Health and safety doesn’t take time off. It’s a 24/7 requirement. So, it is quite appropriate that your calendar is an excellent tool to support health and safety in your organisation.
While a paper diary can be used to organise your health and safety responsibilities and reminders, using a digital calendar, such as in Outlook, has its own benefits. You can make use of recurring tasks, schedule future reminders and give health and safety related entries their own tags and colour codes.
Start with risk assessments
The obvious first thing to add to your calendar are risk assessments. As these require updating on a regular basis it makes sense to plan them. You’ll also need to include more regular updates for pregnant workers as these need to be updated as their pregnancy progresses. By setting a date to carry out risk assessments as well as when to begin planning how these activities will be done, you’ll have no excuse for it not being done on time. You could also plan in advance dates for inspections or checks in high-risk areas.
Book in training
Another prime candidate for your calendar is first aid training and other qualifications that need renewing. Now don’t just book a trainer or places on a course and be done with it. Individual staff members responsible for first aid can change over time. So, schedule in a date to check who is still in post and if they are willing to continue as a first aider. Also, confirm they are in the same department or location so that you can be sure there’s a good spread across your organisation. You might also want to review the types of first aid training that would be most suitable.
Update your first aid kit
While we’re on the subject of first aid, did you know that sterile items have a best before date? Even unopened they expire over time so add a date to check first aid kits and ensure the right supplies are in there and are still in date.
Awareness days
Awareness days come around with surprising regularity and it’s easy to miss out on the opportunity to use these to promote health and safety. Get them in your calendar and even if they’re not something you use, everyone needs ‘tidy up’ days. While they may initially seem to be about making the workplace look smarter, they do have an impact on health and safety. They encourage looking at a familiar space with fresh eyes and removing potential hazards.
What else might you add? New safety procedures are implemented all the time. Make sure you are aware of the latest procedures and that you have received the appropriate training. Use your calendar to schedule time for safety training and to review new procedures. Fire drills are legally required to be carried out at least one a year. What’s more you need to record the outcome so not one you want to ‘forget’.
Health and Wellbeing
It might not be the first thing that comes to mind but your calendar can also be used for tracking your own wellbeing and remind you to be a good role model for your staff by taking regular breaks, leaving work on time and exercising. Track your work hours and ensure that you are taking breaks. Long hours and inadequate breaks can lead to fatigue, which can increase the risk of accidents. Your calendar is an excellent way of blocking off time for breaks throughout the day and improving your work-life balance.
