Transcript of IGC1 Module2 Policy Rev1
NEBOSH INTERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATEUnit IGC1
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Learning Outcomes
On completion of this element, you should be able to demonstrate
understanding of the content through the application of knowledge
to familiar and unfamiliar situations. In particular you should be
able to:
Outline the key elements of a health and safety management
system
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ILO-OSH 2001 Safety & Health Management System
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Safety & Health Management System
The key elements are:
Policy
It is a clear statement of commitment to H&S by management at
all levels particularly at the top
Organising
Roles and responsibilities for H&S must be created within the
organisation from senior management down to the workers including
appointment of specialist staff
Planning and Implementing
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Evaluation
Methods should be made to monitor and review the effectiveness of
the arrangements put into place.
Action for Improvement
Steps to correct identified shortcomings found in the review
process in the policy, organisation and arrangements for
implementation
Audit
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Continual Improvement
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Outline the key elements of the ILO-OSH Health & Safety
Management System?
End of Section Quiz
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Purpose and Importance of Setting Policy for Health and
Safety
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It is an important document of an organisation
It sets out the organisation’s commitment to achieving it aims and
objectives with regards to H&S
It identifies who is responsible for achieving these aims by
setting responsibilities for staff
It states how the aims are to be achieved
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Stress that we are now talking about a physical document that you
can actually get hold of and read. This is not "Policy" as shown in
the top box of the H&S Management System model.
This can be difficult to get across to students, particularly if
English is not their first language. You may try to explain the
difference by saying that is a company's policy to insure all goods
while they are in transit. The document which will show they have
insurance cover is the insurance policy.
The first "policy" is the one in the management system. The second
is the document that we're talking about here.
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A policy should allow decision making within the
organisation.
Senior management have to decide what kind of H&S standards
they are committing the organisation to and will have to allocate
resources accordingly.
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Stress that we are now talking about a physical document that you
can actually get hold of and read. This is not "Policy" as shown in
the top box of the H&S Management System model.
This can be difficult to get across to students, particularly if
English is not their first language. You may try to explain the
difference by saying that is a company's policy to insure all goods
while they are in transit. The document which will show they have
insurance cover is the insurance policy.
The first "policy" is the one in the management system. The second
is the document that we're talking about here.
© GWG Training
Group Discussion Point
Why might the Health & Safety Policy of two organisations be
different?
or
Why isn’t there a prescribed, “one size fits all” approach to
developing a Policy?
Discuss the fact that the nature of the organisation, it’s
structure and “characteristics” will be very different. Also ask
the group to consider the nature of the work that is undertaken and
whether this is an important factor – clearly it is, and the
hazards posed due to the operations will greatly influence the
policy.
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Health and Safety Policy
No two organisations would have similar H&S Policy because the
H&S Policy of an organisation should be based on:
the size of the organisation
the complexity of the organisation.
the hazards & risks involved in the work activities
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Stress that we are now talking about a physical document that you
can actually get hold of and read. This is not "Policy" as shown in
the top box of the H&S Management System model.
This can be difficult to get across to students, particularly if
English is not their first language. You may try to explain the
difference by saying that is a company's policy to insure all goods
while they are in transit. The document which will show they have
insurance cover is the insurance policy.
The first "policy" is the one in the management system. The second
is the document that we're talking about here.
© GWG Training
Unit IGC1
Element 2.3
Key Features and Content of a Health and Safety Policy
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Health and Safety Policy usually has three parts:
General Statement of Intent: outlines the importance that the
organization places on H&S and its commitment to following
H&S standards. It sets the aims and objectives that the
organisations sets to achieve. It is signed by the owner/controller
of the organisation
Organization section: shows the roles and responsibilities that
exist at each level in the organization.
Arrangements section: gives the details on how the organization
manages H&S.
Key Elements of a H&S Policy
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It demonstrates the management’s commitment to Health & Safety
specially that of the top level management.
Key features:
The commitment of the organization to legal compliance is
shown.
The roles and responsibilities of the managers and workers are
stated.
It is signed by the top most person of the organization eg CEO / MD
to indicate that commitment come from the highest level.
General Statement of Intent
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It should be dated to indicate when the current statement was
prepared and provide a reference point for review.
The factors, if a review is to be done.
General Statement of Intent
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Some of the objectives that an organization needs to achieve
are:
Meeting legal obligations
Providing safe workplace, safe equipment and safe system of work,
training and supervision.
