HEALTH AND SAFETY

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
OHSAS 18001
Nicola Coote
 What is OHSAS 18001?

• A way to measure management systems that control

OH&S risks and improve performance
• It does not state specific performance criteria
• It does not specify the exact design of the
management system
• Based around elimination / minimisation of risk,
to ‘mitigate’ risk
• Requires continual improvement; prioritize
• Requires conformance with an organisation’s own
safety policy
 What does the system contain?
Continual Improvement
Initial Review

Management Review

policy
Checking &
corrective
action

Planning

Implementation &
operation
 What are the benefits of OHSAS ?

 Organisations can demonstrate they have a

management system that is recognised
 Forthcoming Accreditation in UK enables that
recognised standard to be verified
 Can measure / demonstrate ongoing
improvement
 Useful when tendering for large contracts etc
 Can help to reduce insurance premium
 Components of OHSAS

4.1 General requirements

4.2 OH&S policy
4.3.1 Planning for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control
4.3.2 Legal and other requirements
4.3.3 Objectives
4.3.4. OH&S management programme
4.4 Implementation and operation
4.4.1 Structure and responsibility
4.4.2 Training, awareness and competence
4.4.3 Consultation and communication
4.4.4 Documentation
4.4.5 Document and data control
4.4.6 Operational control
4.4.7 Emergency preparedness and response
4.5.1 Performance measurement and monitoring
4.5.2 Accidents, incidents, non-conformances and corrective action
4.5.3 Records and record management
4.5.4 Audit
 Components of OHSAS

This breaks down into 5 key components:

1. Policy (Clause 4.2)

2. Planning (inc. ‘Legal’ and ‘Risk’) (Clause 4.3)

3. Implementation and operation (Clause 4.4)

4. Checking and corrective action (Clause 4.5)

5. Management review (Clause 4.6)

 
Note: There is a need to conduct an initial review to ascertain where your
time and resources need to focus. Therefore the following presentation
will be in 6 stages rather than 5.

so let’s have a look at how it

works..
 Step 1 – Initial Review

This is necessary to identify

• Where you are now in relation to OHSAS 18001

• Where the gaps are and how big they are

• What time, resources and actions are needed to

implement systems that will meet the standard
 Step 1 – H&S Review

Existing information,
instructions & allocated
resources

Legislation & Best

Regulations Status Review practice/Guidance
from Sector

Policy
 Step 2 - OH&S Policy

• Must be signed by senior management

• State commitment to continual improvement
• Commit to comply with current H&S legislation
• Be communicated to all employees
• Be available to all interested parties
• Reviewed by senior management (reports on
performance of management system must be
presented to senior management)
Note: the key difference to look for is commitment
to continual improvement, senior management led.
 Step 2 – OH&S Policy

How do you:
? Make staff aware of the policy
? Inform them when it is changed
? Involve staff in the design / implementation of the
policy
? Publicize your policy to other interested parties
? Record acknowledgement of receipt and
understanding of policy, given language and literacy
levels
? Keep it up to date
 Step 2 – OH&S Policy
Targets and Objectives
Does your policy:
? Include specific objectives and targets
? Have visible commitment of senior management (how is this
commitment communicated)
? Include a commitment to continual improvement.
? Commit to comply with current applicable legislation and other
relevant industry guidance and standards
?  Clearly define responsibilities at all levels of employment
? Measure effectiveness / implementation of responsibilities
against performance
 Step 2 – Policy
Setting targets and objectives

Specific
Targets Measurable
must
be Achievable
Realistic
Time bound Quantify them !
 Step 3 - Planning
Hazard identification etc
Risk assessment system throughout whole site, which covers:
• Routine and non-routine activities
• Activities of staff, contractors, visitors etc
• Workplace facilities, conditions etc

The system must include:

• methodology for hazard identification and risk assessment
• Identification of legal requirements
• Objective setting
• system for monitoring effectiveness of actions etc
 Step 3 – Planning for hazard identification
Risk assessment

When planning for hazard identification, consider:

