One of the many practical elements of running a business consists of risk management. From fire evacuations to the maintenance of heavy machinery, there are a number of obligations that you’ll need to pay attention to.
Water safety is one of the most important of the lot, and it’s not one that businesses can typically avoid. It’s a legal requirement for all businesses that maintain a physical location to provide their employees and customers with access to a safe, regular supply of water – here’s what you need to know about the matter.
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Think preventatively
Many people will never have experienced a serious issue with their water system, whether at home or at work. This isn’t because water systems are magic and never go wrong – it’s the result of numerous preventative measures that have been put in place.
When it comes to water safety, you need to think preventatively. You need to put in place a range of solutions that aim to prevent incidents from occurring, starting with risk assessments and ending with well-structured contingency plans.
Check your regulatory requirements
When considering water safety, you need to look into the various regulatory requirements that apply to your business. Aside from industry-specific examples, you’ll likely find that you’re required to have a Water Safety Plan in place.
A water safety plan, defined under BS 8680, requires that your business takes a comprehensive approach to the maintenance of any present water systems. To ensure that your plan is both practically effective and legally compliant, you’ll likely need to work together with a specialist water hygiene provider.
Engaging employees
As with any safety-related issue, to ensure that your approach is as effective as possible, you’ll need to engage your employees and keep them aware of the issue. Water safety is largely a practical problem, and as a result, you’ll likely find it necessary to provide at least basic awareness training to a wide range of employees, from cleaning crews to receptionists, on what to look out for and how to report any issues that they do spot.
Protecting your business
This is all very well, but you might be asking – why should I care about water safety? While the implications of having safe access to water in your business aren’t very exciting or dramatic, the implications of unsafe access to water can be catastrophic.
In the case that someone were to fall seriously ill, for example from a waterborne disease, as a result of a water-safety related failure, your business would likely face both regulatory action and bad press. It might be difficult to regain the trust of your employees and customers for some time – far more effort than it would be to simply avoid water safety-related issues in the first place.
Clearly, water safety is an important issue for all businesses. By taking a well thought out, highly structured approach, you can minimise the risk of any incidents occurring, protecting both your employees and the broader reputation of your business.
