Christmas will soon be upon us: decorations, secret Santa’s and office parties! A celebration and fun for some but a potential nightmare for the unwary.
Here is a reminder of a few pointers that may help you through the festive period and avoid some HR and Health and Safety pitfalls.
Christmas Decorations – A Few Simple Rules:
When hanging Christmas decorations, ensure the correct equipment is used and only by those who are trained e.g. use appropriate ladders / access equipment rather than standing on chairs / desks / tables. Falls from height could cause a broken leg (and we don’t mean the chair / table leg!).
Secure Christmas trees, ensure that Christmas trees are well-secured and positioned away from fire exits to prevent obstruction. Avoid placing them near heat sources to reduce fire hazards.
Make sure any display decorations do not obstruct safety equipment such as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, walkways or exits or obscure important safety signs/notices or emergency lighting. Also, make sure they do not pose a fire hazard by being close to heaters or any other form of ignition. The Christmas lights should of course be PAT tested. Inspect Christmas lights for any damage before use. Ensure that wires are not placed in high-traffic areas to prevent tripping hazards.
Think twice about hanging up mistletoe. It won’t take long for you to realise that these days it is not appropriate for anything to be endorsed by the employer that encourages what might well be unwanted physical contact or an approach that has an over familiar and possible sexual harassment connotation.
Having A ‘Bit of a Do’ This Christmas?
Official company/department Christmas parties are a rich source of Employment Law horror stories, from pranks that went too far, to complaints of inappropriate behaviour. Where the ‘works do’ is arranged by work, paid for by work and attended by employees and sometimes partners / family, this is likely to be seen legally as an extension of the workplace. This can render the employer vicariously liable for incidents that occur!
Just think about the potential for the following:-
- Someone says something they do not mean (or perhaps would not say if sober) which upsets colleagues; or
- Someone ‘tries it on’ with a colleague. The ‘advance’ may not be welcomed and could amount to sexual harassment; or
- Two employees argue and fuelled with alcohol, it turns into a fight; or
- An employee drives home over the legal limit.
- When colleagues organise their own ‘bit of a do,’ without us wanting to appear to be part of the ‘bah humbug brigade’ we do need to point out that colleague ‘get-togethers’ could also be deemed an extension of work. Even though not paid for by work, depending on the facts, the employer could be liable for any unfortunate events at that function!
So What Should you Do?
Whilst nothing is simple these days, just take a few straight forward precautions.
When inviting staff to the office party, include a comment reminding them that it is a ‘company event’ and they should bear in mind that they are representing the company and that the usual standards apply. In other words, they are expected to behave. Ask them to act sensibly and do not do anything that damages the reputation of the organisation or upsets or offends colleagues or anybody else.
We hope we haven’t come across as being overly ‘bah humbug’ and that these words don’t subdue your celebrations too much and that you have a very happy and hassle free Holiday Season!