Here at Health and Safety Mentor, we like to check in with clients to make sure they are happy with the service we provide, as well as offer other ways we can help them stay up to date and fully compliant with the latest health and safety rules and regulations.

We recently spoke to Liam Robinson, the Facilities Manager who works for law firm Venner Shipley LLP – a long-time client of HSM. Due to the responsibility of health and safety falling to two people at Venner Shipley, it was essential they enlisted external support.

As a growing, multi-site international intellectual property firm, keeping an eye on health and safety was always a juggling act. Despite offices overall being a largely low-risk environment compared to a factory worker for example, office staff are more prone to other risks, such as musculoskeletal disorders from sitting incorrectly at desks and computer screens. There’s also the increased risk of stress, both physically and mentally – something that costs workplaces millions of pounds each year.

On top of this, there’s the usual fire safety training and lifting and carrying safely guidance. Plus, since the Covid-19 pandemic, workplaces are still being extra cautious when it comes to the spread of any infections or viruses, so may have to have additional cleaning measure in place.

These were all things that were beneficial to Venner Shipley, as Liam tells us:

“HSM has provided  us with detailed General and Fire Risk Assessments which highlight current practices and areas for improvement, helping us to maintain safe working environments and meet our compliance needs. More recently, HSM has also offered valuable guidance with regards to COVID-19 as we prepared our offices for re-occupation.

“As we continue with Hybrid working, we have had to address the issue of not having Fire Marshals on site on any one day. To alleviate this risk, HSM were able to provide staff with Fire Marshal training through their online portal.”

HSM’s office Health and Safety services were a perfect fit for Venner Shipley. It enables HSM to provide support to them as and when – but we very much see ourselves in the background. HSM is here to provide help and advice when you need it.

Neil Maidman, Lead Consultant at HSM explains:

“Most businesses are like Venner Shipley, in that there is often a very small team looking after the safety of many others – sometimes hundreds in a building. It’s simply not practical for them to be able to manage all that is required of them to stay compliant, as well as carry out their day jobs.

“Our solution is to get the job done in the background. Clients pay a monthly fee and it gives them peace of mind that we act to ensure they are fully compliant. Office managers and directors can let HSM take the strain out of being compliant, and enabling workplaces to be safe, freeing up their time and resource in the process.”

HSM’s Office Health and Safety Complete Office package is the straight-out-the-box solution offers businesses services such as fire safety, first aid, GDPR, display screen safety, infection control and many more.

You can find more information on the HSM website here or you can contact us with any queries.

You can read the Venner Shipley Case study here