How You Can Keep On Trading Safely and Successfully
Health and safety legislation is a worry for many small traders – but it doesn’t need to be a struggle to undertake the right training.
Health and safety regulations have often been blamed for the downfall of small businesses. A lot of people think that because of so much red tape, businesses can’t operate in the way that they did years ago. As a result, they think that traditional UK businesses can’t thrive. While the current landscape has undoubtedly changed, there’s no reason why business owners can’t still succeed. You just have to stay on the right side of the law. In this guide, you’ll find out everything you need to know about health and safety – and what you need to do next.
Traditional Businesses are invaluable
The UK has a rich business heritage, and many of those businesses have been passed down through the generations – sometimes over hundreds of years. These local traders have become integral parts of their communities, not only providing services but forming close, personal relationships with their customers in a way that bigger companies cannot.
So what happens when those traditional businesses and modern health and safety culture collide? For some, like this Yorkshire florist and grocer, the consequences can leave them fearing for their livelihoods. It doesn’t need to be this way though.
Taking appropriate Precautions
Health and safety regulations are there to protect both workers and members of the public. By making sure that everyone trading and visiting is safe, the business can carry on doing what it’s meant to do. It’s when business owners fall foul of those rules that things can then go wrong.
So how can you prevent any disputes from occurring? By making sure that you and your staff are fully trained and equipped to maintain safety in the workplace.
Training that suits you
Health and safety training doesn’t need to drastically interfere with your normal trading, and sending all company employees on a Managing Safely Course can have many benefits. Courses can fit in around the needs of your business, and many of them can be taught on site to minimise travel costs. There are different levels of training for staff and managers, and it’s normal to upgrade your certification as you progress in your career.
A reputable health and safety training provider (one that offers IOSH courses) will be able to work with you, listen to the needs of your business and figure out which kind of course will be most suitable for you. At the end of your training, you’ll receive a certificate – and this will need to be kept as proof that you’ve taken part in a course.
Looking ahead to the Future
Health and safety training will help you to identify potential hazards in the workplace, and you can then take appropriate action to prevent an accident taking place. This will then allow you to keep trading normally with complete peace of mind, and customers will be able to visit your premises and enjoy the experience as they have done for years.
If everyone undertakes the appropriate health and safety trading, our market traders, family businesses and any other companies that make up the unique British business community can keep on doing what they do best. You don’t have to say goodbye to your company – instead you can look forward to equipping you and your staff with the knowledge to help it to go on and achieve further success.
Sam Barton is the marketing assistant at Managingsafelycourse.co.uk, which provides IOSH courses to businesses all over the South East of England.
