Review, Plan, and Improve: Strengthen Your Health & Safety for 2025

Compass Spotlight (Blog) > Review, Plan, and Improve: Strengthen Your Health & Safety for 2025

Review, Plan, and Improve: Strengthen Your Health & Safety for 2025

As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect opportunity for businesses to reflect on the lessons learned over the past year and set the stage for meaningful improvements. Health and safety should be at the forefront of these reflections, as proactive management can significantly reduce risks, enhance workplace efficiency, and ensure compliance with legal obligations.

Why Annual Reviews Matter

Health and safety are dynamic areas that require ongoing attention. Regulations evolve, workplace environments change, and new risks emerge. Conducting an annual review helps identify gaps in your current health and safety management systems, ensuring they remain effective and compliant.

Beyond regulatory compliance, regular reviews foster a culture of continuous improvement. They allow businesses to adapt to operational changes, address any incidents from the previous year, and reinforce a commitment to employee wellbeing.

Where to Start: Reviewing Your Health & Safety Systems

The first step in your 2025 health and safety strategy should be a thorough review of existing documentation. This includes policies, procedures, and risk assessments. Are your documents up-to-date? Do they reflect current operations and legal requirements? Have there been any significant changes in your workplace that need to be addressed?

While self-assessment is valuable, engaging an external consultancy like Compass HSC offers an unbiased, expert perspective. Our team can identify issues you might overlook and provide tailored recommendations to enhance your health and safety framework.

Understanding Your Key Health & Safety Responsibilities

Health and safety duties are not just legal obligations; they are integral to safeguarding your employees and sustaining business operations. Here are the core responsibilities every employer, and the self-employed, should focus on:

1. Appoint a Competent Person
You must designate someone with the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to manage health and safety effectively. This could be an internal staff member or an external consultant like Compass HSC.

2. Display the Health and Safety Law Poster
If you employ five or more people, it’s mandatory to display this poster in a prominent location, ensuring employees are aware of their rights and responsibilities.

3. Maintain Appropriate Insurance
Employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement for most businesses. It protects against claims from employees who may suffer work-related injuries or illnesses.

4. Prepare a Health & Safety Policy
Businesses with five or more employees must have a written health and safety policy outlining their approach to managing risks. This should be regularly reviewed and updated as needed.

5. Conduct Risk Assessments
Identifying potential hazards, evaluating risks, and implementing control measures are fundamental. Risk assessments must be documented if you have five or more employees.

6. Provide Proportional First Aid
Ensure you have appropriate first aid arrangements based on the size and nature of your workforce. This includes trained personnel and accessible first aid supplies.

7. Consult with Your Workers
Engaging employees in health and safety discussions fosters a collaborative environment. Regular consultations help identify issues early and promote shared responsibility.

8. Offer Information, Training, Instruction, and Supervision
Employees need proper guidance to perform their roles safely. Regular training sessions and clear instructions are vital for maintaining safety standards.

9. Ensure Suitable Welfare Facilities
Provide adequate welfare provisions, such as clean restrooms, drinking water, and break areas, considering the diverse needs of your workforce, including gender and ethnicity.

10. Report Serious Incidents to the HSE
Certain work-related injuries, illnesses, and dangerous occurrences must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations).

How Compass HSC Can Support Your 2025 Goals

Navigating health and safety responsibilities can be complex, but you don’t have to do it alone. Compass HSC offers expert consultancy services tailored to your business needs. We can conduct comprehensive reviews, update your documentation, provide training, and support you in creating a safer, more compliant workplace.

Contact us today to schedule your 2025 health and safety review and ensure your business is set up for success.