Doing risk assessments to all workplace activities
Performance monitoring
Providing adequate resources such as expert H&S advice
Objectives of an Organisation
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Setting quantifiable targets for an organisation to achieve will
allow performance to be measured and provide goal for staff to aim
for. Targets also helps to drive continual improvement. Targets may
be related to:
Accident rates: to achieve a reduction in accidents or ill-health
rate.
Active monitoring: to complete successfully a number of active
monitoring activities such as: providing training to all
workers,
carrying out risk assessment for all tasks,
carrying out safety inspections of all tasks over a year.
Targets of an Organisation
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Targets are usually set in relation to past performance or
performance of similar organisations. This process of comparing
performance is called as benchmarking.
Targets of an Organisation
Key features of the Organisation section:
The Organisation section deals with people and their operational
duties in relation to H&S
It outlines the chain of command for H&S management.
It outlines the roles and responsibilities of staff for H&S
within the organisation from the senior management down to the
workers.
It includes an organization chart that shows the lines of
communication and the feedback routes that exist within the
organization for clear reporting.
Organisation Section
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The green lines show line management responsibility flowing down
through the structure.
The blue lines show functional responsibility the H&S Manager
has for providing advice at all levels of organization.
The orange lines show the lines of communication and feedback up
through the structure.
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Organisation section defines responsibilities for:
The CEO or MD who is ultimately responsible and accountable for the
entire organisation
Management at all levels who are responsible for ensuring that all
appropriate safety measures are in place and being carried out
effectively within their area of control
All employees who are responsible for acting safely at all times
while performing their duties at work
Competent persons such as first aiders, fire marshals, etc to carry
out specialist H&S duties.
Specialist H&S practitioners who are responsible for providing
advice to support management and employees in achieving
safety
Organisation Section
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It sets out in detail, the arrangements that exist to manage
H&S and the specific arrangements that are necessary to deal
with particular risks relevant to the organisation and its
activities.
Arrangements Section
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Discuss here how the arrangements covered will differ according to
the hazards faced by the organisation.
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Accident and near miss reporting, recording and investigation
Consultation with workers on matters of health & safety
Developing safe systems of work and Permit-To-Work systems to
control hazards
Control of contractors and visitors
Arrangements Section
Communication of H&S matters including hazards and control
measures
Compliance monitoring including auditing of systems
Arrangements Section
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Arrangements Section
Examples of specific risks and problems within an organisation that
may need detailed arrangements include:
Lone working
Fire safety & prevention
Control of contractors
Organizational changes:
Changes in the management structure
Changes to the type of work done by the organisation
Changes in legal laws applicable to the organization
Changes in technology eg when new machinery is introduced or new
processes
Following an enforcement action
If audit, investigation or risk assessment suggest policy is no
longer effective
After passage of time e.g. annual review
After consultation with workers
When requested by third party eg insurance company or client
Reviewing the H&S Policy
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The H&S Policy is not "set in stone". It's a dynamic document
which should be regularly reviewed.
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Employers should
to set down in writing,
their policy and arrangements for occupational health and safety
management and
give this information to all workers
in a language or medium the worker readily understands
International Standards for Policy
Outline the three key elements of a H&S Policy?
Identify the Objectives/Targets that might be included in the
Statement of Intent section of an H&S Policy?
Identify the responsibilities of the various staff members in an
organisation?
Identify the circumstances that would require an H&S Policy to
be reviewed?
End of Section Quiz
1 – • The General Statement of Intent outlines the importance that
the organisation places on health and safety and the commitment
that can be expected. It sets aims and objectives for the
organisation to achieve. It is signed by the person in overall
control of the organisation.
• The Organisation section highlights the roles and
responsibilities that exist at all levels within the organisation.
It shows the lines of responsibility and accountability.
• The Arrangements section provides the detail on how the
organisation manages health and safety. It outlines
the general arrangements that relate to health and safety
management and the specific arrangements that relate to individual
health and safety topics and issues.
2- The Statement of Intent may also set targets for the
organisation to achieve. Possible targets might relate to:
• Accident rates: to achieve a reduction in the
accident or ill-health rate.
• Active monitoring: to complete successfully a number of active
monitoring activities, e.g. successful completion of 90% of all
supervisor safety inspections over a year.
• completion of key activities – such as the completion of risk
assessments across the organisation
• Delivery of training to all workers
• Development of a consultation process to engage the
workforce
• Benchmarking against other organisations