Element 2: How health and safety management systems work and what they look like Flashcards
REVIEW: What are the five key elements in the ILO-OSH 2001 Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems?
REVIEW: Explain the overall role of a policy
REVIEW: How would you ensure that your policy was adequately communicated to those affected?
REVIEW: What might initiate a review of policy?
SQ: (a) What are the five key elements in ILO ‘Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems?’
(b) Explain the requirement for two of the key elements identified.
SQ: What are the main benefits of introducing a recognised health and safety management system?
SQ: What are the key aims an organisation should commit to in their health and safety policy statement?
SQ: What is the purpose of the three key features of an effective health and safety policy?
SQ: What methods could you use to communicate the health and safety policy to workers and others?
SQ: (a) Who should sign the health and safety policy statement?
(b) Why should the policy be signed and dated?
Exam: Read both standards: ILO OSH 2001 and ISO 45001. What are the main differences?
You could have also compared the standards elements against each other more closely.
Another key difference lies in the certification aspect. ISO 45001 involves a formal certification process conducted by external auditors to demonstrate compliance with its requirements. Companies often seek this certification to showcase their commitment to occupational health and safety to customers, partners, and regulatory bodies.
In contrast, the ILO 2001 Guidelines are not a certification standard. They provide guidance and principles for developing and implementing an effective occupational safety and health management system but do not offer a formal certification process. This distinction is significant, as ISO 45001 certification can serve as a powerful external validation of an organization’s H&S efforts.
Another noteworthy difference is the potential for integration. ISO 45001 is part of the ISO family of management system standards, making it compatible with other ISO-based systems such as ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 9001 (Quality Management). This integration capability allows organizations to create a unified and streamlined approach to managing various aspects of their operations, including quality, environmental sustainability, and occupational health and safety. This can lead to improved efficiency and effectiveness while minimizing duplication of efforts.
Exam: What are the characteristics of each of the 7 elements of the H&S Management System based on ISO 45001:2018?
- Context of the organization. The organization shall determine external and internal issues, interested parties (other than its employees), the needs and expectations of employees and interested parties, and legal and other requirements that affect its H&S management system. Determining the context helps to determine the environment in which the organization operates and to create an adequate management system.
- Leadership and worker participation. The component parts of the element are “Leadership and Commitment”, “H&S Policy”, “Organizational Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities”, and “Consultation and Participation of Workers.”
This element is the “heart of the system” and requires managers to demonstrate their H&S commitment, ensure the establishment and implementation of the H&S policy and management system, distribute roles and responsibilities for H&S at all levels of the organization, and involve employees in the management of H&S. - Planning. The organization should identify applicable legal requirements, identify hazards, assess risks and opportunities, and plan actions to address them. At this stage, the organization should establish H&S objectives and set out arrangements to achieve H&S objectives, comply with legal and other requirements, control risks, and respond to emergency situations.
- Support. The organization shall provide the resources necessary to establish, apply, maintain and continuously improve the H&S Management System, the competence of workers, the exchange of information and the development and maintenance of documented information.
- Operation. At this stage an organization implements processes and arrangements necessary to comply with the requirements of the H&S management system, identified at the Planning stage (for example, arrangements for consultation with workers, information exchange, monitoring, incident investigation, emergency preparedness). The key processes and arrangements are to eliminate hazards and reduce risks according to the “hierarchy of controls”. The organization must also implement processes and arrangements to manage change and manage contractors’ safety.
- Performance evaluation is necessary to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the H&S arrangements. To do this, the organization should develop, implement and maintain processes for monitoring, measuring, analyzing and evaluating H&S performance, auditing and management review.
- Improvement. At this stage the organization should identify opportunities for improving H&S. It should develop, implement and maintain incident reporting processes, investigate incidents, take corrective actions and learn from them. The organization shall continually improve the adequacy and effectiveness of the H&S management system.
Exam: What are the benefits of a formal certified Health and Safety Management System?
create safe workplaces;
prevent work related accidents and illnesses and related financial losses and lawsuits;
manage H&S risks systematically;
better comply with legal and other requirements and standards which is confirmed by the opinion of independent auditors;
integrate H&S management systems with other management systems;
improve the moral climate and increase the motivation of employees;
attract and retain highly qualified workforce;
improve the company’s image and gain the trust of regulators, financial institutions, customers and consumers of the company’s products and services;
increase the competitive advantage of the company when it’s compared to those companies that do not have a formal H&S MS and increase profits as a result;
reduce costs associated with accidents (workers’ compensation, fines, medical costs etc);
protect the company from legal administrative, civil and criminal liability associated with accidents.
