Preparing your business for 2025

2024 proved to be an eventful year for many reasons, not least the change in government and the introduction of new employment laws. So, with that said, what do employers need to plan for in 2025, regards to Health & Safety?

Get expert advice on how to effectively manage Health and Safety and ensure compliance for the coming year. Call Croner on 0800 141 3775.

How do I plan to keep my business Health & Safety compliant throughout the year?

Keeping on top of everything to do with health and safety is a sizeable task, however the repercussions of letting things fall by the wayside, could ultimately end up costing your business more than the man hours and time it would take to keep compliant.

To help with planning key dates throughout the year like audits and fire safety checks, the Health and Safety experts at Croner have come up with a handy calendar resource to help you plan 2025.

Why should I prepare my business early? 

Some quick stats from the HSE indicate the cost of non-compliance with health and safety legislation when it comes to the workplace. As of 2023/24 there were 138 fatalities as a result of work related accidents. Whilst this is showing a downward trend in general, there was an increase of 2 fatalities from the previous year. 

The human cost is bad enough, but the financial cost of poor workplace health can be devastating to employers in terms of finances. An estimated £20.7 billion was the cost of injuries and ill health from working conditions in 2021/22. 

To avoid delays and risking the possibility of employment tribunals and costly legal fees due to non-compliance with health and safety regulations, talk to the Health & Safety experts at Croner and get your workplace health and safety in line with the latest legislation. Call 0800 141 3775. 

Likely changes to Health and Safety legislation in 2025

The new Labour government indicated several key points where there is likely to be a strong focus on health and safety in the coming year during the opening of parliament and the King’s Speech.

Mental health in the workplace

Although there has already been a recent push in previous years surrounding mental health, there was a solid reiteration that ‘mental health will be given the same focus as physical health’. One such way that there are plans to implement better support for mental health is the ‘right to switch off’, in an attempt to tackle the culture of ‘always on’ and encourage better mental well-being. 

This means there is likely to be more scrutiny and enforcement around workplace management and how employers handle things like stress amongst their workforces. Although not mentioned in the King’s Speech specifically, it may be contained in the Employment Rights Bill which is expected in October. 

The Product Safety and Metrology Bill

This was given specific mention in the King's Speech, meaning that it will most likely play a part in safety reform in the UK particularly when it comes to modern day safety such as fire risks from lithium ion batteries. 2025 could well see Government and Regulators tackle non-compliance through target market surveillance, and increase leadership seen for product safety and metrology issues.

This means that Trading Standards, and the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) are likely to deliver greater regulatory scrutiny and carry out more targeted enforcement. Similar to the increased role the OPSS has under the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA).

Construction sector push to meet Government home building target

The construction sector year on year has consistently had the highest number of workplace fatalities and accidents, mainly due in part to the risk involved in the day-to-day activities workers undertake, such as working at height. 

This may be an area of concern for the Government as under the mandatory target of 1.5 million new homes being introduced, we might see the figures of workplace fatalities start to rise even with safety protocols in place.

Increase in standards and consistency in sectors like housing

In the aftermath of Grenfell, social landlords are to be held to account and a number of reforms to be proposed. There is the potential for further action regarding the Building Safety Act in light of Phase 2 Grenfell Inquiry Report. 

Benefits of a Health & Safety Calendar

As an employer the Health and Safety of your employees falls on you, under your duty of care. By planning well in advance using a calendar to plan key dates you can ensure that safety checks, audits and equipment services are all scheduled in advance so there’s no costly mistakes. 

Get in touch with one of our experts on 0800 141 3775.