Why do we need FTSS services?
To ensure that your company or organisation has properly addressed the legal, moral and financial responsibilities that are health and safety related.
Fast Track Safety Solutions Limited's tailored health and safety management systems, procedures and policies will save you valuable time, demonstrate your commitment to keeping your workforce safe and, unlike 'off the shelf' documentation, won't let you down when it matters - in court.
Are your Health and Safety Consultants experts?
Yes. All our Health and Safety Consultants are professionally qualified and have varying workplace experience gained over many years. All are able to assist with the normal health and safety problems, risk assessment, COSHH, manual handling, generating management systems and procedures etc. In addition we have consultants who specialise in more specific areas such as pre-qualification audits to OHSAS18001, audits of Safety Management Systems, site inspections and observation tours, transport, fire, the environment, railways and workshops
Will you do my risk assessments for me?
Would you like us to?
Risk assessments are the employer's responsibility and always need to be undertaken by a person who is competent and trained to an appropriate standard. Retained annual clients may use our name as their competent person to assist but we would often need to do this in conjunction with your own personnel.
As part of our service we can train your staff to identify hazards and assess the risks.
We will then check your risk assessment works if you would like us to.
We can also provide independent annual reviews of your risk assessments to ensure that they remain adequate and in compliance with your statutory obligations.
Specific risk assessments can be carried out by our consultants during their normal visits to your premises or by special arrangement. These can if you so wish include COSHH, Manual Handling, Display Screen Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment Assessments.
It's your responsibility so, it's your choice.
Can you provide legal protection/support?
We do not supply legal fees insurance. Any prosecution by the HSE or EHO is a criminal matter and the only insurance cover available is to cover the legal fees required to defend the case.
Most organisations already have this as part of their other commercial insurances or part of their membership to trade associations or chambers of commerce.
It is very rarely needed, and even less so by organisations who are well organised in terms of health and safety. If you want to purchase this separately we may be able to recommend a broker to you.
Will my insurance costs be reduced?
They ought to be. If you employ Fast Track Safety Solutions Limited to assist you to properly manage health and safety, the risks which are covered by your employer's liability insurer will be reduced. It is certainly true that by proper management your claims history ought to reduce and that future increases will be held in check.
What will I receive as a client?
- Legal compliance
- Peace of mind
- Control over insurance premiums
- Access to tender lists
- Reduced costs
- Professional assistance
- Greater staff productivity
How do I ensure that I stay up to date with the law?
We can provide our clients with regular legal updates to provide easy to digest information on the complex and rapid changes to legislation.
- Retained clients will automatically receive updated information to be included within their policy when applicable new legislation is introduced.
Can I pass over to FTSS my entire health and safety responsibilities?
No. We will work with you and your team to make sure that you are taking all the appropriate steps to ensure that risks to your organisation are minimised and that you comply with all the applicable legislation. Ultimately however the responsibility of ensuring a safe place to work for your employees and compliance with health and safety legislation is that of the employer.
How often will you visit my premises?
As often as you need, normally two or three visits a year are sufficient but not always. The choice is yours.
What does a Safety Inspection of our premises / site involve?
One of our health and safety consultants will, in accompaniment with a representative of your organisation, undertake the following:
- A physical conditions inspection of the premises and a general assessment of risk both in relation to the premises and the work activities being conducted.
- A review of the fire risk assessment (if appropriate)
- A check of the emergency preparedness and signage of the organisation
- A check of statutory record keeping including risk assessments, notices, general signage, COSHH, Manual Handling, Personal Protective Equipment and Display Screen (VDU) Assessments.
- A close out meeting with the senior management of the organisation
- A full written report.
Will I need to specially prepare anything for this Inspection?
No, however it would be helpful if all of the organisations assessments and statutory records e.g. Lifting Tackle could be made readily available.
How long does a Safety Inspection of our premises take?
This very much depends upon the nature and size of the business but would typically involve a one day site visit.
What does a Safety Audit of our Organisation involve?
An audit of an organisations Safety Management System is an in depth evaluation of both the adequacy of the organisations arrangements and their compliance with legislation. Those audits against the British Standard OHSAS18001 are generally acknowledged as being the best defence against Corporate Manslaughter in demonstrating that the organisations Safety Management System is compliant with a recognised standard.
- One of our health and safety consultants will contact your nominated representative prior to the audit to agree on the scope of the audit, who from your organisation will answer the various sections of the questionnaire and on the audit programme and time scales.
- Copies of key Safety Management System documentation will be identified and checklists drawn up to use as questionnaires. For audits against the British Standard OHSAS18001 a pre-prepared Fast Track Safety Solutions Limited questionnaire will be used.
- Our health and safety consultant will identify pre-audit what Safety Management System documentation will be required to be reviewed.
The audit programme will typically include the following activities:-
- Interview of Managing Director or nominated designate to answer certain higher level questions.
- Interview of the various element champions as identified by the organisation.
- Confirmation of affirmative answers by identification and evaluation of further system documentation.
- Evaluation of compliance with the organisations Safety Management System including competence management and the adequacy of the system.
- Sample interviews of personnel.
- A physical conditions inspection of the premises.
- A close out meeting with the senior management of the organisation
- A full written report.
Will I need to specially prepare anything for this audit?
Yes, you will need to:
- Nominate one of your staff as the organisation's representative prior to the audit to agree on the scope of the audit, who from your organisation will answer the various sections of the questionnaire and on the audit programme and time scales.
- Provide certain Safety Management System documentation to enable formulation of an audit questionnaire.
- Finally your organisation's representative will need to ensure that those persons nominated to answer particular questions are aware of the agreed audit programme and are available on at the said date and time.
How long does an Audit of our Safety Management System take?
This very much depends upon the nature of the business, the adequacy of the organisations arrangements and the scope of the audit as determined by the organisation but would typically be between two and five days.
What happens if I am visited by the HSE?
If you are contacted by the HSE regarding a health and safety issue then you should:
- Contact us and let us know immediately in order for us to discuss and agree what steps, if any to take.
- However, provided that the organisation takes on board our advice, and demonstrates a commitment to ensure that health and safety practices are robust, implemented and monitored to ensure ongoing compliance by your personnel, it is unlikely that the HSE will be dissatisfied with your organisation.
What happens if there's an accident involving one of our employees or on our premises?
- Let us know as soon as possible. Certain categories of accidents must be notified to the Enforcing Authority and we can help with this.
- You are required to ensure that all serious incidents are properly investigated. It may be that a visit from one of our health and safety consultants to assist you with this needs to be arranged very quickly.
- Talk to us straight away.