When in the pub

“Mate, You Need Health & Safety in Check – Here’s Why”

So, picture this: You're chilling in the pub, minding your own business, pint in hand, when your mate – you know the one, always a bit too serious but in a loveable way – pulls you to the side. He's got that "we need to talk" look on his face.

You’re thinking, “Oh no, here we go again... is he about to confess he’s joining a monastery or something?”

But no, instead he takes a big swig of his drink, looks you dead in the eyes and says, “Mate, if you don’t sort out your Health and Safety, you’re at serious risk of losing your business. And don’t forget about checking your subcontractors – that’s a big one!”

Now, maybe you weren’t ready for this. Maybe you were expecting a story about the weekend football match or a dodgy Tinder date, but here we are – Health and Safety is the topic of the day. And honestly? It's something you need to hear, no matter how many beers you’ve had.

Why Health & Safety Actually Matters (Even in a Pub) Sure, it sounds a bit like your mate’s turned into a corporate consultant, but he's got a point. Running a business isn’t all about raking in cash and knocking off at 4 pm on a Friday. Health and safety practices are crucial for keeping things running smoothly. Because what’s worse than paperwork? Lawsuits. Or worse still, people getting hurt on your watch. And you, my friend, don’t want that.

Imagine this: your best employee is up a ladder (without the proper gear, because, well, you never got around to buying it), and boom – down he goes. Now you’ve got an injury to deal with, not to mention possible fines and investigations breathing down your neck. No one wants that kind of drama when you’ve got a business to run and a pub to get to.

And don’t forget about subcontractors! Oh, and about those subcontractors – your mate wasn’t joking. It’s not enough to just trust that Dave from down the road knows what he’s doing. You need to check these people. If Dave doesn’t follow the right procedures, and something goes wrong, guess who’s getting the blame? That’s right, you.

It’s like hiring a babysitter and not asking if they’ve ever babysat before. Would you hand over your kids to someone who just showed up and said, “Yeah, I think I’ve seen kids before”? No way. Same goes for your subcontractors. You’ve got to do your due diligence. Check their certifications, make sure they’re insured, and confirm they know how to handle themselves on-site.

What Would I Do?

Honestly, after a chat like that, I’d probably need another pint to digest it all. But after the second drink? I'd get proactive. Here’s the plan:

1. Set Up a Proper Health & Safety Policy – Because winging it doesn’t cut it anymore. You need rules, regulations, and someone who knows what they’re doing to make sure everything is compliant. Bonus points if you can avoid it sounding like something out of a government manual. (You don’t want your staff nodding off halfway through reading it).
2. Train Your Staff – They need to know the drill. No more “I think it goes like this” moments when someone’s handling heavy equipment or lifting boxes. Get them trained up, certified, and ready to act like the safety superheroes they are.
3. Audit Your Subcontractors – Take your mate’s advice and vet those subcontractors. Ask for their credentials, check their safety records, and don’t just assume they know what they’re doing because they’ve got a flashy van. You’ve worked too hard on your business to let someone else’s sloppiness bring it all crashing down (literally).
4. Keep Records – This one’s boring, I know, but necessary. Keep track of your health and safety checks, staff training, and those subcontractor verifications. If anything does go wrong (touch wood), you’ve got your paperwork in order, and it’s one less headache.

Final Thoughts from the Pub Table

Look, it’s not the most exciting chat to have over a pint, but it’s one that could save you from a massive headache down the road. Health and safety might sound like a load of paperwork and procedures (and yeah, it kind of is), but it’s way better than dealing with fines, lawsuits, or worst of all, a hurt employee.

So, if your mate pulls you aside next time and hits you with the “serious talk,” buy him a pint for looking out for you. Then, take his advice and sort it out. Because, nothing ruins a good pub session like the thought of your business going under because you didn’t check if Dave’s ladder was actually secured.

Safety first, pints later – that’s the new motto, right? Cheers!

Outsource to Bennett Business Partnerships and help solve all those Health and Safety problems.