HEALTH & SAFETY
Accreditations from respected bodies, such as the ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) and ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), are in no way, considered ‘easy wins’. They are very technical pieces of work that take an incredible amount of time and effort to complete. And, this is absolutely how it should be. An ISO standard in Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSAS 18001) or a RoSPA Award sends a clear message to our employees, clients and customers that we operate in a safe and effective way.
“EARLIER THIS YEAR WE GAINED THE GOLD ROSPA AWARD.”
Many of our employees work in and around kitchens, which are potentially high-risk environments. Accreditations give them the peace of mind that they are safe in the workplace and that they will receive ongoing updates and training to keep themselves, their colleagues and customers safe. This also extends to our head office teams, where the relevant systems in place in our offices are just as stringent.
Similarly, we want our clients to trust us, as their catering partner, to minimise all hazards and prioritise food safety. Third party accreditations instantly instil confidence and we’re finding that, whilst they are not a legal requirement, they are now a client expectation.
GO FOR GOLD!
Emma Hill, Head of Food, Health,
Safety and Environment for the contract catering group CH&Co, discusses the value of accreditations for all.
The term ‘Health & Safety’ is usually met with raised eyebrows and groans. It’s an occupational hazard, but, in all seriousness, health and safety standards exist for very good reason; to safeguard people – whether that’s in public areas, the workplace or in the home.
Many of us, thankfully, won’t have experienced the consequences of inadequate health and safety practices (probably because it’s being done properly) and that’s why many view it as ‘unnecessary’ and ‘over the top’. However, we’ve all seen stories in the news where failings have had a devastating impact, and these are tragic reminders that robust health and safety systems are vitally important.
At CH&Co Group, we take health and safety very seriously and we strongly believe in the value of securing and maintaining recognised accreditations to demonstrate our commitment.
38 | TOMORROW’S FM
Health and safety is more than a tick in a box. It should be a valued part of a business’ culture. It’s certainly entrenched in our values, as we proved earlier this year when we gained the Gold RoSPA Award and secured ISO accreditation at head office and across all of our sites. This level of accreditation is very rare for a caterer but we view it as fundamental to safe and effective business operations. The annually-audited accreditations keep us on the ball, continually adapting our policies to reflect changes in legislation and guidance.
The bigger picture is also increasingly considered by clients, so our policies have been extended to include our suppliers through entry in to the safe systems in the procurement scheme, Safe Contractor.
Health and safety is now an increasingly important factor in client relationships and without fail, policies are considered in tender processes. Accreditations are a great way to demonstrate expertise in this area and working with a diverse range of clients - including single and multi- sites and international businesses in differing hospitality sectors, such as workplace, schools, hospitals and visitor attractions - has helped us fine tune our systems so that they are applicable to all environments that we work in. Indeed, having accredited standards across our estate confirms that our health and safety systems can merge seamlessly with those of any client, boosting our appeal.
In today’s increasingly litigious society, the need for due diligence and accredited safe systems shows no sign of reducing so isn’t it worth taking the time to make sure you get it right first time, every time?
www.chandco.net twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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