Management of International

Health and Safety

Element 2: Health and Safety
Management Systems - PLAN

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 Learning Outcomes
• Outline the key elements of a health and safety
management system.
• Explain the purpose and importance of setting
policy for health and safety.
• Describe the key features and appropriate content
of an effective health and safety policy.

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 Unit IGC1: Element 2.1

KEY ELEMENTS OF A HEALTH AND

SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

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 ILO-OSH 2001 Safety and Health
Management System
Follows the PDCA cycle:
• Plan – what you’re going to do.
• Do – it!
• Check – that what you’re doing is working.
• Act – if what you’re doing isn’t working as well as
it should.

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 Safety Management System

The ILO-OSH 2001 Safety Management System

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 Key elements of successful health and
safety management

6 Source: ILO-OSH 2001.

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 Key Elements of ILO-OSH 2001
We will cover this in more detail in a minute…
– Policy.
– Organising.
– Planning and implementing.
– Evaluation.
– Action for improvement.
– Audit.

• The system should develop over time to ensure continual

improvement.

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 Key Elements of ILO-OSH 2001
Policy:
– Clear statement of commitment to health and safety.

Organising:
– Roles and responsibilities for health and safety.
– At all levels in the organisation.

Planning and implementing:

– Detailed arrangements to manage H&S.
– Risk assessments!

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 Key Elements of ILO-OSH 2001
Evaluation:
– Methods to monitor and review the effectiveness of the
arrangements.

Action for improvement:

– Steps to correct issues found in the review.

Audit:
– Independent, critical and systematic review of the
management system.

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 ISO 45001: Health and Safety Management
System

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 Benefits of Having formal / certified Health and
safety Management system
1. Enhanced workplace safety.
2. Integrates workplace health and safety in every task in
the workplace
3. Helping prevent accidents, illnesses and occupational
health problems. ...
4. Reduced costs.
5. Safety standards advocate for collaboration between
employers and employees. ...
6. Improved productivity. ...
7. Improved company image

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 End-of-Section Quiz

What are the key elements of the ILO-OSH

health and safety management system?

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 Unit IGC1: Element 2.2

PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF

SETTING POLICY FOR HEALTH AND
SAFETY

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 Health and Safety Policy

An important document:
• The foundation stone for good health and safety
management in an organisation.
• Sets out the organisation’s aims.
• Identifies who is responsible for achieving these aims.
• States how the aims are to be achieved.
• Specific to each organisation’s requirements.
(Not to be confused with “Policy” in the H&S management
system model.)

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 Reviewing the policy
A number of circumstances
may lead to a need to
review the policy including:
The passing of time
Technological change and
advancement
Changes in organisation
Legislation changes
Source: Shutterstock.
Monitoring the policy may
lead to the need for reviews
Need to review annually as
a minimum
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 Reviewing Health and safety
Management system
• With Passing Time .
• Technological changes
• Organizational Changes
• Legal requirements /Changes
• Result of Monitoring /Gap analysis

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 Reviewing the policy
Legislation changes
Legislation changes are often due to societal
views on health and safety changing with
expectation rising
This may mean specific arrangements in the
policy which may no longer conform to legal
requirements

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 Group Discussion Point

Why might the health and safety policy of two

organisations be different?

Why isn’t there a prescribed, “one size fits all”

approach to developing a policy?

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 Why Have a Written Policy?

Legal compliance.
Meet management-systems standards
(ILO-OSH 2001, OHSAS 18001).
Clear communication.
Continuous improvement.

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 Key features
To be effective the health and safety policy should be:
1. Specific to the organisation and appropriate to its size and nature of its
activities
2. Developed in consultation with workers and managers
3. Concise and clearly written
4. In formats that are suitable for workers and managers
5. In suitable languages
6. Endorsed or signed by the employer or most senior (top) manager of the
organisation
7. Effectively communicated
8. Monitored through audits
9. Reviewed and revised as appropriate

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 Key features
Should be adapted to fit the characteristics of the
organisation
Training and briefings will be necessary
Format, complexity and language used should be
considered
• An electronic format is advisable
• A range of formats should be available for
all involved stakeholders

Source: Shutterstock.

