If you’re thinking, well that’s most people who have a job, then you would be right! The onus is no longer on having a DBS check if you work with vulnerable people of children you see, it is in fact to protect you, the employer, as much as the customer. And here’s how it works for BH Doors…
First there were police checks, then came CRB checks and now DBS. BH Doors has a regular presence within schools and universities, care homes and leisure centres, so it standard practice for us to get DBS checks for our staff to ensure the protection of our customers and anyone else on their premises. However, BH Doors must protect ourselves too.
Our staff are checked within their initial trial period and if any questions arise, their probation is compromised. To follow that statement, this has never happened!
How The Company Is Protected With DBS Checks
Criminal record checks protect our company through disclosing;
- Unspent convictions – disqualifications, fines or prohibitions, for example is their driving licence legal?
- Fraud convictions or allegations – are they or have they been investigated for fraud?
- Endangering safety – Of colleagues, members of the public or vehicles
- Ill-treatment or wilful neglect – of animals or dependents
These disclosures are alarming, and may come back on a DBS check for a new staff member. They don’t necessarily mean that the person is likely to commit an offence under your employ, but it does open serious discussions with that person and enable you as an employer to make a more informed decision on continuing employment for that person.
This list is only a small highlight of the disclosures that may be included in the DBS checks. The level of checks also vary from basic, through to advanced and you can choose at which level you require checks to be conducted.
DBS Checks – Not Just For Your Customer
So with DBS checks a new and more comprehensive version of police checks and CRB’s, the responsibility of the employer to check the staff member is two-fold. For the value of your customer, ensure your staff are safe to enter their premises and be around their administration, regardless of who is on site, and for your business, ensure your staff are responsible members of the team.
DBS checks not only serve you well in the retention of your staff and reducing staff turnover, but they show the whole team at BH Doors that we take our care of staff and best practice seriously.
Further reading is available on gov.uk and The Hub;
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dbs-check-requests-guidance-for-employers
http://hub.unlock.org.uk/information/criminal-record-checks-for-employment/