Introduction
Hulsberg Company is a private limited company specialized in production and supply of sugar in both local and regional markets. Its founders are former workers of Citrus sugar services based in Hulsberg. The mission of the company is to offer reliable and high quality productions for the business development to its clientele. Its vision is to ensure that the customers enjoy working with the company in a more professional and less risky way to develop their business relations. It charges a reasonable cost for its goods and delivers an even higher value to its customer through excellent and effective revenue generation mechanism tailored for customers’ satisfaction.
The company has employed a staff of four hundred people. The company plans to venture into other activities that are sugar related. The activities include the manufacturing of ethanol, molasses, and mineral water. These products would be easily tapped into since they all rely on the waste products that are left after sugar processing as their raw materials. Hulsberg has various policies that govern its internal structure. These policies are enshrined in Policy manuals that act as a media of communication between the management and the employees of the organization. Among them are Occupational Health and Safety Policy (OHS)
Report to Senior Management Team
Compliance with legislation, code of practice and standards
The policy complies with the legislation, code of practice and standards in various ways. It provides minimum requirements like training of employees on health and safety measures at the workplace. The policy establishes a well-equipped inspection unit that ensures that all its requirements are complied with. It enumerates best practices in health and safety measure at the workplace that keep all workers safe.
Adequacy of policies and procedures
The policy is efficient enough to achieve the objectives of the company. However, there is a need to conduct a review on the means of communicating the policy to the stakeholders. The main area that requires urgent review is the method of communicating the policy to the stakeholders. It is apparent that not all shareholders attend the AGM, and therefore it becomes inappropriate to set the AGM as the date of communicating the policy to them. It is recommended that the policy should be printed in bulk and placed at the reception to allow every visitor to pick a copy. Besides, the policy is written in English only, it is recommended that it should be translated to other local languages to enable the locals to understand.
Participative arrangements
The policy establishes a strong and effective mechanism for consultations. The consultation is between employers, employees, and their elected representatives in matters regarding health and safety in the workplace such as controlling hazards, as well as development of health and safety policies. The process is necessary as it encourages all stakeholders to contribute ideas and participate in problem solving. It also assists in identifying and addressing the needs of all staff members.
Record keeping
A copy of this Policy is provided to each worker and another copy placed in every department in the organization. All workers will be allowed to make copies of the policy.
Roles and responsibilities
Responsible Officer Responsibilities
Chief executive officer is responsible for the implementation of the policy. He must ensure compliance with the manual at levels of management in the organization.
Senior Management responsibilities
- Observe statutory and regulatory standards
- Provides and maintains a safe and healthy working environment
- Provides suitable means of access to workplaces
Employee responsibilities
- Ensure the safety of their workmates
- Cooperate in the management and implementation of the policy
- Report workplace hazards to the management
Finance and resources
The finance department provides sufficient fund for executing the policy. An annual budget is set aside to ensure that safe equipment’s are purchased to keep workers healthy and safe during the working hours.
Induction and training
All employees undergo an annual seminar on health and safety measures at work. New employees are inducted at the safety department where all necessary OHS measures are introduced to them to ensure that they remain safe throughout their stay.
Organizational Culture, Attitude, and Commitment to WHS
Hulsberg Company is committed to developing and maintaining the highest practicable standards of OHS principles. Through partnership with all stakeholders, the company ensures that it complies with all legislative requirements relating to the health and safety at the workplace. The company’s goal remains to create an environment and culture where all workers and visitors can reasonably and legitimately expect to be safe and healthy. Through consultation and mutual respect, the company strives to build on its culture of safe working practices. There are no inconsistencies in the application of the policy between the management and the workers. All stakeholders were consulted in the formulation of the policy. Thus, all workers prescribe and believe in the policy as best tool to keep them safe at the workplace.
Impact of Other Legislation on the WHS Systems within the Organization
The law on an equal opportunity requires that all people are equal before the law and must be treated in the same manner. The Act informs the policy's philosophy on non-discrimination at the workplace. The policy applies equally across the divide. The law on privacy ensures that the principle of confidentiality is maintained at the workplace. The policy requires that when a worker poses health risks to others workers, the matter will be handled in a confidential manner to deter the risk from occurring. Finally, industrial relations Act define the relationship between the management and other workers, it requires consultation in all matters concerning the workers’ welfare, and it is on this ground that all participatory arrangements in the policy are implemented.
Recommendations
The policy looks almost perfect as it contains the best practices of OHS in the civilized world. However, there is needed to look at the mode of communicating about the policy to workers especially those on casual contracts. These workers barely spend enough time within the company’s premises to know what the policy say. Thus, they should be explained to about the policy upon their recruitment. Further, the policy holds in abeyance the procedure of compensating workers who get injured but for the negligence of the company. The same should be addressed in a clear manner so that every injured worker knows what he is entitling to and the procedure to follow when seeking reparations.
Proposed plan for implementing the recommendations above.
Casual workers need adequate induction prior to their deployment to the workstations. The person who is doing the induction must be highly qualified and conversant with all equipment’s they are going to use. At the end of the induction stage, they should be provided with this policy manual so that they can refer to them at any time when need arises. About compensation provision, this should be done during the annual review of the policy. The policy should be reviewed to provide expressly for compensation procedure.
