Regulatory compliance is not the most glamourous part of a health and safety role, it is often viewed as an obligation that whilst important doesn’t provide visible or tangible benefits. COSHH often falls victim to this. Despite the reputation of the regulations adhering to them can provide tangible benefits for your workers and as a result, your business.
The COSHH regulations attempt to provide structure on how dangerous substances are managed within the workplace. This is a vitally important aspect of keeping employees safe within the workplace. Here are some of the benefits they can provide.
-
Increased worker morale and productivity
The modern view of health and safety attempts to bring it back in line with the other aspects of the organisation, and not a regulatory entity that exists on the periphery. Hence why many professionals are now bringing in the wellbeing and productivity benefits that can bring more to an organisation. This allows EHS workers to communicate with the board in language that they understand.
This is one of the reasons why the wellbeing benefits of COSHH are highlighted. If workers see good management of hazards, they are more likely to feel cared for in the workplace. Research has shown that workers who feel cared for are more engaged are usually more productive
-
Lower risk of workplace incidents
No one wants an incident to happen at work however the extent to which employers look to prevent them is varied. The better workplaces with fewer incidents tend to be the ones that are properly implementing the COSHH regulations. Displaying where dangerous substances are present and introducing measures to manage them helps to increase general awareness. This often leads to higher PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) uptake greater attempts to control the exposure of the hazardous substance.
-
Increased overall uptake of safety practices
Implementing COSHH means more than a few posters and some protective equipment and procedures. Proper management of controlled substances can influence other areas of the workplace from a safety perspective. If workers are given an understanding of COSHH they will have a better understanding of the underlying principles behind health and safety that they can take into the other aspects of their job.
Implementing COSHH is crucial in health and safety
The benefits of proper COSHH management all contribute to keeping people in the workplace as safe as they can possibly be from dangerous substances. This is why you must implement COSHH management as part of your health and safety compliance. For your employees, even a basic understanding of the different COSHH symbols can help keep everyone safer.
