Health and safety are broad umbrella terms that cover a wide range of aspects, from protecting employees from mental stress at work to providing safety equipment for risky work requirements, such as working in an industrial plant. While the responsibility of worker health and safety is ultimately on the employer, it is not always possible for directors to be familiar with all the worker rights and know how to effectively manage worker safety.
There are plenty of resources and training available online, though any reputable organisation needs a dedicated department for that work. The upper management cannot familiarise themselves with all aspects if they take an IOSH Managing Safely and IOSH Safety for Executives and Directors online course to help them manage worker well-being.
The Human Resources Department and their Roles
Human Resources is the channel that an organisation has for its directors and managers to be able to communicate to their employees effectively. HR is a crucial department for any organisation to succeed, as it determines both the long and short-term trajectory of the organisation.
HR departments act on behalf of the employer when it comes to employee aspects, so they share certain responsibilities of employers. The key responsibilities of an HR department encapsulate multiple areas:
- Recruitment, Talent Scouting and Candidate Selection
- Employee On-boarding, Orientation and Induction
- Payroll Management and Coordination with the Finance Department
- Employee Appraisals and Development Management
- Employee Database Management and Reporting
- Guidance to Employees on a Daily Basis
- Employee Resignation Management
- Administrative Duties
- Staff Benefits and Remuneration Management
- Employee Health and Safety Management
HR and their Responsibilities in Worker Safety
Managing any risks present in a workplace that can directly or indirectly affect an employee is the responsibility of the employer, and through them, falls to the HR department to effectively manage safety. Employees and contractors have reasonable responsibility to keep themselves safe as well, but it is up to employers to provide methods of ensuring personal safety.
In order to properly provide the necessary safety for employees during work activities, the HR department must:
- Perform Risk Assessments
To effectively provide for safety for employees, organisations have to first conduct risk assessments to determine where injuries, illnesses, or risk to worker well-being could be caused. This allows them to take proper action in either removing such health hazards, or provide adequate safety to workers if removal is not possible.
- Inform Workers about Potential Risks and Dangers
Informing workers on risk is about having proper signage, warning signs, posters, safety tips, and information on risk control methods. If employees have to work with equipment that is a fire hazard, they need to be provided proper training, equipment, and information in controlling a potential fire and fire exits for their safety.
- Provide Adequate Information on Health and Safety
Aside from risks and dangers to their well-being, employees also have to be informed about health and safety information. A Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations (HSIER) approved posted is one of the many legal necessities to raise awareness regarding health issues in the workplace.
- Communicate and Consult Employees on Health and Safety
Not all employees will be forthcoming about health and safety issues in the workplace, so it is up to the employers and HR departments to ensure they communicate with employees. Some organisations and workforces might have safety representatives elected by the employees or through a worker union.
- Provide Reporting Channels to Employees
Employees need to be able to report risks to health and safety. Certain risks can arise during work, and the HR department is responsible for ensuring that those risks are adequately controlled. Once pointed out to them, it is the legal duty of the employer to take swift action.
If certain safety aspects are not being risk controlled by HR departments and relevant responsible persons, safety representatives can contact organisations such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) if it is not dealt with by the HR department.
- Make Certain that Workers Have Adequate Support for their Mental Well-Being
An employee’s mental well-being is a critical aspect that can affect their long-term performance and health. It is also the duty of HR departments to ensure that employees are not being overworked, can take time off if their health demands it, and have adequate communication channels to report exploitative and abusive behaviour that can affect mental health as well.
Workers have to have a say in their workloads, and their performance targets need to be set reasonably. Work-related stress alone was a cause for 822,000 workers in 2020/21 in the UK.
Conclusion
Human Resources act on behalf of the employer and have a myriad of responsibilities, and a critical one among them is to manage the health and safety of the workers. HR departments need to make sure that employees are made aware of health issues, are adequately informed on how to keep themselves safe, and can communicate safety issues to line managers.
In addition, their mental well-being also needs to be effectively managed by HR departments, who should provide reasonable support and encouragement to employees to protect their physical and mental welfare.
