Safety policy statement control

An up-to-date safety policy statement, which specifies the means used to audit and monitor the policy and activities on site, and the means of showing compliance with the Management Regulations 1999. For most contractors, this requires recording of the arrangements made to effectively plan, organise, control, monitor and review the preventive and protective measures... 

Most organizations with a written Health Safety Policy contain statements that hazards will be identified and controlled. It is generally recognized that managers and scientists have, as part of their work, the responsibility to see that all prudent actions are taken to ensure their operations do not lead to unacceptable risks to the health and safety of the organization s employees, customers or to the environment. 

The size of the business is not a reliable indicator of the amount of detail which may be needed in an adequate environmental policy. The question is rather whether all the significant environmental risks have been identified and adequate control of them demonstrated. For small businesses where these risks are well understood and control is relatively simple, a single paragraph included within the safety policy may be sufficient to meet most needs. In these circumstances the following sample statement may be found useful as an indication ... 

Obviously, management commitment to safety is crucial. But, what does this mean in practical terms of implementing a program First, it means that the organization has a clearly stated policy on safety. This policy statement serves as the foundation of safety and health management. It communicates the value that safety has in the organization. This pohcy should be the basic point of reference for all decisions affecting safety and health. So, when it comes down to a situation where there s debate about whether to spend money on a certain hazard control, the safety professional can point to this policy to remind everyone of safety s stated place in the company. 

NIOSH. 1992. NIOSH recommendations for Occupational Safety and Health. Compendium of Policy Documents and Statements. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Services. Centers for Disease Control. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Publication no. 92-100. Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Within the UK, environmental protection is embodied in overarching statutes, e.g., the Environmental Protection Acts of 1990 and 1995, which require both an integrated approach, as embodied in the European Community Water Framework Directive, and a precautionary approach, as embodied in the 1999 Pollution Prevention and Control Act. Statutes are supported by Government Circulars and statements of policy, codes of practice, and orders and policies from agencies such as the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive. 

This involves making sure that employees are fully aware of company policy, risk assessments, method statements, safety procedures, good practice, official guidance, any test results and legal requirements. This is sometimes known as a Safe Person approach to controlling risks where the focus is on individuals. A properly set up health and safety management system should cover and balance both a Safe Place and Safe Person approach. 

---