According to the Financial Times, the number of U.K small business ventures rose in 2011 by around 5,000. Although the current economic climate has been hard on every business, people are looking to small business ventures to tide them over times of financial difficulty.
With so many small businesses coming into the U.K economy, we think today’s blog entry should be about the importance of things like work risk assessment and DSE assessment in the small business environment.
The HSE frequently cites farmers are being the worst offenders in terms of Health & Safety. Similarly, we find many small businesses put occupational health concerns on the back burner. For the freelance journalist, a DSE assessment on deadline day isn’t usually top of the proverbial “To Do” list. But the benefits of work risk assessment – even in a small place of work – can have exceptional health benefits, boosting productivity and initiative.
Our DSE assessment services can help your small business work for your health, reducing the likelihood of eye strain etc. Did you know many workplace back pain issues can be solved with adequate work risk assessment? Our services are designed to work alongside your business needs. Our aim is to comply with U.K Health & Safety Regulations, but we also want to do our best to enhance your heath and contribute to the overall effectiveness of your work day. We can even cover specifics like posture, work routines and tasks for regular staff and pregnant employees.
For some of us, the winter months mean we only see the sun through the office window. Whilst some folks are largely unaffected by the dullness of working in winter, many find the seasonal darkness a burden. Breathing life into a tired or unproductive winter office is about setting workable goals, communicating effectively, using workplace assessment to boost health and listening to employees in terms of how they feel the environment could be improved.
Workplace Assessment
Services like DSE assessment and environmental assessment are designed to make the most of the seasonal working environment. For example, winter DSE assessment leans heavily on the provision of natural light and the effect lighting has on employees.
Invite Nature In
We don’t mean opening the window and letting the freezing gusts bluster around the office. Plants can have a very soothing, beneficial effect on employees. Invest in interesting plants that work with the overall mood of the office. Trailing plants and tall tropical ferns are popular choices.
Address Stress
For many, stress levels creep up in the winter months. Although the amount of time we work is the same, it can be very disheartening to be constantly cold on the commute and never see the sun from the morning bedroom window. Pay close attention to stress levels in the office throughout winter by inviting open employee communication. It’s not always possible to be flexible in terms of things like working hours, but instigating a few workable changes can have a hugely beneficial effect.
It might be thought that there is sufficient information in the public domain for a firm to do its own workplace assessment. While a firm can try to take care of its own work risk assessment, there are several reasons why it is usually best to get a specialist service to do the job properly. Outsourcing is becoming more popular generally because it can permit a firm to specialise in what it does best while frequently keeping resource use down.
At OH Recruitment we work hard to ensure that we deliver the most comprehensive services possible at very reasonable prices. Our considerable experience in the field makes it prudent to pick us rather than attempting to do an assessment in-house.
A specialist workplace visitor with an occupational health background has various advantages compared with an individual who has not had the same degree of training. In the first place, they are up-to-date with all the relevant legislation. Furthermore, they are doing something which they are very familiar and really comfortable with. It is also the case that they have a thorough knowledge with regard to the nature of the potential threats.
One of the great advantages which a specialist from outside the organisation has over someone working within it is that they can ignore any irrelevant concerns and thus are in a good place to aspire towards having an objective attitude. In practice this means that there is not a need for them to worry about ruffling feathers if they are obliged to draw attention to areas where improvements are necessary.
Different types of workplace constitute different types of threat to health. A factory usually puts a person at risk in different ways to a mine, while working on the road gives rise to threats which are divergent from those that typically affect a sedentary group of office workers. This might all be a bit obvious, but what is crucial is that the different threats facing a workforce are dealt with in a comprehensive fashion.
At OH Recruitment we do not only focus on helping professionals land jobs in occupational health; we also conduct assessments of workplaces and make sure that they meet the necessary standards. These workplace assessments are cost-effective ways of making sure that regulations are not breached.
The legislative and financial consequences of not respecting health and safety regulations can be very serious. For better or worse, we live in a relatively litigious society. For a SME, the financial repercussions of not treating its staff in accordance with safety rules can be severe. A larger organisation can also be quite badly affected by the cost. However, no firm of any size can afford to ignore the possible impact on its reputation.
Issues like long term absenteeism can be very problematic for a firm. Temporary personnel seldom have the same skills as permanent workers and they do not often have the same degree of loyalty to a business. Hence it makes a lot of sense to take plenty of care when it comes to creating and maintaining a safe and productive working environment.
Despite revised predictions which seem to suggest that unemployment might not rise as much as had been envisaged several months ago, it is hard for those individuals looking for work at present. Even jobs with limited prospects are being pursued by large numbers of applicants. If a professional wants to land a position that matches their aspirations, they will have to defeat stiff competition.
At OH Recruitment we are not an agency which puts workers into temporary jobs that do not meet their specific skills. Instead, we match experienced professionals with occupational health vacancies. Using considerable experience, access to interviews for occupational health jobs is enabled.
Preparation for interviews must be performed as thoroughly as possible. A curriculum vitae should be taken to an interview and even if it has been used successfully to secure the interview it should be rechecked. It is also crucial for applicants to know their CVs inside out. Researching the position is also simply essential. No employer will be impressed if it is not apparent that you have made a considerable effort to get informed in relation to a role.
