Azets unveils new health and safety consultancy service

Azets has launched a new Health and Safety (H&S) consultancy and has appointed Hazel Preece to head up the new consultancy and recruit for other HR roles.

It is reported that this national initiative is a division of the firm’s expanding HR consultancy services for SMEs, which was launched early last year and looks to put all existing health and safety services under one roof. 

Hannah-Jane Dobbie, head of HR consultancy at Azets, said: “We are now able to offer the full suite of health and safety compliance, advisory and training that any client might potentially need.

“H&S is applicable to every single business we work for, and the new consultancy is a fantastic complimentary service to our existing HR consultancy offering.” 

She added: “Our role includes policies and procedures, risk assessments, safe working practices, compliance audits, accident investigation and reporting, personal injury claims, and being a nominated competent person for H&S matters for clients.”

Preece, who is IOSH qualified and has 20 years of experience, joined Azets after 14 years as an independent consultant in which she provided a range of health and safety, employment, and training services to a diverse client base.

In her new role, she will be responsible for compliance audits, good practice requirements, statutory documentation, operation specific risk assessments, as well as COSHH assessments, RIDDOR reporting of accidents and major accident and incident investigation. 

She will be supported in her work by other members of the HR consultancy team, with resources reportedly being boosted organically to work towards the long-term aim of having H&S specialists strategically based right across the firm’s geographical patch.

Dobbie added: “Hazel is a professional operator whose vast range of experience,  particularly with regard to food and agriculture, will stand us in good stead as we are absolutely convinced that this is an area which will take off.

“She will be able to assist clients nationally across Azets with her H&S knowledge and experience, advice we have been unable to provide previously. Every client is unique, has different requirements and individual demands. That’s what makes this job so rewarding as we strive to continue to deliver the second-to-none- service for which Azets is renowned.”

Preece said: “Every business that employs people has an obligation in law to protect them, but when you have more than five people you have to start writing it down. That’s where we come in.”