Is there anything that I can do to prevent my premium from increasing? There are many actions with little or no cost that can be done. Tip 13 – Safety Statement Are you aware that you are legally required to have a Safety Statement? If you fail to have one, you will seriously jeopardize any potential defense you might have against legal action from an employee or customer seeking compensation for any injury that they allege occurred on your premises. We have encountered retailers who have addressed this issue. Some have paid a considerable fee to “consultants” who have produced stereotypical binders which find their way into the drawer of a remote filing cabinet which seldom sees’ the light of day! You can produce your own Safety statement at no cost by logging on to the Health & Safety Authority site besmart.ie and following the very simple procedure set out. When it’s completed, make sure that all of your staff have read and understood it. Then get them to sign it to confirm that they have done so. This will help you prevent accidents and when an accident does occur, it will provide you with a chance of a defence for you and your insurer. I recently attended a meeting with Martin O’Dea, the Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association and BWG. I would have to say that the main message I want to convey here on this occasion comes from Martin’s plea to say that his Department wants to help and not to hinder. Communicate with them. I appeal to you all once again – help us to help you! Always remember – call us to discuss any/every incident. We will advise and guide you.