Health and Safety Management
Content
Craig Connor- S10003533
Management of Health and Safety
Introduction
Employers have a duty of care to thier emplyoees under the HSWA 1974, Having a good health and safety Management system in place will ensure the health and safety of employees so far as reasonably practicable. In the UK and Europe organisations follow Health and safety Management systems and standards such as HSEs HSG65 and OHSAS 180001, Management systems and standards provide a model to follow in setting up and operating a management system. ISO (International Organisations of Standardisation) set out a framework for organisations to follow specific standards and management sytems to comply with legal obligations within health and safety, OHSAS 180001 was designed and introduced by the BSI (British Standard Institute) to continually review and improve health and safety management. OHSAS 180001 is the internationally recognized assessment specification for occupational health and safety management systems. OHSAS 18001 has been designed to be compatible with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, to help organization meet their health and safety obligations in an efficient manner. The key elements to OSHAS 18001 management system consist of Policy, Planning, Implementation and Operation, Checking and Corrective action, and Management Review also known as POPMAR.
The Policy
The health and safety policy should be a straightforward statement of senior management's commitment to workplace safety and health. It should be broad enough to cover all aspects of the company's activities. The policy should establish an overall sense of direction and set the principles of action for an organisation to follow in respect to health and safety. The policy should be communicated to all who may be affected by the organisational activity, It should be clear in the policy who is responsible for different things such as first aid, health and safety and fire risk assessments and accident investigation procedures, outlining their responsibilities and duties, within the organisation. The policy should outline what health and safety controls are in place arising from workplace activities that may effect the workforce. Emergency procedures should be in the policy stating who carries out fire risk assessments, how often are the following are checked: escape routes, fire extinguishers, alarms, evacuation procedures.,Should mention the person or persons, that arranges and keep records of health surveillance, and were the first aid equipment is stored. The Policy should be kept in an area where any member of staff can view the policy. The policy statement should be reviewed and possibly revised in the light of experience, or because of operational or organisational changes. It is useful to review the policy regularly (e.g. Annually).
Planning and implementing
The main aim of planning is to minimise risks. Risk assessment methods are used to decide on priorities and to set objectives for eliminating hazards and reducing risks. Wherever possible, risks are eliminated through selection and design of facilities, equipment and processes. If risks cannot be eliminated, they are minimised by the use of physical controls or, as a last resort, through systems of work and personal protective equipment. Performance standards are established and used for measuring achievement. Assessing risks and implementing risk control systems, Management shall also set out health and safety objectives indicators and action plans should be put in place. An
organisation must identify training needs which are relevant to the activity they will undertake, training must be provided to employees that undertake any task that may pose a risk to themselves or others within an organisation.Implementing standards of performance and developing a positive safety culure within an organisation can have a positive effect on the wokforce. Planning is the key to ensuring that health and safety efforts really work.
Implementation and operation
Implementation of risk assessment methodologies can reduce environmental, health and safety risks and help mitigate adverse consequences by providing important information for planning and decision-making. Proper planning is an essential step in implementing management measures effectively and developing procedures that ensure that the measures are achieved. Implementing and opeation is a very important area in the management system. The organisation needs to be committed to providing resources in the form of financial, human resources, equipment and sufficiant training for employees. The organisation should also deligate roles and responsibilities in the management team, and these should clearly be communicated through communication meetings, information boards and frequent briefings. It is essential that information is passed clearly from employer to employee and quieries are addressed immediatly. Training and continually training is a must for any company who wish to be successful in keeping any sick leave, customer accidents or variation to a minimum. These can be acompleshed by inductions, manual handeling trainging, train the trainer, security training, variation training and briefings on any new or change in company procedures. Information needs to be passed verbally and visually. The workplace must have clear signs for fire exits and a fire drill must be carried out every quater. A fire safety team must be trained in the event of a fire and employees must know where their fire safety meeting place is outside of the building. Management must check doors and windows are blocking and hazards daily, and management must record this information for internal and external audit. The work place must also have a health and safety manual folder, with legislaion and company procedures. This folder must be available for employees to read.
Checking and Corrective Action
The organisation will put a system for measuring the health and safety system. It is up to senior management to make sure that the system is being implemented and followed. Recordings and audits will be essential in monitering how the system is working for the company. Management can find causes for any incidents and or accident through this system and therefor eleminat the cause. The senior management will also discuss and analise any problems within the comanies health and management system,and will address these problems to create an easier and more efficiant system. Continious improvements in procedures show the company is dedicated to providing a safer environment for employee's to work in.
