Introduction
A safety and health management system is very important in the workplace. It is the responsibility of an employer to ensure that his employees have a safe working environment. Many companies and organizations have a safety management system in place. There are different levels of safety systems out there. These are influenced by the safety culture of the organization. In many small organizations, the safety culture is usually limited. Such companies focus on production and there is no safety staff. The company may be lucky not to have suffered injuries but many such organizations score poorly. On the extreme end of the scale, there are companies that have an instinctive safety culture. Such organizations usually score highly in safety. There is a clear policy on safety in the workplace and employees are the owners of the safety process.
Safety and health system plan
Identifying the weak spots allows the safety manager to identify areas of priority. Implementing a new safety and health system can take a lot of time and resources. By prioritizing, the safety manager is able to address the most critical areas first. After identifying the priority areas, the next step is to come up with a new safety and health system. The new system is an improvement of the previous system; therefore, it will address all the safety requirements. Finally, the safety manager will prepare a safety policy document. This ensures that all employees are aware of what is expected of them at all times.
The new safety and health system plan
There are major components of any safety and health system. The major components that are going to make up our system are:
- Managers
- Employees
- Hazard identification and control system
- Compliance with OSHA regulations
- Training
- Collaboration
- Improvement
The management must be part of the safety process. They are responsible for ensuring that employees on the ground get a safe working environment. They are responsible for the resources that go into making the workplace a safer environment. The safety manager is responsible for coming up with a safety policy in the work place. This policy should make sure the importance of safety in the workplace is emphasized. The top-level management should then commit the resources necessary to provide a safe working environment. This can be the time needed to train employees, the money needed to buy safety equipment and ensure that the right safety personnel are hired. The management can also help to ensure that safety is always the top priority by emphasizing its importance. For example, the management can ensure that meetings begin with a safety resource.
Employees are the people who are in the work place and they are the ones who are at risk from safety risks. They should be involved in the safety process to ensure that they own the process. Most of the hazards faced by employees are well known to them but the management may not be fully aware. Employees should therefore be involved in identifying the hazards and coming up with mitigation measures. This is possible with the support of the management.
A system to identify and control hazards should then be put in place. There could be many hazards in the work place and this system helps o identify a hazard before someone is injured. The system works by taking employee input to devise a plan. This plan is used when a hazard is present and it keeps employees safe. The plan contains procedures on what to do in case of a hazard being present. It also helps in ensuring that the overall safety and health system is relevant.
The company then needs to comply with OSHA regulations. OSHA is a worldwide body that certifies the safety standards of companies. OSHA regulations describe the safety features and procedures that should be in place. If the company safety system complies with OSHA regulations, it encompasses all areas of safety and health.
Training is very important for the safety and health system to work. All workers and management must be trained so that they are aware of what is expected of them at all times. For example, first aid training is very important in the workplace. A worker needs to know what to do in case of an accident. Without training, the safety and health system may not be very effective. Accidents can occur and workers need to know how to react to different emergencies. Training ensures that the workers are able to implement the system.
Collaboration between the management, the safety department, and other workers is very important in ensuring that a safety system works well. There must be mutual respect and clear communication between all the levels of employees in the organization. The top-level management should ensure that safety equipment is available to workers.
Finally, there must be constant improvement on the safety and health system. The workplace is constantly changing. New equipment, new procedures and even completely new technologies are getting to the workplace constantly. The safety system must be constantly improved to ensure that it encompasses any new additions. Some safety procedures are also changing. For example, first aid is changing and the system has to be improved in order to take up the changes.
Signs should be placed at the workplace to remind and give employees direction. Signage such as fire exits fire assembly points, no smoking signs and authorized personnel only are a very important part of the safety system.
Work Cited
Hartnett, John. Osha in the Real World: How to Maintain Workplace Safety While Keeping Your Competitive Edge. Santa Monica, Calif: Merritt Pub, 2008. Internet resource.
Hopwood, Dan, and Steve Thompson. Workplace Safety: A Guide for Small and Midsized Companies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006. Internet resource.
US Workplace Safety and Health: Better Osha Guidance Needed on Safety Incentive Programs : Report to Congressional Requesters. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Govt. Accountability Office, 2012. Internet resource.
