Alison McAteer from our Health & Safety team tells us more about the Health & Safety by Brodies app.

What is "Health & Safety by Brodies"?

"Health & Safety by Brodies" is an app designed to help organisations deal with a health & safety incident. From our experience of assisting clients following health & safety incidents, or providing support during inspections by HSE or other regulators, we understand how difficult and stressful it can be for the business – and for individuals. The app provides guidance and resources on what to expect if an incident does occur, and practical steps you can take to prepare and respond.

How was it developed?

I have to confess that at the beginning, the outline for the app was mapped out on bits of paper; not very high tech! But we have come a long way since then: working with our Business Development and Design colleagues, our app developer and our working group within the Health & Safety team, we have been able to expand what the app can do, and we are continuing to add resources all the time.

How does it work?

The app includes checklists to guide users through the various things they should think about if there is a health & safety incident; a visit from an HSE inspector; or, if they are conducting an internal investigation after an incident has occurred.

The checklists follow every step of the process, from calling the emergency services and securing the area where the incident occurred, to contacting your legal team and insurer. There are prompts as you go through the checklist, if you haven't completed a step, to explain what you might need to do next. The app also allows you to save each new checklist as you go, so you can keep a record of what you have done and what there is still to do.

The aim of the checklists is to help guide individuals and businesses through the different stages of an incident or a visit from a regulator, but it is also a great tool to help prepare your organisation's incident response. By going through the checklist as a preparation exercise, you can see if your organisation would be ready to respond to each of the points, if an incident did occur.

What else is on the app?

As well as checklists, there are lots of resources on the app to help you be prepared should an incident or investigation occur. We have handy guides and introductions to key aspects of health & safety investigations, such as the different agencies who may be involved, and the steps organisations can take to collect evidence and respond to injury claims. There are also sector-specific guides, such as for rural businesses and pubs and restaurants, which explain health & safety responsibilities relevant to that sector – particularly in relation to safety measures arising from COVID-19.

In addition, there are regularly updated videos and articles, on a wide range of topics bringing in expertise from colleagues across our Health & Safety team. Having all these resources in one place means you can get straight to the issues which are most relevant for your organisation whenever or wherever you are.

How can I download it?

The app is available directly from our website: https://healthandsafety.brodies.com/ Also take a look at our user guide video showing how to make the most of the app's features: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9hxeDYDvH4

Contributor

Alison Waddell

Practice Development Lawyer