Exam: Why can the H&S Policies of two companies, working in the same industry, be different?
policy of each organization is unique, since each company is unique, even if it operates in the same industry.
Therefore, each H&S policy depends on the complexity of the company’s operations and the nature and level of risks and the context of the particular company.
Therefore the Policy should be proportionate to the needs of the organization, its intentions, the size and context of the organization, and the specific nature of its H&S risks and opportunities.
Exam: Why shall the most senior manager (for example, the President or the CEO) sign the H&S Policy?
The policy must be signed by the president or the CEO of a company, as the H&S policy is the intention of the organization, expressed by its senior management, to prevent occupational accidents and illnesses and to provide a safe and healthy workplace.
Moreover, it is the senior management who can provide resources required to implement the Policy.
Exam: Why is it important for a company to set H&S objectives?
H&S objectives set the direction for the company and provide the basis for H&S arrangements needed to achieve the expected results of the H&S management system, for example, compliance with applicable legal requirements, controlling risks, responding to opportunities
Exam: Explain the acronym SMART in relation to establishing H&S objectives Give your example of one SMART H&S objective.
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Reasonable
Time-bound
You should also provide your example of one SMART H&S objective.
Exam: What does the organizational structure of a company show in H&S?
An organization chart is useful to show how roles and responsibilities for H&S are distributed at each level of an organization, for example:
Senior management has ultimate responsibility for H&S throughout the organization.
Managers at all levels are responsible for ensuring that H&S activities are effectively implemented in the units under their control.
Employees at all levels are responsible for those aspects of H&S management system that are under their control, i.e. each person in the company organizational structure has a specific role related to H&S.
Designated competent persons are responsible for specific areas, for example, first aid or fire safety.
H&S professionals are responsible for providing advice on H&S issues to management and employees.
Exam: What H&S arrangements can an organization have to achieve its H&S objectives?
There is no single correct answer here, since there can be many H&S arrangements.
Below are some examples:
Conducting risk assessments in the workplace;
Developing a comprehensive H&S training program
Increasing the transparency of accidents reporting and improving the quality of investigations;
Providing consultations with workers on H&S matters;
Developing the SSOW for work with vibrating tools;
Development and implementation of a monitoring system;
Development and implementation of an emergency response plan;
Arrangements for first aid provision.
Exam: What circumstances may require a review of the H&S policy?
Circumstances that might require a review of the H&S policy:
* Technological changes (e.g. introduction of new plant or processes).
* Organisational changes (e.g. changes to key personnel, such as a new CEO or MD, or changes to the management structure of the organisation).
* Legal changes, such as the introduction of new legislation applicable to the organisation.
* Changes to the type of work that the organisation does (e.g. when work arrangements change).
* Where an audit, investigation or risk assessment suggests the policy is no longer effective.
* When requested by a third party, such as an insurance company or client.
* Following enforcement action.
* Following consultation with the workforce.
* A change of buildings, workplace or worksite.
* After a certain amount of time has passed since the last review (e.g. an annual review is a common practice)
Assignment: H&S Policy
PART 1
Review your company’s H&S Policy.
Determine if the Policy complies with the following ISO 45001 requirements, namely:
“a) The Policy includes a commitment to provide safe and healthy working conditions for the prevention of work-related injury and ill health and is appropriate to the purpose, size and context of the organization and to the specific nature of its OH&S risks and OH&S opportunities;
b) provides a framework for setting the OH&S objectives;
c) includes a commitment to fulfil legal requirements and other requirements;
d) includes a commitment to eliminate hazards and reduce H&S risks;
e) includes a commitment to continual improvement of the H&S management system;
f) includes a commitment to consultation and participation of workers, and, where they exist, workers’ representatives.”
If the Policy does not comply with the ISO 45001 requirements, what can you change to make it better?
PART 2
In this Element you’ve learnt that to achieve Policy’s objectives an organization needs to
allocate responsibilities for H&S at all organizational levels and
to have H&S arrangements in place.
With regard to the Policy you’ve reviewed, outline:
a) What H&S responsibilities senior and middle managers and other persons have to achieve the Policy’s objectives?
b) What H&S arrangements should be implemented to achieve the Policy’s objectives?
Exam: Why shall the senior managers of an organization take into account the H&S Policy in their business decisions?
When making new business decisions, managers shall take the H&S policy into account, since new business decisions may lead to the emergence of new H&S risks, financial losses, damage to the company’s reputation, and legal consequences.
