Health and Safety, especially chemical safety, is a growing concern for businesses throughout the UK and the Global market. Between 2018 and June 2019, it’s estimated around 147 workers were killed due to accidents in the workplace in the UK.
In 2017, 2,526 mesothelioma deaths occurred due to past asbestos exposure and, according to the Labour Force Survey, 581,000 working people sustaining an injury at work in the last year alone.
These alarming figures are due to businesses having a poor understanding of risk. Failure to complete chemical risk assessments can have a devastating impact on businesses, their employees and even the general public.
Research data concludes a somewhat ‘relaxed attitude to chemical safety’ as being responsible for the continuing negligence in this area, which extends beyond business into the realm of everyday life. For instance, recent figures show an increasing number of children being hospitalised as a result of ‘easy-access’ chemicals (such as bleach) in the home.
Dale Allen, the founder and owner of Sevron, believes more can be done to keep people safe and that the responsibility is on businesses to ensure their teams are adequately trained in health and safety – including understanding how to create legally compliant risk-assessments.
Mr Allen, who is also the author of a book on chemical safety, said: “Our AI technology is very sophisticated, and through it, we’ve identified a worrying majority of businesses as falling short of the minimum requirements for Health and Safety compliance.”
After losing a close friend to a chemical-related death, Mr Allen made it his personal mission to resolve this problem and educate people on safety and risk. True to his mission, he and his team at Sevron developed a range of free resources designed to train teams on all aspects of chemical and risk health and safety.
Sevron’s software platform, COSHH365 Suite, allows for the quick and easy creation of compliant, easy-to-understand chemical and task-based risk assessments – a necessary but arduous task for safety experts who often spend hours completing them instead of focusing on keeping their workforce safe.
Digital health and safety management software is a growing trend in workplace safety throughout the UK. As risk and hazard regulatory requirements continue to become more stringent, employers are increasingly looking to simplify the process and streamline their health and safety tasks.
Sevron was selected to partner with BESA specifically because of its advanced technology coupled with its holistic approach towards health and safety.
Talking about the partnership between Sevron and BESA, Mr Allen said: “It’s incredibly exciting to introduce all BESA members to the awesome power of Artificial Intelligence in delivering a certified, competent and compliant approach to task-based risk assessment and chemical safety. It’s an honour to serve the members of such a prestigious association.
“I believe Sevron can help all BESA members achieve the highest standards of compliance. But we don’t just stop there, our services aim to help businesses and individuals maintain those high standards, by offering free training, support and guidance to all our customers, as well as bespoke packages, tailored to the specific needs of a business.”
Mark Oakes, head of BESA publications, said: “We are delighted to partner with Sevron on COSHH compliance. As the trade body for the building engineering sector, we’re constantly striving to find ways to help our members achieve the highest technical standards, maintain compliance and protect health and safety.”
The partnership between Sevron and BESA will ensure members of the Association improve their chemical safety management and compliance using the COSHH365 Suite and K.A.V AI technology.