Services
Risk assessments are a legal requirement under the ”Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 1999”
Business owners and employers must make suitable and sufficient assessment(s) of the risks to the health, safety and well-being of employees and others to which they are exposed whilst at work on the premises. Sufficient risk assessments are key to remaining compliant with any legal obligations to prevent harm.
The consequences of poor risk management can at best be defined as
- Increased risk of accidents, and staff absence as a direct result
- Not being aware of hazards, therefore unable to control the risk
- HSE investigations
- Enforcement action by The CQC, NHS England, Public Health England or local council(s)
- Emotional consequences
- Project delays
- Financial consequences
- Losing clients
- Legal Action, (fines, tribunals, imprisonment).
- Adverse comments on social media, affecting reputational risk
At Kirsop of Milton Keynes Health & Safety Management Ltd, we provide an in-depth analysis of your business premises and policies at your place of work. Plus, we can carry out multiple risk assessments in a single visit, offering a cost-effective solution to make protecting your business as convenient as possible
We can also offer comprehensive awareness training to help you and your team learn more about well-being and safety in the workplace. Find out more about our specialised risk assessments here.
Health and Safety Services
Keeping a workplace safe is one of the basic requirements of your regular risk assessment. However, it goes beyond that. Keeping your processes and policies working correctly enhances your business and protects you from future issues. Your internal regular checks should be augmented with the help of qualified individuals who can impartially review each aspect as well as inspect accessibility and disability access.
Businesses that take equality to heart and ensure disability access is compliant with legal requirements help to make their workspace as inclusive as possible. It’s not only a legal duty for employers, but many of our clients see this as a moral duty as well. When your risk assessments become part of your enhancements to the welfare of your employees the return on investment is exponential.
We’re here to help you not only tick the boxes but put in place health and safety and disability access policies that you can be proud of. At Kirsop of Milton Keynes, we help you stay compliant with the most up-to-date legislation. We help you and your teams stay safe as well as adhere to your legal responsibilities. Plus, as a company well-known for its experience and quick response, we can also be on hand for ad-hoc support when you need it.
Fire Safety Services
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) is the main piece of legislation governing fire safety in buildings in England and Wales. The FSO applies to all workplaces and the common parts of buildings containing two or more domestic premises. It places legal duties on anyone in control of these premises (the Responsible Person – usually the owner or landlord) to undertake a fire risk assessment and put in place and maintain general fire precautions.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that the external walls, flat entrance doors and structure of buildings are all covered by the FSO and must be accounted for in fire risk assessments. Fire risk assessments help to reduce the likelihood of a fire, however implementing the correct fire procedures increases the prospect that everyone will be safeguarded, even though you may hope that a fire incident wouldn’t happen in the first place.
At Kirsop of Milton Keynes, we offer fire safety services that help you to prevent and protect in order to minimise fire risks in your workplace.
We not only give you the tools and advice you need to protect your business against the legal implications of fire-related incidents happening, but we’re also here to help you with the human element too.
Legionella Services
Any water system, with the right environmental conditions, could be a source for legionella bacteria growth. There is a reasonably foreseeable legionella risk if your water system:
- has a water temperature between 20–45 °C
- creates and/or spreads breathable droplets, eg aerosol created by a cooling tower, or water outlets
- stores and/or re-circulates water
- likely to contain a source of nutrients for the organism to grow, eg rust, sludge, scale, organic matter and biofilms
The most common sources of legionella are in man-made water systems including hot tubs and spa baths.
There are also a number of risks to exposure to legionella, e.g. humidifiers, air washers, emergency showers, indoor ornamental fountains etc.
If you are an employer, or someone in control of premises (e.g. landlord, including AirBNB), you have a duty to understand and manage legionella risks.
All systems require a risk assessment but not all systems will require elaborate control measures. A simple risk assessment may show that the risks are low and being properly managed to comply with the law. If such cases, your assessment may be complete and you may not need to take any further action, but it is important to review your assessment regularly in case anything changes in your system
Kirsop of Milton Keynes is here to help with all your legionella risk assessments and legionella sampling services to ensure your water is safe and that you are up to date with the latest legislation. Strict water management is an integral part of protecting the health and well-being of people who visit your premises and it is also part of the responsibilities of your company.
Disability Access Legislation
According to the Equality Act 2010, all public sector authorities have a legal responsibility to ensure accessibility, as do private organisations when hosting public events on-site.
- As with standard risk assessments, a disabled risk assessment will enable you to identify areas of non-compliance within your premises and highlight how you can improve allowing you to take steps to make required adjustments
- Not all disabilities are visible. If you focus solely on wheelchair access you are likely to overlook reasonable adjustments necessary to facilitate those with hidden disabilities accessing your services
- It is vital to remember to remove barriers for the accessibility of any employees as well as members of the public using your services
- Civil action can be brought against your organisation if you are found to be non-compliant with access legislation, so it is important to ensure conformity
- If reasonable adjustments are not made to improve the accessibility of your workplace it is considered to be unlawful discrimination, as you are willingly denying disabled individuals to access your property. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to make it easier for those with a disability to access your services
If you’re planning alterations to facilitate disabled access then contact us to see how we can assist you in remaining compliant and inclusive.
