Understand the workplace
Dee prefers to see the workplace for herself, walk around, ask questions and talk to the people doing the job every day.
Practical, proportionate and people-focused Health & Safety support, backed by more than 20 years of experience in real workplaces.
Dee works alongside Paula at Your Company Works, bringing practical experience from Facilities, manufacturing and hands-on Health & Safety responsibility into the support she provides to businesses today.
Dee’s career began in Facilities, where Health & Safety naturally formed part of the day-to-day job. Earlier in her career she worked as a subcontractor in government buildings including the Home Office, DWP and the Department of Health and Social Care, before moving on to banks and other organisations.
She was introduced more directly to Health & Safety at around 21, and quickly found that she enjoyed looking at how work was being done, identifying what could go wrong and finding practical ways to make it safer.
Moving into manufacturing gave her extensive hands-on experience in a busy environment where Health & Safety has to work alongside production, deadlines, people and the day-to-day pressures of running a business.
Around 12 years ago Dee met Paula, who helped her develop her knowledge and experience further and strengthened her passion for Health & Safety. She now brings that experience into her work with Paula and Your Company Works.
Good Health & Safety advice starts with understanding the business, the people, the work they do and the risks they actually face.
Dee prefers to see the workplace for herself, walk around, ask questions and talk to the people doing the job every day.
What does the business do? What could cause harm? Who is at risk? What is already in place and what is genuinely missing?
Rather than simply giving a list of rules, Dee explains the risk and the reason behind the control so people can understand and own it.
Procedures should be usable, understood and realistic. There is little value in paperwork that sits in a folder and is never followed.
Variety is a big part of what Dee enjoys about Health & Safety. She likes understanding the problem properly and finding a practical solution that makes a genuine difference.
Helping a real person return to work safely and confidently, with practical adjustments that support them and the business.
Looking at how somebody works, how their workstation is set up and what practical changes could make things better.
Walking a building, understanding how it is used, considering emergencies and getting into the detail of what may need improving.
“Health & Safety has to work in the real world.
Dee
A generic document does not know your workplace, machinery, employees, processes or specific risks. A risk assessment needs to reflect the actual risks in the actual workplace.
Dee does not want clients to feel uncomfortable asking questions. If something is not right, she will say so, but she will also help work through the solution.
Her aim is for somebody visiting Your Company Works to feel that Health & Safety can be understandable, practical and manageable — and to think, “I could talk to her.”
You don't need to diagnose the problem before getting in touch. Tell us what you're dealing with and we'll help you work out the most practical next step.