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Task 1: Behavioural safety audits and the use of checklists

The benefits of using the checklist of critical behaviours during the behavioural safety audits are
as listed below.
1. Checklists are good tools to ensure the systematic and correct inspection of the workplace.

2. A lesser competent person inspector can do the inspection, provided that check list is created
by an expert. In the scenario the observers are the workers volunteered to actively monitor their
respective departments

3. Checklists themselves become a standard, with which the actual situation can be compared
with and there is also consistency of approach

4. Checklists help to ensure a consistent, systematic and comprehensive approach to checking


all the safety elements to be covered during the inspection

5. From the scenario its evident that, the checklist is common to all departments to carry out
daily BSA’s. All the points of the BSA will be covered those needs to check.

6. From the scenario, the efficiency of checking is high: They use a checklist of critical
behaviours that were identified from studying the past accidents and incidents in the
organisation

7. Easy to record and control and review when needed. All the associated forms, checklists and
procedures are carefully version controlled

8. From the scenario, As a coordinator you collect the completed checklists daily, collate and
evaluate the data, and conduct weekly feedback meetings with workers in each department

9. The BSA’s audit checklist would critically evaluate the organisations existing health and
safety management system and suggest for changes which would bring out better results

10. From the scenario, Low resource requirement: only 10 workers who are trained observers
across the site from the different departments of manufacturing unit where identified and
assigned the task of monitoring the BSA’s

Task 2: Explaining to the contractor the obligations of employers to workers

The employer obligations that are likely contravened , leading to the contractor accident in this
scenario as per the Recommendation 10 of International Labour Organisation R164 with a view
to achieve the objectives set forth in Article 16 of C 155 of the contravention might include, as
appropriate for different branches of the economic activity and different types of work are as
listed below.
01. To Ensure that, workplace, machinery, equipment and process under their control are safe
and without risk to health: from the scenario, the accident that occurred two weeks ago, where a
contract worker suffered knee injury.

02.To provide appropriate training and instruction according to the nature of the job and the
capacities of different category of workers

03. To provide necessary supervision: From the scenario its evident that there is no proper
supervision and the workers was alone adjusting the piece of equipment, when slipped from the
working platform of scaffold.

04. To institute organisational arrangements regarding the occupational safety and health and
working environment adopted to the size of the undertaking and the nature of its activities: From
the scenario, In accident scene we observe that oil used by a site maintenance technician to
lubricate the equipment above the working area has leaked onto the working platform below and
coated the boards.

05.To provide adequate supervision of work, of work practices and of application and use of the
occupational health and safety measures: From the scenario, The contractor acknowledges that
, prior to start of job, they had received specific induction training and job- specific information
from the site supervisor, although that was last time that they saw them on that day is an
indication of poor supervision and work monitoring

06. To ensure that the work organisation, In particular to rest breaks and hours of work, doesn’t
not adversely affect occupational safety and health: In Scenario, the manufacturing site’s PTW
issuer appeared to be extremely busy, and the contractor overheard him saying that he was
issuing 75 PTWs a day!

07. To take all reasonable practicable measures with a view to eliminate the excessive physical
and mental Fatigue.

08. They contractor worker in the scenario replied to the co-ordinator that the injury occurred
while adjusting a piece of equipment alone , He slipped on the working platform, made of the
scaffolding poles(tubes) and scaffold boards, that was erected by the contractor.

Task 3: Determining root causes of the accident

The Management failures that which have contributed to the accident from the scenario are as
listed below:

01. Commitment and leadership from the management: Management should show visible
leadership and their actions should speak louder than their words, they should walk the talk: In
the scenario, the supervisor who is at responsible for the safety of his fellow workers thinks, the
accident is an obvious case of “Human Error” that is not worth the time to investigate further. It
reflects the poor commitment and blame culture of the organisation. Supervisor not convinced of
the value of BSA programme. Even this same attitude is shared by some other long serving
middle managers.
02. Poor levels of supervision: The correct level and the competent supervision acts as a
deterrent for unsafe behaviour. The contractor worked for the first time in food manufacturing
site, when the contractor was asked about the injury He states “ It is accepted as part of the our
job, Unsupervised, After giving specific induction and job –Specific information the site
supervisor didn’t turned up once again to physical inspect the job due to workload where the
task was due to take place.

3. Poor contractor Management: From the scenario, They appeared to be extremely busy and
the contractor overheard them say that they were issuing up to 75 PTWs a Day.

4. Peer Group Pressure: From the scenario, You report to a supervisor who is not convinced of
the value of BSA programme. This same attitude is also shared by some of the other long
serving middle managers. These supervisors and Middle managers negatively influence the
workforce. Due to high workload, they did not physically check the area where the work was due
to carry take place.

5. Poor /Insufficient and un-suitable Risk assessment: From the scenario, its evident that only
one human error was identified upon investigation of the accident and the coordinator
recommended to review the original risk assessment for the maintenance of equipment above
the working area.

