Healthy opportunity for Western Isles buisnesses

Employers in the Western Isles are being invited to the launch of a new occupational health service for local businesses at an event to be held on Friday 12^th March.

The Bayhead Bridge Centre in Stornoway will host an event arranged by the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives to showcase the free, confidential support available to employers to help them improve their health and safety procedures. Attendees will also have the chance to take part in optional training workshops offering advice on tackling common workplace issues.

The event will introduce attendees to local Healthy Working Lives staff and provide an overview of the services which are available to local employers. Advisers from Healthy Working Lives, which is part of NHS Heath Scotland, can visit employers to provide comprehensive guidance on how to improve workplace health and safety.

In addition to the support available from the local team, the recent appointment of an Inverness-based occupational health and safety specialist provides employers with the opportunity to book free visits to improve workplace safety practices.

Local Healthy Working Lives Adviser Norma Macleod said: “The prospect of effectively managing health and safety issues can be a daunting one for smaller employers, who often lack the resources to appoint a dedicated health and safety officer. Some employers are reluctant to contact enforcement agencies for advice as they fear they might be prosecuted or shut  down before they have the chance to put things right.

“However, the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives can offer free, confidential advice to employers on staying up-to-date with the latest legislation, improving safety procedures and promoting better workplace health. Advisers can visit employers’ premises and provide detailed feedback on areas which could be improved, along with guidance on how to work towards those goals.

“This event is the ideal opportunity for local businesses to get an overview of the support available from the Centre and develop an understanding of how Healthy Working Lives can play a key role in keeping their employees safer and healthier.”

Attendees at the event will have the opportunity to take part in three workshops offering advice on dealing with common workplace health problems. The topics covered will be Safety Management Systems, Demystifying Risk Assessments, and Sickness Absence.

The event, which is free of charge, will be held at the Bayhead Bridge Centre in Stornoway beginning with lunch at 1.30p.m and workshops running between 2pm and 3:15pm. For more information or to book a place at the event, contact Norma Macleod on 01851 708 925 or email [email protected]

For more information on the support available from the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, call the Adviceline on 0800 019 2211 or visit www.healthyworkinglives.com

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