implication. Statute also dictates employers must:
- Make arrangements to implement Health & Safety measures identified by the Risk Assessments.
- Where a business employs more than 5 employees (inc part-time), a competent person must be appointed to ensure compliance is attained as well as maintained.
- Ensure that appropriate Health & Safety is being monitored and managed.
- Set-up emergency procedures
- Introduce the Policy to all employees as well as provide clear information and training to employees.
Most jewellery trade companies are unlikely to have the time or the resources to undertake these measures and therefore we have sourced Guardian Support (https://www.guardiansupport.co.uk/) to offer their assistance to provide a service to assist our clients in meeting their Health & Safety obligations.
At reasonable cost, Guardian will:
- Carry out statutory competent Health & Safety ispections of your premises and activities.
- Produce a confidential report outlining any shortfalls and produce an EU/UK health & safety policy.
- Introduce a simple and effective health $ safety system, as well as train on its ease of use.
- Keep the policy and system up to date for you to ensure compliance is being maintained.
With such a contract in place this will benefit your company by:
- Ensuring that you are compliant with the law and are not at risk from fines or imprisonment.
- Providing evidence to your insurers that you have a safe system of work allowing the to defend potential Employers Liability Claims.
- Giving us the opportunity to demonstrate to insurers that you take Health & Safety seriously enabling us to negotiate and manitain the nest possible terms.
Key Considerations for the Jewellery trade
Adequate staffing levels and Lone Working:
Staffing levels internally with 2 people opening and closing the premises due to high value goods and risk of attack. Also, be mindful of members of staff travelling off site with high values.
Controlled door entry:
Some companies always operate with closed doors but the nature of the retail business is to operate with open doors. However there are certain times when the premises may be more vulnerable to attack therefore doors should be fitted with a good locking system that can be easily controlled by trained staff.
CCTV and Recording
CCTV enables employees and owners to check that it's safe to leave the premises when closing. Simple routines when opening and closing will contribute to your Health & Safety and CCTV is a very useful security aid.
Signs are required to illustrate that CCTV recording is in operation. Furthermore CCTV recordings could be used to prosecute for theft or assist you in your defence for any given matters, e.g., slips & trips.
Health & Safety Procedures for Robbery:
You owe your employees a duty of care. An employer must be able to demonstrate due diligence, training and adequate instruction. E.g., not being a hero, etc. handding over the goods to avoid aggression, using hold-up alarms if safe to do so, how to react when under attack, etc etc.
Fire Risk Assessments:
As of October 2006, the regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 became law, which means that shop and office owners/occupiers/managers are liable to carry out their own fire risk assessment.
The ruling has obvious security implications such as electric locks used to control entry and exit may prevent people from escaping in the event of a fire. It must be possible for people to escape.
For more information on fire safety regulations and guidelines on Fire Risk Assessments, visit www.firesafetyguides.communities.gov.uk
Useful links:
Employer Guidance re COVID:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
Health & Safety executive: www.hse.gov.uk
Work Place Risk Assessments: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/raindex.htm
RIDDOR: www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/
A guide to COSHH: www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm
Risk Management: www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm
Personal Protective Equipment Information: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ppeindex.htm
Manual Handling Information: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/manlinde.htm
Institute of Risk Management: www.iosh.co.uk/
The Institute of Risk Management: www.theirm.org/
Asbestos Information: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/
Fire and Explosion information: www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/index.htm
Noise at Work: www.hse.gov.uk/noise/index.htm
Fire Risk Assessments: www.firesafetyguides.communities.gov.uk
