According to the Health & Safety Act 2005 every Employer is responsible for:

• managing and conducting work activities in such a way as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any improper conduct or behaviour likely to put the safety, health or welfare at work of his or her employees at risk

SeaChange says: 'Work activities are in a constant state of flux; it is very difficult to manage the reality of diverse levels of skills, experience and common sense. The best way forward is to attend to the behaviours around hazards & risks, and make these behaviours consistent with best practice'

• providing the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health, and welfare at work of his or her employees

SeaChange says: 'Training is usually delivered out of context, with little or no connection to actual daily behaviours, therefore training becomes just another box-ticking exercise rather than a way of making people safer. Training is best delivered in situ, and in the context of incorporating new behaviours and routines'

• Every employer shall, when providing information to his or her employees under that section on matters relating to their safety, health and welfare at work ensure that the information is given in a form, manner and, as appropriate, language that is reasonably likely to be understood by the employees concerned

SeaChange says: 'The majority of business owners & managers say that their biggest challenge is getting the relevant information out of the heavy documentation that’s filed away on a shelf somewhere and down onto the floor where it really matters. Best practice needs to be communicated in a method that is easily and universally understood by all employees, and that is accessible on a daily basis'

According to recent figures published by the Irish Insurance Federation:

• Employee Liability Claims increased by 18% from 2008-2009
• Public Liability Claims increased by 16% from 2008-2009
• Insurers incurred annual costs of just over €11,000 per Employee Liability claim
• Insurers incurred annual costs of just over €26,000 per Public Liability claim
• This trend is set to continue with the current economy leading to a new claims culture era in Ireland
• These losses will increase premiums in the coming years as the market hardens

SeaChange says: 'Insurers are looking for risk-management solutions that will bring down costs. At SeaChange we know that approaching Health & Safety from purely a compliance angle will never reduce costs as it doesn’t address everyday behaviours & practices on the ground. The SeaChange system works with every organisation’s greatest resource: its people. Through its simple yet innovative approach the SeaChange system develops best practice Health & Safety in a way that connects the dots between Communications, Behaviours and Training, leading to far safer workplaces, thus protecting employees, employers and insurers alike'

SEACHANGE SAYS:

• Best-Practice Health & Safety must address behaviours on the ground. The SeaChange system engages with the people who are actually doing the job day in, day out, and develops in them a sense of responsibility & ownership for their own health & safety
• Effective H&S Training must be conducted in context, and feed into changes in everyday behaviours & routines. The SeaChange system provides integrated training that is relevant, and is also easily updateable so it remains current
• Communication of H&S must be simple, clear and accessible by all at all times. The SeaChange system reflects the fact that 70% of people learn better through pictures rather than words by using a universal visual language
• There is currently a huge gap between H&S behaviours recorded by management using the traditional box-ticking approach and the actual behaviours on the ground: the SeaChange system identifies & addresses this gap so that the statistics reflect the reality
• World-Class Health & Safety requires best-practice behaviours every moment of every day by all: the SeaChange system establishes everyday routines to ensure consistent habits and behaviours that are conducive to best practice
• Traditional H&S audits measure the numbers/ statistics only; the SeaChange system incorporates an annual audit that measures quantitatively – the H&S stats- AND qualitatively – the H&S culture within an organisation- to highest world-class standards