Moral

We all have a moral duty to our employees, fellow workers, neighbours etc. to make sure that what we do does not cause harm to their health or injure them. This should reflect the society view of moral obligations

Legal

 Health & Safety is governed by strict laws aimed at preventing ill-health and injury and the penalties for non-compliance can be heavy.

Employers and their managers have both a statutory and common law duty of care towards employees and third parties in the workplace and these responsibilities need to be taken seriously for reasons such as the following:

- Offenders indicted for trial in the Crown Court can face unlimited fines and/or up to two years in jail for certain offences. Magistrates courts impose lesser penalties at summary trial

- HSE Inspectors or Environmental Health Officers can require employers to make improvements to machinery, buildings, processes etc. and even stop work until this has been done

-Claims and awards for civil damages are increasing - stress, repetitive strain injury and passive smoking being areas in which damages are increasingly being awarded

Ignorance of unsafe practices is no defence in the eyes of the law

Economic

Good health and safety management can contribute to overall quality management. A healthy workforce is a key factor in building a competent and productive workforce. In the same way quality products are those which are safe and free from risks and will sell because of this. It’s no accident that the most successful companies - and the ones with the best public image - are usually those with the best health and safety records.

Poor health and safety management is a business risk.