Monday, October 25, 2010

Safety Outsourcing



Outsourcing is whereby a company hires another company to carry out activities that would otherwise be done in-house. Outsourcing is mainly done to improve the quality of the services outsourced and in the process save money. Outsourcing also benefits the outsourcing company as it allows it to concentrate on its core business activities. It increases the value of customer service, efficiency and the overall competitiveness of the firm.


Safety outsourcing as the name suggests involves the outsourcing of activities that relate to safety within an organization. Safety outsourcing especially of internal safety helps improve and develop the employees performance. It also makes it easy for a business to adapt to changing market conditions without the fear of associated risk.


Businesses can outsource their safety to health and safety consultants who have the experience and the required skills to assist the business on the more risky and diverse issues that relate to safety. Such consultants learn to understand and apply the businesses regulations, tools and equipment used and uses them effectively.


Businesses that require transportation of potentially dangerous goods either by land, water or railway can outsource the safety services involved. This is because such services may require specific knowledge that the business may be missing. It is therefore good to outsource such services that can be offered by a dangerous good safety advisor (DGSA).


Another aspect of safety which might not affect the business on a day to day basis but may lead to it outsourcing is the CDM regulations. Such regulations may force the business to hire a cdm coordinator supposing that the business does not have the required personnel to carry out this activity. This person ensures that construction and building standards are enforced. . These are standards that need to be followed if a business plans to embark on any construction activity.


Consultants also offer advice to businesses on issues such as risk that are associated to employees health and safety. Other services offered by the outsourced consultants involve COSHH risk assessment, construction site safety visits, general health surveillance and air monitoring for potentially hazardous substances.