ELEMENT-2

How Health & Safety Management

System (H&SMS) Work And What They
Look Like
 2.2 What good health and safety
management systems look like
The occupational health and safety policy (see clause 5.2 ISO 45001:2018):
• >> role
• >> typical content
• >> proportionate to the needs of the organisation
• Responsibilities – all workers at all levels of an organisation have
responsibility for health and safety
Practical arrangements for making it work:
• >> the importance of stating the organisation’s arrangements for planning
and organising,
• controlling hazards, consultation, communication, monitoring compliance,
assessing effectiveness
Keeping it current: when you might need to review the health and safety
management system,
• including passage of time, technological, organisational or legal changes, and
results of monitoring.
The occupational health & safety policy
(see clause 5.2 ISO 45001:2018):
 Health & Safety Policy
What is policy ?
(it is intentions and direction of an organization , as
formally expressed by top management)
• Policy is an important written document.
• Policy is the foundation stone for good H&S
management in an organisation.
• Policy sets out the organisation’s aims.
• Policy identifies who is responsible for achieving
these aims.
• Policy states how the aims are to be achieved.
• Policy is specific to each organisation’s requirements.
 Targets in H&S Policy
• Reduce/Zero Accidents
• Zero Prosecutions
• Reduced sickness absence
• Reduction in compensation claims
• Improve reporting of near misses
• Improve reporting of minor accidents
• Increase numbers trained in H&S
• Improve audit scores
 What targets to be set related to H&S

Common H & S performance targets may be included into H&S

Policy:
• Specific reduction in the number of accidents, incidents and
cases of work related ill-health (perhaps to zero);
• Reduction in the level of sickness absence;
• Specific increase in the number of employees trained in
health and safety;
• Increase in the reporting of minor accidents and ‘near miss’
incidents;
• Reduction in the number of civil claims;
• No enforcement notices from the HSE or local authority;
• Specific improvement in health and safety audit scores;
• Achievement of a nationally recognised H&S management
standard such as HSG65 or ISO 45001.
 Why have a written Policy?

• Legal compliance;
• Meet management-systems standards
(ILO-OSH 2001, OHSAS 18001,ISO 45001);
• Clear communication;
• Continuous improvement;
• Ensures that employers are consistent in their
decisions.
 Key Elements of a H&S Policy
Three parts of H&S Policy
Health and safety policy is found in three
parts:
1. General Statement of Intent
What is going to be done.
2. Organisation
Who is going to do it.
3. Arrangements
How they're going to do it.
 Policy
General Statement of Intent
CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERAL STATEMENT OF INTENT:
(A) Policy to be signed with date by top management ( Director/
CEO/ MD) who is ultimate responsible for all commitment
towards H& S.

(B) Aims:
i/ Meeting legal obligation.
ii/ Performance monitoring.
iii/ Effective communication and consultation with workers.

(C) Objectives:
i/ to achieve a reduction in the accident or ill health rate.
ii/ to complete successful number of active monitoring activities.
iii/ benchmarking.
iv/ to achieve standards.
 Policy
General Statement of Intent
Who will sign the Policy and Why ?
(A)Policy to be signed by top management because
they are ultimate responsible & accountable for all
commitment towards H& S.

Why date is required on the Policy ?

(B) Policy having the date so it tells us when the
current statement was prepared and provide a
reference point for review.
Consideration to be seen while setting H&S
Policy / objective
I. Who is going to set the policy - mostly senior management,
II. How the objective is set at different functional level - giving
personal targets,
III. Legal requirement - standards to be followed,
IV. Technological option - availability of technology available to
meet the goals,
V. Financial operation - there should be no conflict between
business requirement and financial cost,
VI. Hazard and Risk - it would be relevant for the organization if
hazard and risk are considered in the health and safety
policy , should not address trivial matters only,
VII. Views of the interested party - consultation is very
important and should be discuss with functional units.
 “SMART” Objectives
• Specific - clearly defined, precise.
• Measurable - towards a target, quantified.
• Achievable - it can be done.
• Realistic - within timescale, and resources,
• Time-bound - deadline, timescale.

E.g. review all 48 risk

assessments within a
12-month period.
 Organization Section
(Responsibility Section)

• Organization Section ( Who will do what)

Section) Directors

Managers

Departmental managers /
Supervisor

Employees / Workers

Everyone from senior managers down has health and safety responsibilities
 Organization Section
(Responsibility Section)
Following are responsible and accountable for achieving health and
safety objectives in an organization.
• The Employer: Overall responsible and accountable
• The Directors : Overall responsible and accountable on behalf of
employer
• Departmental managers (Line Managers): communication links
between the top management and the workforce for execution and
implementation
• Supervisor: Follow up with execution made in respective areas
• Workers (Employees): Coordination and cooperation with supervisor
and employers
• Safety advisor/safety officer/safety managers/ safety specialist:
Ensuring compliance with relevant health and safety legislation
 Practical Arrangement for
making Policy to work
(Arrangement Section)

8/1/2020
 Arrangements Section
• Describes how things are done.