When fulfilling jobs may seem scarce, anything which can provide an individual with a competitive edge is well worth considering. Trying to get a foot in the door is increasingly problematic in these relatively austere times. Using a specialist occupational health recruitment agency with a great track record and lots of contacts is a good way to ensure that an individual has a chance to make the most of the skills which they have obtained through diligent work.
A large proportion of workers who use display screen equipment on a frequent and regular basis report that they suffer from occasional aches and eye strain on occasion. If the employees take insufficient breaks or do nothing but computer work then it is the case that they can get Repetitive Strain Injury. It is important that employers meet their responsibilities and this can enable them to maximise productivity.
At OH Recruitment we work hard to deliver DSE training. This can make it easier for firms to look after the health of their staff. In return, absenteeism is typically reduced and employees are more motivated to give of their best.
When it comes to examining workstation usage, there is quite a lot to bear in mind. A desk should be at the correct height. The ergonomics of all the equipment need scrutiny. It is not just the keyboard and screen which should be looked at. Other devices such as printers and so on need to be taken into consideration. In this way, potential sources of muscle strain can be identified and any issues addressed.
Too much eye strain and too many migraines can be problematic for employers and employees alike. Workers are much more likely to be error prone if they are trying to resist looking at the screen of a laptop or a PC. Sometimes it makes sense to use a protective screen when using a computer and an assessment can help ascertain whether or not such measures are necessary.
Despite revised predictions which seem to suggest that unemployment might not rise as much as had been envisaged several months ago, it is hard for those individuals looking for work at present. Even jobs with limited prospects are being pursued by large numbers of applicants. If a professional wants to land a position that matches their aspirations, they will have to defeat stiff competition.
At OH Recruitment we are not an agency which puts workers into temporary jobs that do not meet their specific skills. Instead, we match experienced professionals with occupational health vacancies. Using considerable experience, access to interviews for occupational health jobs is enabled.
Preparation for interviews must be performed as thoroughly as possible. A curriculum vitae should be taken to an interview and even if it has been used successfully to secure the interview it should be rechecked. It is also crucial for applicants to know their CVs inside out. Researching the position is also simply essential. No employer will be impressed if it is not apparent that you have made a considerable effort to get informed in relation to a role.
When fulfilling jobs may seem scarce, anything which can provide an individual with a competitive edge is well worth considering. Trying to get a foot in the door is increasingly problematic in these relatively austere times. Using a specialist occupational health recruitment agency with a great track record and lots of contacts is a good way to ensure that an individual has a chance to make the most of the skills which they have obtained through diligent work.
You may have been working in your job for several years now and have no qualms about your occupational health. However, you need to take into account the health and safety of anyone new joining your company. Many jobs require people to sit in one place for a long period of time, and so certain precautions need to be taken into account to ensure they are not at risk.
By undertaking a workstation assessment you can avoid any potential pitfalls that might occur, and ensure your new employees are safe to work in their workplace environment.
Perfect for new starters is our basic DSE assessment. This is a 30 minute phone-based DSE assessment with our qualified occupational health nurse advisor and covers all the basics, including desk, VDU, mouse, chair and the general working environment. We will then produce a confidential report with recommendations. We also offer an advanced DSE assessment and pregnancy DSE risk assessment, depending on your requirements.
It is important that a workstation assessment is carried out for new starters so that their good health is maintained, which is of great benefit to the company. You may have brought on a new employee to help out with a heavy workload, and so the last thing you want is for them to be off with an occupational health related injury.
OH Recruitment provides a simply and cost effective solution to your occupational health needs.
If you are just setting out on the path of occupational health jobs or have recently left your previous occupational health job for whatever reason, then OH recruitment can help you get back into work. And it doesn’t matter where in the country you are, you can be sure we will have all the very best occupational health vacancies.
You may want to look for jobs close to home or you may fancy a new challenge somewhere else in the country. Either way, we have a great selection of occupational health jobs for you to peruse.
Also, you don’t have to sit typing out reams of criteria to find jobs near you, as our interactive map of the UK can easily show you what is available and where. The map is helpfully split up in the various regions of the UK, including the different London areas, so you can easily pinpoint exactly where you want to find work.
Whether you are looking for jobs as a peripatetic occupational health advisor or a flu vaccination nurse, we have a range of jobs to suit you. We also have jobs to cater for varying levels of experience. If you are just starting out or have 20 years of experience, there are jobs available all over the country.
We have over 20 years’ experience of finding candidates jobs in occupational therapy – find out what we can do for you.
Whether you have just graduated from university but have decided to head in a different direction or have been stuck in the same job for years and fancy a new challenge, it is never too late to change careers.
If you are planning to head off down a new career route, what kind of thing would you want from that new job? If you like the sound of a challenging and rewarding career, the opportunity to travel and meet new people, and a competitive salary, then you may want to consider jobs in occupational health.
There has been much greater attention on occupational health in recent years due to the focus on conditions such as obesity, repetitive strain injury and back problems. Companies are having to be a lot more stringent on their occupational health rules, and so there is growing demand for people in occupational health jobs.
So what kind of occupational health jobs are available? Well, to be honest, pretty much anything you can think of. If you search our occupational health vacancies you will find health advisors, flu nurses, disability analysts, and much more. These jobs are incredibly rewarding as you can make a real difference in improving people’s health.
If you’re planning a career change and think you have what it takes to make a real impact on people’s working lives, then be sure to check out our vacancies to see what’s available near you.
