We Reviewed The Official HSE Health and Safety Application
I am pleased to see that HSE launched an App, and they call for any feedback to improve it. They released a bespoke mobile app designed for small businesses. They point out that the app will help people understand the law, health and safety rights, and responsibilities. This app is created in partnership with The Stationery Office (TSO).
HSE declares that this app is only for core guidance on what the law requires and an employer’s responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Therefore it is not designed for professionals. If you are a health and safety professional and need deep information about the law, this product is NOT for you.
The app can be downloaded from the iOS or Google Play Store on Apple or Android devices. This is the only app by HSE and costs £2.49.
What does the HSE health and safety app include?
The app contains three main sections:
The Health and Safety Toolbox Section
This section is about the legal requirements and the responsibilities of an employer. It has an overview of all possible risks, so an employer can identify which areas apply to their company. Navigation is easy to use, with a search function for further guidance.
The areas covered are listed below:
- How to manage health and safety
- Your organisation
- Employees
- Your workplace
- Electrical safety
- Fire safety
- Gas safety
- Harmful substances
- Machinery, plant and equipment
- Manual handling
- Noise
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Pressure equipment
- Radiations
- Risk assessments
- Slips and trips
- Vibration
- Working at height
- Working in confined spaces
- Work-related stress
- Workplace transport
A Guide to Managing Risk Section
This is a simple step-by-step guide and practical advice on how to manage risk within an organisation. Subjects in this section is listed below:
- Steps needed to manage risk
- Identify hazards
- Assess the risks
- Control the risks
- Record findings
- Review the controls
- The risk assessment template and examples
Work-Related Stress Section
This is a summarised version of HSE’s stress management standards. This version is designed for smaller organisations. This stress management standards document comprises a step-by-step guide to managing work-related stress for:
- Small organisations (up to 50 employees)
- Medium-size organisations (51-250 employees)
- Medium-size organisations with multiple sites
The app also includes the following:
- An intuitive search function – so users can find the guidance and content more quickly
- Key products section – easily browse and purchase the Health and Safety Law Poster, Accident Book or Managing for Health and Safety publication (HSG65)
- Automatic live updates – so users have the latest guidance and content sent automatically to their device
What do I think about the HSE health and safety app?
I always check the reviews before purchasing and am shocked by the 1.5 star reviews. I also realised that there are few new reviews. I concluded that the app is not being used by people actively anymore. This application is more like a compact version of the HSE website, and it doesn’t have the user-friendly aspect of an app. It gives you the feeling that you are browsing through the main website. It is definitely not for a health and safety professional yet, so don’t keep your expectations high. However, having day-to-day information compact in an app and receiving notifications is good. If there is an update in the guidance Application, it notifies you, so you don’t need to refer to the main website.
This app needs a little bit of work. The content is limited, and as far as I can see, people don’t want to pay for an app with less information than the actual website.
I will keep referring to the main website for now, but I will be happy to receive the notifications and be sure I have up-to-date information.