• Detailed description of policies

and procedures.

• Usually a long document.

• Often separate from the policy document.

• Unique to each organisation.

 Arrangements Section of Policy

(How we implement policy and activities? )

• The arrangements section of the health and safety policy gives details of
the specific systems and procedures used to assist in the implementation
of the policy statement.
• This will include H&S rules and procedures and the provision of facilities
such as a first-aid room and washrooms.
• It is common for risk assessments (including those for hazardous
substances, manual handling and PPE assessments) to be included in the
arrangements section, particularly for those hazards referred to in the
policy statement.
• It is important that arrangements for fire and other emergencies and for
information, instruction, training and supervision are also covered.
• Local codes of practice (e.g. for fork-lift truck drivers) should be included.
 Arrangements Section of Policy

Following list covers the more common items normally included in the
arrangements section of the H&S policy:
• employee H&S code of practice;
• accident and illness reporting and investigation procedures;
• emergency procedures,
• first-aid arrangement & procedures;
• fire drill procedure;
• Procedures for undertaking risk assessments; control of exposure to
specific hazards (noise, vibration, radiation, manual handling, hazardous
substances, etc.);
• machinery safety (including safe systems of work lifting and pressure
equipment);
• electrical equipment (maintenance and testing);
• maintenance procedures;
• Permits to work (PTW) procedures;
 Arrangements Section of Policy

Following list covers the more common items normally included in the
arrangements section of the health and safety policy:
• Use of PPE;
• monitoring procedures including health and safety
• inspections and audits
• Procedures for the control and safety of contractors & visitors
• provision of welfare facilities;
• training procedures and arrangements;
• catering and food hygiene procedures;
• arrangements for consultation with employees;
• terms of reference and constitution of the safety committee
• Procedures and arrangement for waste disposal.
 Reasons / Factors / Circumstances
Reviewing the Policy
Some reasons for review
 Changes in: Key personnel., and the roles of the person.
 Changes in: Management structure.
 Changes in: Ownership.
 Changes in: Processes/ method
 Changes in: Technology.-introduction of new plants and machinery
in the workplace.
 Changes in: Legislation.- introduction of new legislation
• Due to : Major Incident.
• Due to : Enforcement action.-On advice by enforcement bodies.
• After: an audit ,where policy becomes ineffective.
• After : worker consultation.
• After : Passage of time, e.g. annually.
 Reasons to review
H & S policy
There are several reasons to review the H&S policy.
• significant organizational changes may have taken place like (Owners, stake
holders)
• there have been changes in key personnel (MD/CEO/Board of Directors)
• there have been changes in legislation and/or guidance (Standards)
• new work methods have been introduced;
• There have been alterations to working arrangements and/or processes
• Have been changes in Technology ( introduction a new machine at
workplace)
• There have been changes after consultation with employees
 Reasons to review the
H&S Policy
There are several reasons to review the H&S policy.
• the monitoring of risk assessments or accident/incident investigations
indicates that the health and safety policy is no longer totally effective;
• Monitoring methods have been changed (frequency, type etc.)
• information from manufacturers has been received;
• advice from an insurance company has been received;
• the findings of an external H&S audit;
• enforcement action has been taken by the national H&S enforcement
agency; and
• a sufficient period of time has elapsed since the previous review.
 Communicating the Policy
Employers must bring the policy to Employees attention.
This can be done by:

• Displaying it on notice boards

• Introducing it on induction and training session
• Considering it at team briefings and tool box talks
• Using newsletters
• Inserts in wage slips
• Posters
• Build into safe systems and codes of practice
• Managers to discuss with workforce
• Company Intranet
 Ineffectiveness of H&S Policy

• No commitment or lack of leadership

• No annual objectives
• Health and Safety not given enough priority
• Insufficient resources provided
• Personnel (Workforce, Managers , Supervisors ) do not
understand aims
• Too much emphasis on employee responsibility
• No measurement of performance
• Management unaware of their role & responsibilities
• No training of management in their responsibilities
What is Benchmarking?
It is a comparison the performance of the different
organisation with that of similar businesses.

Benchmarking – a planned process by which an

organisation compares its H&S processes and
performance with others to learn how to reduce
accidents and ill health, improve compliance &
commitments towards H&S.
 Advantages of benchmarking
The advantages of benchmarking are that:
• It establishes baselines
• Improves management system performance;
• KPI (key performance indicators) for a particular
organisation may be easily identified;
• It helps in continuous improvement;
• It focuses attention on weaker performance areas;
• It gives confidence to various stakeholders;
• It is useful feedback for boards, chief executives and
managers;
• Improves business reputation & opportunities.
 ISSUES/ FACTORS TO CONSIDER
FOR BENCHMARKING

a) Existence and quality of H&S policy

b) Accident/near miss records
c) Staff roles and responsibilities clearly outlined
d) Health and safety plans measured & documented
e) The quality of risk assessments
f) Type and quality of training provided
g) Level of monitoring i.e. active , reactive & performance
•Thanks