Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction, Objectives
Measuring Performance
(1) Inspecting Hazardous Conditions
(2) Investigating Accidents and Incidents
(3) Safety Audit and Safety Review
Periodic Review
Action Plan, Conclusion
Objective
The effectiveness of a SMS reaches its peak when an organisation is able to combine
occupational safety and health issues into its business strategy. An effective SMS can also help
you to:
• reduce the risks to your employees and other people
• increase the efficiency of your
business operations
• help your organisation
to build a responsible
image
The Advantage of Implementing a Safety Management System
Whether as an idea or in full implementation, safety management systems are not new to
Hong Kong. Various local construction enterprises, public utilities and large-scale industrial
undertakings have already put these into place. Some of the government projects which have
already adopted a SMS have much better safety performance records than their peers. These
include:
• Airport Core Project • Housing Authority contracts • Works Bureau contracts
Other large enterprises such as electricity and gas companies, railways, some major
contractors, cargo container companies, hospitals, universities and government departments
have also started to develop their own safety management systems. In the long run, a SMS
which emphasises self-regulation will be more cost-effective in monitoring and promoting
safety and health in your organisation than a traditional system which depends on law
enforcement.
Occupational Safety Charter
The occupational safety charter is a document which highlights the
commitment of both employers and employees to create and maintain
a safe and healthy work environment. It spells out your safety goals and
states the responsibilities of various parties within your organisation.
We encourage employers to establish a safety charter and use it as a
basis for building a safety management system.
The occupational safety charter provides guidelines for both employers and employees and
encourages them to promote and implement occupational safety and health. It covers the
following areas:
• Policy • Inspections
The policy defines your commitment to Inspections ensure that you monitor
communicating, implementing any hazardous conditions. Besides
and maintaining inspections you must establish
a safe workplace. procedures to control
potential hazards in the
workplace by adopting
remedial actions.
• Planning • Investigations
Planning ensures that you review By analysing the causes of accidents
projects at the design stage so as to and incidents in the workplace, you
minimise future risks. It also can draw conclusions
ensures that you have plans and take appropriate
in place to deal actions to avoid
with emergencies further instances.
safely and
effectively.
• Sub-contracting
By addressing the responsibilities of
• Procedures your contractors, you can ensure that
Procedures ensure that your employees they are both fully aware of and
clearly understand the capable of meeting
in-house safety rules their safety
and regulations, and management
their obligations. obligations.
Integrating Occupational Safety Management into Other Management Functions
British Standard BS8800 is an important guideline for occupational safety management
systems. The standard has adopted two approaches. The first approach is based on the
Successful Health and Safety Management HS(G) 65 published by the British Health and Safety
Executive (HSE). An alternative approach is based on the environmental standard BS EN ISO
14001. Basically, both are the same. By providing content in the form of guidelines and
recommendations, they suggest how you can integrate occupational safety management into
your other business management functions.
Policy
Audit Organizing
Measuring Performance
Continual Improvement
Measuring Safety
Performance Organizing
Planning and
Implementing
Initial Status Review
The first step is to review your existing OS&H management system. This initial status review
will provide you with information that will influence your decisions on the scope, adequacy
and implementation of your existing system. It will also give you a baseline for measuring
safety performance. After carrying out an initial status review, you will have a better
appreciation of your existing OS&H status.
Safety Policy
The safety policy states in clear and unambiguous terms your management's approach and
commitment to safety and health. It documents procedures for communicating,
implementing and maintaining the policy at all levels of your organisation. You should review
the policy periodically and amend it when necessary. Refer to the example Safety Policy of
ABC Department.
Organising for Safety
(1) Safety Organisation
Your safety organisation clearly defines the safety and health responsibilities of all levels
of staff to ensure that safety and health commitments are being implemented within
your organisation. It will also help to ensure that sufficient manpower resources are
provided to implement management's commitments and that external assistance is
acquired if necessary. Refer to the examples, Safety Organisation Chart and the
Description of Safety Responsibilities.
General Manager
Marketing and Sales Manager Administrative Manager Project Manager Safety Officer
Safety Organization
8
Planning and Implementing
After you have established a safety policy and safety goals for
your organisation, you must develop a number of programmes in
order to reach your goal. You should outline these programmes
in your safety plan. The content of a safety plan should include
the following:
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Measuring Performance
(3) Safety Audit and Safety Review
Periodically you must conduct a safety audit of your safety management system to
determine whether it is meeting the objectives of your safety plan. Your safety audit
should be both systematic and documented and the results should be reviewed by the
management level.
Periodic Review
Internal External
factor factors
Change in
safety policy
Conclusion
Within the framework of a safety management
system, you can establish safety policy and
measures which suit your specific working
environment. Encourage both management
and non-management staff to participate
frequently in safety management activities.
Frequent participation will enhance the
occupational safety and health awareness of all
employees and remind them to follow safety
regulations. In the long run, your safety
management system will play an important role
in reducing your accident rate.
Initial Occupational Safety and Health Status Review
During our day-to-day work, we should make every effort to minimise accidents and risks in the
workplace. To this end, adding safety and health elements to our management system is essential.
Nevertheless, it is important to know what your initial safety and health status is before enhancing
it. The following is a safety and health programme check which will help you to assess the
performance of your organisation in various aspects of safety and health.
Simply answer each of the questions by placing a check mark in the appropriate box. Assign
yourself 1 point for 'Yes', 1/2 point for 'Partly', and 0 points for 'No'. When you have completed all
of the questions use the scale at the bottom of the check-list to determine the level of your safety
programme.
Name of Organisation :
Workplace :
Total: Score :
Initial Occupational Safety and Health Status Review
Section 3 : Safety Committee Yes No Partly
1. There is a safety committee in the organisation.
Total: Score :
Total: Score :
Total: Score :
Initial Occupational Safety and Health Status Review
Section 6 : In-house Safety Rules Yes No Partly
1. General safety rules are established for the organisation.
Total: Score :
Total: Score :
Total: Score :
Initial Occupational Safety and Health Status Review
Section 9 : Emergency Preparedness Yes No Partly
1. There is an emergency preparedness plan for the organisation.
2. Fire prevention measures are included in the emergency
preparedness plan.
Total: Score :
Total: Score :
Total: Score :
Initial Occupational Safety and Health Status Review
Total: Score :
Total: Score :
Initial Occupational Safety and Health Status Review
Total: Score :
Total: Score :
Total Score :
Only part of the safety management system meets the initial requirement. It
50 - 63 still needs improvement.