Management of Health and Safety
Introduction
Employers have a duty of care to thier emplyoees under the HSWA 1974, Having a good health and safety Management system in place will ensure the health and safety of employees so far as reasonably practicable. In the UK and Europe organisations follow Health and safety Management systems and standards such as HSEs HSG65 and OHSAS 180001, Management systems and standards provide a model to follow in setting up and operating a management system. ISO (International Organisations of Standardisation) set out a framework for organisations to follow specific standards and management sytems to comply with legal obligations within health and safety, OHSAS 180001 was designed and introduced by the BSI (British Standard Institute) to continually review and improve health and safety management. OHSAS 180001 is the internationally recognized assessment specification for occupational health and safety management systems. OHSAS 18001 has been designed to be compatible with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, to help organization meet their health and safety obligations in an efficient manner. The key elements to OSHAS 18001 management system consist of Policy, Planning, Implementation and Operation, Checking and Corrective action, and Management Review also known as POPMAR.
The Policy
The health and safety policy should be a straightforward statement of senior management's commitment to workplace safety and health. It should be broad enough to cover all aspects of the company's activities. The policy should establish an overall sense of direction and set the principles of action for an organisation to follow in respect to health and safety. The policy should be communicated to all who may be affected by the organisational activity, It should be clear in the policy who is responsible for different things such as first aid, health and safety and fire risk assessments and accident investigation procedures, outlining their responsibilities and duties, within the organisation. The policy should outline what health and safety controls are in place arising from workplace activities that may effect the workforce. Emergency procedures should be in the policy stating who carries out fire risk assessments, how often are the following are checked: escape routes, fire extinguishers, alarms, evacuation procedures.,Should mention the person or persons, that arranges and keep records of health surveillance, and were the first aid equipment is stored. The Policy should be kept in an area where any member of staff can view the policy. The policy statement should be reviewed and possibly revised in the light of experience, or because of operational or organisational changes. It is useful to review the policy regularly (e.g. Annually).
Planning and implementing
The main aim of planning is to minimise risks. Risk assessment methods are used to decide on priorities and to set objectives for eliminating hazards and reducing risks. Wherever possible, risks are eliminated through selection and design of facilities, equipment and processes. If risks cannot be eliminated, they are minimised by the use of physical controls or, as a last resort, through systems of work and personal protective equipment. Performance standards are established and used for measuring achievement. Assessing risks and implementing risk control systems, Management shall also set out health and safety objectives indicators and action plans should be put in place. An
organisation must identify training needs which are relevant to the activity they will undertake, training must be provided to employees that undertake any task that may pose a risk to themselves or others within an organisation.Implementing standards of performance and developing a positive safety culure within an organisation can have a positive effect on the wokforce. Planning is the key to ensuring that health and safety efforts really work.
Implementation and operation
Implementation of risk assessment methodologies can reduce environmental, health and safety risks and help mitigate adverse consequences by providing important information for planning and decision-making. Proper planning is an essential step in implementing management measures effectively and developing procedures that ensure that the measures are achieved. Implementing and opeation is a very important area in the management system. The organisation needs to be committed to providing resources in the form of financial, human resources, equipment and sufficiant training for employees. The organisation should also deligate roles and responsibilities in the management team, and these should clearly be communicated through communication meetings, information boards and frequent briefings. It is essential that information is passed clearly from employer to employee and quieries are addressed immediatly. Training and continually training is a must for any company who wish to be successful in keeping any sick leave, customer accidents or variation to a minimum. These can be acompleshed by inductions, manual handeling trainging, train the trainer, security training, variation training and briefings on any new or change in company procedures. Information needs to be passed verbally and visually. The workplace must have clear signs for fire exits and a fire drill must be carried out every quater. A fire safety team must be trained in the event of a fire and employees must know where their fire safety meeting place is outside of the building. Management must check doors and windows are blocking and hazards daily, and management must record this information for internal and external audit. The work place must also have a health and safety manual folder, with legislaion and company procedures. This folder must be available for employees to read.
Checking and Corrective Action
The organisation will put a system for measuring the health and safety system. It is up to senior management to make sure that the system is being implemented and followed. Recordings and audits will be essential in monitering how the system is working for the company. Management can find causes for any incidents and or accident through this system and therefor eleminat the cause. The senior management will also discuss and analise any problems within the comanies health and management system,and will address these problems to create an easier and more efficiant system. Continious improvements in procedures show the company is dedicated to providing a safer environment for employee's to work in.
