Duty of care advice guide for employers from Peninsula Business Services UK. Employers call us today on 0800 0282 420.
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How Can Employers Demonstrate Duty of Care?
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Employers have a legal duty to look after the Health & Safety of their staff. This means taking steps to remove or reduce risks to them where possible. Health & Safety is a huge task, and that’s why it’s a team effort from managers, supervisors, and staff on every level to prevent harm from happening to themselves or others.
Peninsula will conduct a full Health & Safety review (including a Health & Safety audit), as well as providing ongoing Health & Safety support to your company, ensuring compliance at all times.
You can help manage workplace Health & Safety by inspecting your workplace for potential hazards, following expert guidance, setting up policies, and training staff.
But, choosing Peninsula for your Health & Safety outsourcing, we'll support you with your Health & Safety - meaning you'll stay compliant. Make us your Health & Safety consultants now.
Peninsula’s Health & Safety at work services will help you find ways to remove or reduce risks to staff to keep your workplace as safe as it can be. This frees up a lot of your time and calms your worries about workplace accidents and costly compensation claims. Contact us for Health & Safety support today.
Outsourced Health & Safety services involve the following:
- Risk assessments: Identifying and controlling hazards.
- Developing Health & Safety policies: Creating safety policies to ensure complete compliance with your legal requirements.
- Staff training: Providing bespoke and relevant training on such things as manual handling, fire safety, and working at height.
- Compliance support: Providing advice and support to help employers to meet their legal duties regarding Health & Safety legislation, such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
- Reviews and audits: Conducting Health & Safety audits to help find gaps and provide solutions.
Businesses should outsource their Health & safety for a number of reasons, such as:
- Cost-effective: It can save money on having full-time employees. For example salaries, training, and equipment.
- Expertise and ongoing resources: It gives an employer access to ongoing resources and advice on ever-changing safety legislation, such as Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
- Reduces risk: Helps to reduce risk by identifying and controlling risks and hazards in your workplace.
- Enhances compliance: Ensures your business is fully compliant with Health & Safety legislation.
We've put together this guide to explore the importance annual leave for employers and employees.
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All employers are legally bound to ensure that their employees are not exposed to unreasonable harm at work, both physical and psychological.
This covers all employee tasks and responsibilities, including Health & Safety regulations and protection from bullying, harassment and stress. As such, an employer’s duty of care manifests itself in a number of different ways:
Not only is duty of care a moral and legal obligation for all employers; it also makes sound business sense.
It is in the best interest of any organisation to promote positive internal relationships and build a healthy working environment for their people because this contributes greatly towards higher staff engagement and productivity.
When people feel that their health and wellbeing is a priority, their loyalty towards the company strengthens and staff retention is likely to improve as a result.
Breaching duty of care
Should an employer fail to provide the necessary duty of care, or fail to resolve a staff grievance efficiently, an employee may claim that the employer has breached their duty of care.
This often has a detrimental effect on the employee’s sense of value and worth within the company, and is not conducive to high performance in the long run.
If the employee deems the breach serious enough, they may also choose to resign or claim through an employment tribunal.
Duty of Care: The Acas guidelines
While certain aspects relating to the Health & Safety of employees are easy to spot as part of risk assessments, the full parameters surrounding an employer's duty of care are not always immediately obvious.
If this is the case, the Acas guidelines on duty of care can help to clarify the range of factors at play.
We know from experience that top employers don't just do the bare minimum; they ensure that staff feel happy, have sufficient resources and are engaged with their work on a daily basis. This way, employers can build greater trust between employee and the business, and instill a greater sense of commitment among their best talent.
The law behind duty of care
The Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 documents all necessary employer provisions as part of their duty of care, and has been in place for some time.
Summary
An employer has a duty of care for their employees that covers both physical and psychological wellbeing.
As well as being a moral and legal obligation, duty of care is conducive to a positive working environment and long term productivity.
Breaching this duty of care may result in serious repercussions for the business, such as a claim for constructive dismissal if the employee feels they have no option to resign.
Get expert advice from Peninsula
Our teams offers expert advice on the duty of care you must provide. Our teams provide 24/7 Health & Safety advice which is available 365 days a year. We take care of everything when you work with our Health & Safety experts.
Want to find out more? Contact us on 0800 028 2420 and book a free consultation with a Health & Safety consultant today.
Award-winning services
Take the first step towards a safer business. Answer a few questions about your HR and Health & Safety management and we’ll direct you to the support you need
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