FAQs
Listed below are the questions most commonly put to us.
Q. What are the types of sanctions I face if I breach health & safety legislation?
A. Max of £20,000 (for each offence) in the Magistrates Court, unlimited in the Crown Court. Both courts have the power of imprisonment for breaches to most health & safety regulations
Q. What am I required to do under the fire safety regulations?
A. If you employ 5 or more, you must record your significant findings of the fire assessment (It is good practice to record your significant findings in any case). Among others you must appoint competent persons to carry out any preventative and protective measures. You must consult with and provide employees with clear and relevant information of the risks to them identified. Ensure equipment provided are covered by a suitable system of maintenance. Irrespective how many you employ you have a basic duty of care to protect your staff against Fire risks.
Q. Under what circumstances do I need to issue contracts of employment?
A. All employers have to issue a written statement of terms and conditions to any member of staff who works more than 4 weeks, irrespective of whether they are full or part time, permanent, temporary or working for a fixed period. The statement has to be issued during the first 8 weeks of employment.
Q. Is there a penalty for not issuing a written statement of terms and conditions of employment?
A. If an employee or ex-employee brings an employment tribunal claim against you the tribunal will award between 2 and 4 weeks pay to the claimant irrespective of whether they win their claim or not.
Q. How much might a tribunal award against me?
A. The maximum compensation for unfair dismissal is in excess of £60,000. For discrimination there is no limit. However average payments for unfair dismissal are around £4,000 and those for discrimination £10,000-12,000.
Q. Why do you think that your support services are better than your competitors?
A. Every client gets a personal service from their consultant, who is highly experienced in their field. Your consultant is keen to understand your business and develop a good working relationship to provide the best possible advice. We are not based in a call centre where the chances of getting the same consultant twice are minimal. With our market leading low rates from £29 plus VAT per month, we are confident of providing the best value for money.
Q. What do I get from your support service?
A. We act as your virtual health & safety or human resources department but only when you need it. When you contact us with a problem or query we guarantee a response within 4 working hours. You have access to core processes, systems and documentation that you can download and use straightaway in your business. And we provide alerts and latest news to ensure you are never caught out. As a subscriber you also receive a discount on Cedar consultancy and business training courses when you need them. We pride ourselves on providing a complete package.
Q.What types of business training does Cedar provide?
A. We have a team of highly skilled and experienced training specialist who can either come to you or you can access one of our many scheduled courses. Simply call us to discuss your requirements in more detail.
Q. Can I access online Health and Safety Training to minimise timeout of the workplace?
A. Yes we have a wide choice of Health and Safety Courses you book from £20 per person plus VAT.
Q. Can you provide HSE accredited First Aid Training for our staff?
A. We run regular courses locally in Yorkshire that will provide your staff with the three year HSE recognised Certification upon successful completion of the course.
Click here to contact one of the Cedar team about any other questions you may have.