A1.4 PRINCIPLES AND CONTENT OF EFFECTIVE HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Question 1

Three sections of a H&S policy

Answer 1

• statement of intent on H&S at work
• the responsibility section
• the arrangements section (what needs to be done to achieve the aims of the policy)

Question 2

What is ISO 45001?

Answer 2

A standard which provides a management standard that an organization can be externally audited against.
It is based on the PDCA cycle. Unlike HSG6, it is fully compatible with other ISO management standards.

Similar to PDCA ;

• Planning (plan)
• Support (do)
• Operation (do)
• Performance Evaluation (check)
• Improvement (act)

Question 3

Benefits and limitations of integration of quality, environmental, and health and safety management systems

Answer 3

Benefits:

• more cost effective, decision making reflects the entire organization
• more rewarding career prospects for specialists in each discipline
• objectives and processes of management systems are essentially the same
• avoidance of duplication eg. paperwork, meetings, personnel, audits,

Limitations:
- Existing systems may work well already
- relevant specialist may continue to concentrate on the area of their core expertise
- System requirements may vary across topics covered eg. a organisation may require a simple quality management system but a complex H&S system
- H&S performance underpinned by statute law, but quality management largely determined by customer specification
- regulators and auditors may find it difficult evaluating their part of the IMS when it is interwoven
- a powerful integrated team may reduce the ownership of line managers
a negative culture in one topic may be carried onto the others