Wholesale Sector - Useful Health & Safety Information

Why H&S Is Important To This Sector

Wholesale, as a topic, covers a vast array of industries and business. Often, wholesale businesses can operate from large distribution warehouses and it’s within these that potential safety hazards can arise. Injuries involving slips and trips, manual handling, working at height, moving and/or falling objects and vehicle movements are often the main causes of accidents.

Situation Where You Might Need H&S Support

Health and Safety is about sensible, proportionate actions that protect people, not unnecessary bureaucracy. As well as to your own employees, you also have duties towards contractors, customers and members of the public who may visit your premises and even others who may be affected by your business such as delivery drivers and couriers. Many of these potential hazards can be avoided with a little forward planning. Introducing general housekeeping responsibilities can ensure slips and trips are avoided and gangways do not become blocked forcing pedestrians into vehicle traffic routes. There are also many mechanical aids available to reduce the risk of manual handling injuries although you must sure that anyone using such equipment has been suitably trained.

Actions You May Need To Take

Ensure you hold Employers Liability Insurance and display the certificate in a public area
Make sure you have someone competent to help you meet your health and safety duties
Decide how you're going to manage health and safety within your business
Decide what could harm people and what precautions you need to take
Provide health and safety training to your workers
Display the health and safety law poster
Report certain work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences.

NatWest Mentor can help you with all of these aspects – be it through auditing your current documents, liaising with and supporting your appointed Competent Person, providing 24/7 advice or providing training.

Result Of Doing/Not Doing Something

Health and safety laws will be enforced by inspectors from HSE or an enforcement officer from your local council. Inspectors and enforcement officers are legally empowered to;

Visit workplaces without notice
Investigate accidents or complaints and inspect safety, health and welfare aspects of your business
Talk to employees and safety representatives, take photographs and samples
Receive co-operation and answers to questions.

If there is a problem, they may issue a formal notice requiring improvements or, where serious danger exists, a notice that prohibits the use of a process or equipment. For the most serious breaches of health and safety law, they may prosecute a firm or an individual (or report to the Procurator Fiscal with a view to prosecution in Scotland).

NatWest Mentor can support you in ensuring you workplace is safe and complies with legislation. By helping you instil a safety culture through providing the correct documentation and working with your staff to get them confident about Risk Assessments, as well as supporting you with a 24/7 advice line, you can be confident you are in the best position to keep your workers safe.