Health and safety laws are sometimes, wrongly, thought of as an annoyance, legislation needed to comply with for the sake of not wanting breaking the law. A good training company can help provide adequate training to help equip staff with the skills needed for any emergency (Basic Life Support and CPR skills, for example, can be invaluable should a medical emergency occur).

They can also help explain the relevance of the current legislation and show you there is more at stake than simply ticking boxes. Health and Safety is ensuring the wellbeing of the public as well as your staff, helping to protect the quality of life for those with a direct and indirect connection to your business.

Sometimes, though, businesses fail to do this and the consequences can be severe. A paper company worker was recently severely injured after being struck by a 3.2 tonne reel of paper. He suffered horrendous injuries as a result, including fractures and internal injuries.

Aspenlink, the Hertfordshire-based company, was fined £13,500 in addition to a £1,200 costs. It had not acted on the advice of its own safety consultants regarding loading reels safely. The accident could have been prevented.

A good training company can help you give the skills need to ensure health and safety regulations are followed, including how to perform an effective risk assessment.