Safety policy statements

Occupational safety and health policies are systems of codified decisions established by an organization to support the safety and health functions within the organization. Setting safety policies is when a manager develops standing safety decisions applicable to repetitive problems that may affect the safety of the organization. These are also referred to as safety and health standards to distinguish them from the safety policy statement. 

The safety policy statement is a substitute for repetitive management decisions and is mandatory. This is the guiding document in a safety system and perhaps the most important in implementing a change in safety culture. Although the concept safety should appear in the vision and mission statements of the organization, the safety policy statement is the declaration of the company s safety intent, commitment, and responsibility to constantly promote a safe and healthy work enviromnent. This policy should be extensively publicized and displayed on all notice boards, on the company website, in the employee safety handbook, and in prominent positions throughout the workplace. 

Nothing at this company is more important than the health, safety, and well-being of our employees and their families. This company s safety leadership team believes that identifying and reducing risks will prevent all forms of accidental loss. As an organization we are determined to achieve our vision of reducing the probability of illnesses and injuries to our company family, visitors, and the communities and environment in which we operate. 

This company is committed to complying with and, where excellent practice would demand, exceeding applicable occupational health and safety laws wherever we operate. We believe that occupational health and safety laws and regulations can and must be integrated with our effort to produce a world-class research environment. 

We will not be satisfied until we have reduced the probability, to the maximum extent practicable, of occupational injuries and illnesses occurring among our family of employees. This is the only acceptable goal, and we are dedicated to achieving it through continuous improvement of our safety management system. 

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Your health and safety policy statement sets out how you manage health and safety in your organisation. It is a unique document that shows who does what and when and how they do it. 

The health and safety policy statement is your starting point to managing health and safety in the workplace. By law, (Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 section 2(3)) if you employ five or more people you must have a written health and safety policy. This contains your statement of general policy on health and safety at work and the organisation and arrangements for putting that policy into practice. 

Writing a health and safety policy statement is more than just a legal requirement - it is your commitment to planning and managing health and safety. It is the key to achieving acceptable standards, reducing accidents and cases of work-related ill health and it shows your employees that you care for their health and safety. 

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 This is the Health and Safety Policy Statement of... 

Appendix A Typical Company Safety Policy Statement... 

A safety policy statement should include statements about management involvement rather than the typical management commitment. ... 

The safety policy statement is a substitute for repetitive management decisions and is viewed as mandatory. This is sometimes referred to as the occupational health and safety policy. This is the gniding document in a safety system... 

The safety policy statement must be practical and achievable. Tangible objectives should be set by the policy. The policy should also list practical ongoing steps that will ensure compliance, and it should be written in such a way that it is understood by all. Ongoing briefing sessions should be in operation to ensure that everyone understands the gist of the policy, which should be featured on the company website as well as in the safety handbook, etc. 

A Health and Safety Policy Statement should meet at least the following requirements ... 

Examples of safety policy statements could include commitment to ... 

A safety policy statement is only as good as the employees knowledge thereof. Safety policies should be short, to the point, and most important the employees must be aware of the safety policy. The safety policy statement should be revised regularly to ensure that it is kept updated and current with organizational changes. 

Are risk assessments and method statements available and up to date Is the following information posted/displayed Insurance Certificates Safety Policy Statement Environmental Loading Chart SOLAS 1 Health and Safety Law Poster Emergency Contact Numbers/Channels ... 

Management system problems can occur in three primary areas. First, the policy can be less than adequate. Actually, most organizations have carefully worded safety policy statements signed by the appropriate manager. Problems are much more likely to occur in one or both of the other areas. 

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, the employer is responsible for ensuring that adequate instruction and information is given to employees to make them safety conscious. Part 1, Section 3 of the Act instructs all employers to prepare a written health and safety policy statement and to bring this to the notice of all employees. Figure 1.2 shows a typical Health and Safety Policy Statement of the type which will be available within your company. Your employer must let you know who your safety representatives are, and the new Health and Safety poster shown In Fig. 1.3 has a blank section into which the names and contact information of your specific representatives can be added. This is a large laminated poster, 595 x 415mm, suitable for wall or notice-board display. 

Figure 1.2 Typical Health and Safety Policy Statement.

If the stated company procedure is to use battery drills whenever possible, or 110 V drills when this is not possible, and to never use 230V drills, then this again will reduce the risk. If a policy such as this is written down in the company safety policy statement, then you can simply refer to the appropriate section of the safety policy statement and the level of risk will be low. (Note PAT testing is described in Advanced Electrical Installation Work.)... 

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, the employer is responsible for ensuring that adequate instruction and information is given to employees to make them safety conscious. Part 1, Section 3 of the Act instructs all employers to prepare a written health and safety policy statement and to bring this to the notice of all employees. Your employer must let you know who your safety representatives are. 

Safety policy — By developing a clear management safety policy statement, you help all employees at all levels of the company understand the importance of safety in relation to other organizational values (e.g. production and results vs. safety and health). A comprehensive safety policy provides an overall direction or vision while setting a fi amework fi om which specific goals and objectives can be developed. 

Review the following two-safety policy statement examples. One is a general statement for your operation as a whole. 

A mission statement communicates the broad goals and the organization s commitment to safety, to employees, and to the public. A common theme found in safety policy statements is that of ongoing safety performance assessment and improvement. It is through the safety policy statement that an organization establishes the safety climate. 

Employers who have a sincere interest in reducing employee injuries and illnesses will welcome discussions on how their safety and health management systems can be improved. A good number of companies have issued safety policy statements in which they affirm that they will comply with or exceed all relative laws and standards. Those employers, particularly, will want to implement provisions in the standard that are not a part of their safety and health management systems. 

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