The robust management of inherent health and safety risks are of vital importance to any company. The after effects of the Covid 19 pandemic still linger and create a greater emphasis on health and safety management systems, but this is coupled with the pandemics subsequent effect on both local and global economies. Companies that previously regarded themselves as low risk now realise that their health and safety management is a topic that should be on the table for them too. Larger companies now face the challenge of managing their high risk environments and activities, whilst balancing severe fiscal constraints.

Further throw into the mix the toughening up of Governmental Federal level and Emirate specific HSE laws, legislations, ministerial decrees and resolutions. Making health and safety compliance an additional challenge for businesses. Especially smaller one who cannot afford or have no need of employing a dedicated resource to take care of their health and safety needs.

All these factors are leading to an increase in the outsourcing to Health and Safety Consultant; a well utilized practice historically employed for timebound project based roles, but now also seen as a long term economical option.

What could an outsourced Health and Safety Consultant do for me ?

For many SME companies, directly employing a qualified, experienced professional in the Health and Safety Consultant on a full-time basis is financially unreasonable. There is likely not be enough work to justify the headcount. This explains why most SME’s blend together roles and give other departments, often HR or Operations, responsibility for essential health and safety functions…. Looks great to the Accountants but the reality is that untrained and inexperienced staff cannot take on these roles. Not only does it leave the health and safety risk completely unmanaged and unmitigated, it also stresses staff with little topic knowledge who are not legally able to fulfil “competent person” requirements. Not only does this lead to legal non-compliance and the company wide open to possible catastrophe. You further risk losing these good staff unhappy to do unfair responsibilities shoved on them.

For larger companies, usually with their own in house Health and Safety staff or perhaps even a Health and Safety department, outsourcing is very effective for projects or perhaps even seasonal or order demands.

Other elements that a Health and Safety Consultant can be very effective at assisting with can be if a company wants an unbiased assessment of their existing health and safety management systems and practices. The  Health and Safety Consultant will be well experienced in reviewing a companies health and safety documentation and perhaps also on site operations. The Health and Safety Consultant can point out where gaps in procedures and processes and health and safety risks lie. Then develop an action plan to put these discrepancies right.

Or perhaps the company will be undertaking higher risk activities than usual for a set period of time ? A good Health and Safety Consultant can guide a company through this period safely.

How Health and Safety Consultants are a Viable Option for Outsourcing:

• Outsourcing a Health and Safety Consultant will eliminate the financial burden of hiring an in-house resource. Whilst simultaneously helping a company to reduce running costs by finding efficiencies throughout
• Outsourcing to a Health and Safety Consultant from a competent HSE consultancy company. As opposed to just an unlicensed freelancer. Will give you access to a collective pool of expertise from a team of safety professionals who you can be sure operate to high levels. Meaning that you are not limited to the knowledge of one person and wholly reliant on their, perhaps limited, skillset
• In order to maintain legal compliance, companies are charged with the responsibility of ensuring all employees are equipped with the appropriate level of knowledge and skills needed to perform their duties safely and responsibly. A good Health and Safety Consultant will include knowledge transfer and training within their scope; ensuring value add to their work and that they leave their outsourced company in a better shape that when they started
• The outsourced Health and Safety Consultant will act as an extension of your business. Adapting their programme to your business. Policy and procedures, risk assessments, liability assessments, strategic reviews etc. Will all be created with an in depth understanding of your company, clients and the goods and services you offer at the forefront: a ‘one size fits all’ solution just won’t work.

When is the Right Time to Outsource Health and Safety ?

 

To determine the value of outsourcing to them, there are important questions that a company can ask itself. These include:

• Are you currently employing a person who would meet the legal requirement of “competent person”. Ie they are trained, experienced and skilled to the required level of health and safety risk in your company ?
• Does your company fully understand the risks inherent in it’s operations ? And has it carried out suitable and sufficient risk assessments in its activities ? Have all potential risks (sources of harm) been identified and staff trained appropriately ?
• Have there been developed and implemented safe work procedures ?
• Are you able to tender with succes and pass through supplier registration portals with ease. By showing proof of your health and safety management system documentation?

 

Corporate OHS – Health and Safety

If you are looking for an Health and Safety Consultant in the UAE, Corporate OHS is a Health and Safety Consultancy services provider whose Health and Safety Consultants offer expert resources and superior performance to give you greater results.

We specialize in creating workable, user friendly solutions aligned to your business activities, operations and budget.

Our range of health and safety consultancy services includes;

• Health and Safety Risk Assessments
• Hazard identification and control measure implementation
• Gap Analysis
• Audits and compliance audits
• Health and safety management system development, implementation and review
• Including locally compliant systems such as OSHAD or OSHJ and/or accredited systems such as ISO 45001, ISO 14001,
  ISO 9001 and ISO 50001
• HSE legal compliance reviews and assistance
• Accident investigations
• Business continuity and crisis management
• Long term or project based HSE outsourcing
• Flexible monthly support retainers giving access to HSE service without the burden of a permanent cost

To find out more about our services, please visit our website www.corporateohs.com. Or send an email to enquiries@corporateohs.com, or call 00 971 4 550 7862.