Health and Safety Systems 101: What Every Organisation Needs to Manage Health and Safety Effectively

What health and safety systems do you need to have in place for your organisation? Health and safety is not only a legal obligation, but also a moral duty and a business benefit. A good health and safety system can help you prevent accidents, protect your workers, comply with regulations, and improve your reputation and performance. 

Let’s take an overview of the systems that should be in place. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, as different organisations may face different challenges and risks. However, there 11 common elements of a robust health and safety system for your organisation:

1. Have a clear health and safety policy

   This is a document that outlines how you will manage health and safety in your organisation. It should include your aims, responsibilities, arrangements, and resources for health and safety. You should communicate your policy to all your workers and review it regularly to make sure it is up to date and effective. 

2. A system for managing risk assessments

   This is the process of identifying the hazards that may arise from your activities, and evaluating the likelihood and severity of harm they may cause. You should then implement appropriate control measures to eliminate or reduce the risks to an acceptable level. You should document your risk assessments and update them as necessary when things change. 

3. Training and competency management system

   This is the way of ensuring that your workers have the knowledge, skills, and support they need to perform their tasks safely and competently. You should provide them with relevant information about the hazards and risks they may encounter, the control measures they should follow, and the emergency procedures they should know. You should also provide them with suitable training to enable them to work safely, and supervise them to monitor their performance and provide feedback. 

4. Facility and equipment management system

   This is the way of ensuring that your workers have the necessary tools and conditions to work safely and comfortably. You should provide them with adequate facilities for their welfare and well-being, such as toilets, washbasins, drinking water, ventilation, lighting, etc. You should also provide them with suitable equipment for their work, such as machinery, tools, personal protective equipment, etc. You should make sure that the facilities and equipment are well-maintained and fit for purpose. You will need systems for maintenance of these as well as reporting problems and ensuring follow through.  

5. Protect vulnerable workers

   This is the way of ensuring that your workers who may have specific needs or face higher risks are not exposed to undue harm or discrimination. These workers may include young workers, pregnant workers, disabled workers, etc. You should consult with them and involve them in the health and safety arrangements, and provide them with any reasonable adjustments or extra protection they may need. 

6. Report and investigate incidents

   This is the way of ensuring that any accidents, incidents, or diseases that occur in your workplace are recorded and analysed to identify the causes and prevent recurrence. Some incidents may need to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). You should have a system for reporting and investigating incidents, and taking corrective actions to address any issues or gaps in your health and safety system. 

7. Emergency response systems

   This is the way of ensuring that you are prepared for any potential emergencies that may affect your workplace, such as fire, flood, explosion, chemical spill, etc. You should have a plan that covers how to deal with these emergencies, including evacuation procedures, emergency contacts, fire-fighting equipment, etc. You should test your plan regularly and train your workers on how to follow it. 

8. Conduct regular audits and reviews

   This is the way of ensuring that you monitor and evaluate your health and safety performance and system, and identify areas for improvement. You should have a system for conducting regular audits and reviews of your health and safety activities, processes, records, etc., using internal or external auditors or reviewers. You should report the results of audits and reviews to senior management and act upon any recommendations or findings. 

9. Comply with relevant laws and regulations

   This is the way of ensuring that you meet the minimum legal standards for health and safety in your organisation. There are various laws and regulations that apply to different sectors and activities, such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, etc. You should be aware of these laws and regulations and follow them accordingly. 

10. Follow recognised standards or frameworks

    This is the way of ensuring that you adopt good practice and achieve excellence in health and safety in your organisation. There are various standards or frameworks that can help you establish and maintain a high-quality health and safety system, such as ISO 45001 Health and safety management standard, BS EN ISO 9001 Quality management system, or sector-specific frameworks such as the Energy Institute’s High-level framework for process safety management or the Chemical Industries Association’s Responsible Care Framework. You should consider following these standards or frameworks and obtaining certification or accreditation if possible. 

11. Have strong leadership and workforce involvement

    This is the way of ensuring that you have a positive health and safety culture in your organisation, where risks are controlled sensibly and responsibly. This can be achieved by having strong leadership from senior management, who set the tone and direction for health and safety, and allocate sufficient resources and support for it. You should also have active workforce involvement, where workers are consulted and engaged in health and safety matters, and have clear roles and responsibilities for it. You should also provide feedback and recognition for good health and safety performance, and encourage reporting and learning from mistakes. 

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What following these key elements means for you

By following these principles, you can ensure that you protect your workers, your business, and your reputation, and achieve a safe and healthy workplace for everyone. If you need any further guidance or advice on health and safety systems, you can contact a professional adviser or the HSE for more information. 

We hope this blog has given you some useful insights into what health and safety systems you need for your organisation. Health and safety is not something you can afford to ignore or neglect, as it can have serious consequences for your workers, your customers, and your reputation. That’s why you need to have a robust and effective health and safety system that meets your legal obligations and your business needs. 

Next steps

We know that setting up and maintaining a health and safety system can be challenging and time-consuming, especially if you have limited resources or expertise. That’s why we are here to help you. We are a team of professional advisers and consultants who can help you design, implement, and improve your health and safety system. We act independently on your behalf to find the right tools for you to save the time and trouble of doing so. We will always look for your best return on investment.   

If you are interested in talking to us about getting the right health and safety systems in place for your organisation, contact us today! We would love to hear from you and discuss how we can help you achieve a safe and healthy workplace for everyone.