A6 Measuring & Reviewing Health & Safety Performance Flashcards
Active measuring techniques
Audits - in-depth, systematic, Survey- detailed examination Inspections- check list, walk round, looking for hazards or non compliance Tours - predetermined route, short duration, Sampling- almost a mini audit Climate survey- Behavioural observations- Bench marking
Positives of audits
Measures to a preset standard Allows actions for prevention Quantifiable out put (audit score) Safety audit scores can be used in appraisals Demonstrates commitment Recognised management tool
Negatives of audits
Carried out infrequently
Possible to improve audit score but not raise standards/ safety performance
Depends on auditors interpretation
Time consuming and costly
Can result in large action lists
If actions raised take too long to implement it reduces effective of audit.
Why measure health and safety performance
Understand where your strengths and weaknesses are.
Assess the effectiveness of your safety objectives and arrangements
Measure and reward
Improve standards
Lagging indicators are
Injury frequency and severity rates
RIDDOR incidents
Lost work days
Compensation costs
Leading indicators are
- % staff who have access to oc health
- % equipment tests of safety critical equipment tested in time
- Number of field visits and communications
- number of observations and inspections conducted
- required RAs done
- % of training completion
SMART objectives
- Specific-as to what you want to achieve
- Measurable-so you know if they have to be met
- Achievable- attainable
- Realistic- achievable with the resources available
- Timely- set a reasonable time frame to achieve them
Purposes of performance measurement
*Assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of safety objectives and arrangements
—-hardware (plant, premises, substances)
—-Software (people, procedures, systems)
*Measure and reward success
*monitor extent of compliance
*To maintain and improve safety performance
*Use results for the basis of change for the management system
Objective and subjective
Objective = detached from personal judgment
Subjective = depends on someone’s opinion or judgment
Limitations of accident or ill health data
- Numbers tend to be small to gain true statistical data
- Under reporting, so not all data shown
- Data out of date and not reflective of current standards only show
- Only show past historical and not predictive data
- lack of accidents doesn’t mean it’s safe.
- don’t identify severity or probability of accidents.
- chronic health not included.
Need for formal and informal performance reviews
A requirement of HSG65 and OHSAS
Reflects best practice and demonstrates commitment
Continuous improvement
Corporate performance review
Summary information that may be useful for senior management meetings
Reactive measures
- No LTAs
- No RIDDOR
- Summary of civil actions
- Fines, prosecutions, notices or non compliance
- Accident trends
Proactive measures \ active
- Audit on Safety management systems
- Progress against site/ department targets
- Benchmark
- % audit/ safety actions completed
Reactive performance measures
- Number of RIDDOR
- Number of Accidents
- Number of LTAs
- Number claims
- Severity of Accidents
- Number of reported near misses
- Fines
- Enforcement notices
- Sick days, days lost
Positives of an auditing system
- Objective view on health and safety performance
- Possibly external auditors
- Assessment to a set criteria
- Allows performance review to previous auidits
- Output in the form of a report and action plan
- Identifies strengths and weaknesses
- Should check to see if previous actions raised had been closed off
- If done and set up correctly can demonstrate compliance to legislation