6. Lack/ Poor Maintenance of the equipment: From the scenario, The coordinator visits the
accident scene and finds that the oil used by a site maintenance technician to lubricate the
equipment above the working area has leaked onto the working platform below and coated the
boards.

7. The scaffold was erected by the contractor but not specified whether the competent has
erected it or not

8. Negative health and safety culture in the organisation: A negative culture will influence the
workers to behave negatively. The workers supervisors and middle managers thinks accidents
are only due to human errors and need not be investigated further.

Task 4: Assessing the permit-to-work system arrangements

The Application of Permit to work system in food manufacturing sites are:

Permit to work system: The Permit to work system is a specialised type of SSOW under which
certain categories of high risk are only done with prior approval. It plays a major part in
identification of the hazards and implementation of the control measures before the
commencement of work . It helps to promote safe and secure work practices among the
workers who undertakes the high risk job

As reflective from the scenario, at many places the PTW system was implemented and
complied which are as follows.

From the scenario, The site permits issuer talked with the contractor about the exact nature of
the job and clarified and understanding the hazards and risks for the proposed task. The task
appeared to be low risk one to the permit issuer, and because of this and a high workload, they
didn’t physically check the area where the task was due to takes place.

From the scenario, The contractor trained in the responsibilities of what accepting a permit
meant, presented a job description note to the manufacturing site’s PTW issuer to obtain the
permit and a brief discussion was carried out regarding the nature of job that needs to be
carried out and for the specific time , issued for the period of 09.00 to 17.00 of that day.

From the Scenario, Training and information: The contractor confirms that they had received the
specific induction training and Job specific information from the site supervisor. The contractor
also told about, the permit issuer also talked about the associated control measures, including
the isolation of the equipment before starting up of the job and wearing of the head protection
while working on the equipment.

From the Scenario, Document Control: The Self duplicating PTW forms were duly completed
and authorised, including relevant signatures. One copy was retained by the contractor, one
copy put on the display at the job site , and one kept as a record in the site office.

Task 5: Effectively managing contractors during work

The information that should be included during safety induction training to the contractor when
they arrive on the site should include
Induction Training: This is given to contractors , employees ,workers who have joined the
organisation and before they can settle down with their daily routine the organisation needs to
give safety induction to make them aware of the companies rules and procedures and site
specific information

 General safety information covering the policy and procedures , organisation’s health and
safety policy- target

 Fire and other emergency procedures- location of safe assembly points, location and
welfare facilities, safe movement around the workplace
 Incident reporting procedures
 Permit to work system
 Emergency information, covering the contact details of the emergency of emergency
response team, nearest hospital to be contacted in case of emergency with contact
number and the easiest route to approach, what to do in case of emergencies such as
fall from height, fire, chemical spillage, slip & trip etc
 Safe system of work
 Job specific procedures including the nature and type of work and the hazards and risk
along with the control measures to be followed
 General safety rules and code of practice such as no smoking area
 Introduction to JSA controls and risk assessment
 Do’s and Don’ts – Drug abuse- disciplinary procedures
 Best practices and improvements pertaining to health and safety standards
 Responsibilities of individuals
Worker consultation arrangements
Task 6: Influencing health and safety culture
Positive health and safety culture at the food manufacturing site based on the scenario are as
listed below:
Demonstrated leadership commitment to health and safety: The organisations has positive
health and safety culture, from the scenario we can see that the organisation has taken all
measures to protect and uplift the workers safety by introducing the Behavioural Safety
Programme ( BSA) at food manufacturing site.

Behavioural safety is just one of a range of approaches that senior managers want to introduce
to the site to change the organisation and improve the health and safety.
Successful implementation of the BSA Programme is one of the occupational health and safety
objectives for the whole site.

There is a follow up of conversation between site workers and observer, after the observation
the observer gives the feedback and praise them for observed safe behaviour and as well as
noting the general conditions of the workplace at the time. Even verbal feedback on unsafe
behaviour.

The motto is to encourage safe behaviour and, if the site worker behaving unsafely, discuss with
the workers the reason for their unsafe behaviour and draw a conclusion on what needs to be
done to correct it.

At least one member of the site senior management team will be nominated as the site
behavioural safety champion.

The coordinator informs the contractor in response that their employer and the food
manufacturing site where they are working have joint responsibility to care for them.

Positive health and safety Strategy/ Health and safety objectives: Contractor confirms that the
safety of the work environment appeared to be fine. Successful implementation of the
behaviour based safety program is one of the occupational health and safety objectives for the
whole plant

Policies and Procedures: They use a checklist of critical behaviours identified from studying the
past accidents and incidents in the organisation. The checklist was common and used by all
departments to carry out BSAs . For the jobs, Permit to work system was written and issued.

Levels of supervision and monitoring: From the scenario its noted that, the expectation is set for
all managers and Supervisors for implementing and reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness
of the control measures. Have support of at least one member of the site senior management
team, nominated as the site behavioural safety champion.

Consultation and participation/worker involvement: The volunteers from the organisation

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