Safety Standards Set and Maintained

A structured safety and health management system needs to be driven by written standards. These standards are the safety system elements spelled out in detail, listing what must be done by whom and how often. They are the safety system s guidelines, policies, procedures, and norms, and without them any safety system will fail. They are required and prescribed levels of safety excellence. 

Standards in safety are referred to as measurable management performances. Standards are set for the level of work to be done to maintain a safe and healthy environment free from actual and potential accidental loss. Standards are established in writing for all the health and safety management system elements. 

Without standards the management program has no direction nor are safety expectations established. (If you don t know where you re going, any road will take you there.) (McKinnon, 2012a, p. 47) 

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