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 End-of-Section Quiz

1. Why is an organisation’s policy so

important? The health and safety policy of an organisation is an important
document that sets out the organisation’s aims with regard to health and safety, who
is responsible for achieving these aims, and how the aims are to be achieved. This can
be expanded on during the discussion

2. Why might two organisations doing similar

work have different policies? It should reflect
the particular circumstances of the individual
organisation: the hazards and risks, the size and the
complexity of the organisation. The policy must therefore
be developed and tailored to fit the particular
organisation that it exists to serve,Global Location ,
Legislations , No of Employees , Size of Orgaization

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 Unit IGC1: Element 2.3

KEY FEATURES AND CONTENT OF A

HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

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 Key Elements of a H&S Policy

Health and safety policy is usually found in

three parts:
1. Statement of Intent
What is going to be done.
2. Organisation
Who is going to do it.
3. Arrangements
How they're going to do it.

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 General Statement of Intent
• Setting overall aims and
objectives.
• Complying with law.
• Achieving standards.
• Reminds workers at all levels of their
responsibilities.
• Signed and dated by the most senior
person.
• Regular review.
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 “SMART” Objectives

• Specific - clearly defined, precise.

• Measurable - towards a target, quantified.
• Achievable - it can be done.
• Reasonable - within timescale, and resources,
• Time-bound - deadline, timescale.
E.g. review all 48 risk
assessments within a
12-month period.

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 “SMART” Objectives

It will be important to consider:

• Who is going to set the objectives.
• How objectives will be set at each functional
level.
• Legal and other requirements.
• Hazards and risks.
• Technological options.
• Financial, operational and business
requirements.
• Views of interested parties.
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 Group Discussion Point

Targets may be included in the statement of

intent to show commitment to improvement.

What targets could be included? (General

examples only needed)

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 Organisation Section

Health and Safety Organisation Chart

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 Organisation Section
• Outlines the chain of
command for health and
safety management.
• Identifies the roles and
responsibilities of staff.
• Usually includes an
organisational chart
relating to health and
safety.
• Shows lines of
communication and
feedback.
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 Organisation Section
Defines responsibilities for:
The CEO or MD – ultimately responsible and
accountable.

Management – responsible for day-to-day management.

All employees – responsible for acting safely.

Competent persons – first aiders, fire marshals, etc.

Specialist health and safety practitioners – responsible

for providing advice to support management and
employees.
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 How Top Management can
demonstrate in H&S
• Making Resources available.
• Implement and maintain the OHS management
system.
• Defining roles and responsibilities of the staff
with respect to OHS.
• Appointing senior managers with specific
responsibility for OHS.
• Appointing competent persons with in and
outside the organization for meeting OHS legal
obligations.
• Reviewing Health and safety Performance.
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 Arrangements Section
• Describes how things are done.

• Detailed description of policies

and procedures.

• Usually a long document.

• Often separate from the policy document.

• Unique to each organisation.

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 Arrangements Section

Examples of topics:
Carrying out risk assessments.
Information, instruction and training.
Compliance monitoring, including auditing.
Accident and near-miss reporting, recording and
investigation.
Consultation with workers.
Developing safe systems of work.
Welfare and first-aid provision.
Fire safety and prevention.
Emergency procedures.

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 Individual Activity

Can you think of any other specific health and

safety hazards?

Write down as many as you can think of,

which you believe should be included in the
Arrangements Section of a Health and Safety
Policy.

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 Arrangements Section
Specific Risks and Problems
• Lone working.
• Noise.
• Vibration.
• Hazardous substances.
• Control of crowds.
• Transport risks.
• Waste disposal.

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 Reviewing the Policy
Some reasons for review:

Changes in:
− Key personnel.
− Management structure.
− Ownership.
− Processes.
− Technology.
− Legislation.
Incident.
Enforcement action.
After audit.
After worker consultation.
Passage of time, e.g. annually.
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 International Standards for Policy

Article 14
ILO Recommendation R164

Requires employers to set down

in writing, policy and arrangements
for health and safety management:
• Where circumstances warrant it.

• In a readily-understood language or medium.

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 End-of-Section Quiz

1. What are the three key parts to a health

and safety policy?
2. What type of targets might be referenced
in the policy (and where)?

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