• Day to day operational and maintenance hazards
• Non-routine (one-off) hazards or deviations from routine hazards
• Methods you are going to use to identify hazards (eg spot
checks, inspections)
• Methods you are going to use to identify consequences (eg fault
tree analysis)
• Who is going to conduct inspections, risk assessments and how
are these going to be robust; suitable and sufficient
• How are controls to be integrated into operational procedures
• Methods for consulting staff on findings and controls
• How assessments will be reviewed, eg following an incident
 Step 3 – Planning
Legal requirements, objectives etc
• Identify what legislation applies
• Ensure there is a system for keeping up-to-date with legislation
changes, ACoPS etc
• When setting objectives (KPI’s) ensure there is a link with relevant
legislation
• Define targets you want achieved and timeframes
• Ensure that safety / worker representatives and other key
personnel are familiar with systems for identifying legislation,
obtaining information etc
• Ensure worker representatives and other key personnel are
involved in setting targets
• Objectives and targets must be documented.
• Objectives to consider: legal, financial and operational issues
 Step 4 – Implementation and operation
The OH&S Management Programme
A programme is needed to say how the objectives will
be achieved, and to include:
• Responsibility and authority for achieving the
objectives
• Means and time-scales for achievement
• Arrangements for review at regular and planned
intervals
• Arrangements to amend, to address changes to
activities, services, operating conditions etc
 Step 4 – Implementation and Operation
Example

Action Timescale Cost Responsibility Sign off

Install a new tiled End Dec £10,000 C. U. Later

floor in Cheltenham 2006
branch
Complete MH risk End March £4,500 B.A.C. Ache
assessments all 2007
branches
Complete MH training End Sept £7,000 N.Yr. Trolley
for all staff 2007
 Step 4 – Implementation and Operation
Training and competence

All personnel to be competent to:

• Perform tasks safely
• Understand importance of conformance to the
OH&S policy and procedures
• Know roles and responsibilities of others
• Potential consequences of departure from
policy
Training to take account of risk, literacy, ability etc.
 Step 4 – Implementation and operation
General issues
• Ensure method statements are in place that detail processes to
minimize or eliminate risks
• Consider industry requirements and recommended codes of
practice
• Safe systems of work need to be communicated to staff with
low literacy levels or poor understanding of English 
• Operational plans for implementing legal and other
requirements are in place
•  A process should be in place to communicate changes in
legislation to affected staff
• Ensure there are regular meetings as a route to communication
• Consider bulletin boards and newsletters; these should be
included in auditing
 Step 4 – Implementation and operation
Documentation and data control
Procedures for document control needed to ensure they:
• adequately reflect the management system
• can be located / easily retrieved
• are periodically reviewed/ updated etc
• current versions are available at all locations
• obsolete documents are removed
• Identifiable and traceable to activities
• Protected against damage
• Maintained to demonstrate conformance to OHSAS 18001
• Archived documents are retained for legal preservation
 Step 4 - Operational control
What to look for

Physical checks often help to identify if controls are effective

Step 4 - Operational control
What to look for

Note the pallet in the walkway

Step 4 - Operational control
What to look for
 Step 4 - Operational control
What to look for

Operational control should include contractor and

customer activities
 Step 4 - Operational control
What to look for

Simple observations can identify deeper problems in systems

 Step 4 - Operational control
What to look for

Good / bad procedures for

work at height or
contractor work
 Step 4 - Operational control
What to look for

Pre OHSAS Post OHSAS 18001

18001
 Step 4 – Implementation and operation
Emergency preparedness / response

System required to:

• Identify potential for incidents / emergencies (eg
disaster recovery plan)
• Deal with emergency responses
• Test emergency procedures, where practicable
• Ensure staff are involved in development of plans
• Provide information to visitors, contractors etc
• Review emergency arrangements
• Record dangerous occurrences.
 Step 5
Performance measurement and monitoring

Procedures must be in place to:

• Measure performance on a regular basis
• Monitor the extent to which OH&S objectives
are being met
• Implement proactive monitoring measures
• Implement reactive monitoring measures
• Ensure monitoring equipment is
calibrated/maintained .
Records of the above to be kept.
 Step 5
Performance measurement and monitoring

• Measure against objectives and targets

• Measure actual activity against planned
activity
• Measure against previous reporting of ill
health, accidents and incidents
• Check completion of corrective actions
• Check whether corrective action has been
effective !
 Step 5
Performance measuring and monitoring
Procedures need to define responsibility and authority for:

• Handling accidents
• Investigating accidents
• Dealing with breaches in procedures that resulted in an
incident / accident
• Actions to mitigate consequences arising from accidents etc
• Initiation / completion of preventive / corrective actions
• Where performance is not meeting criteria, the root causes
need to be identified and addressed
 Step 6
Audit and management review
Auditing needed to establish:
• Strengths and weaknesses in management system
• Conformance with OHSAS 18001
• Whether systems are properly implemented
• Proper maintenance of systems / procedures
• Review of previous audits
• Will form basis for action plan for the next year
• Results must be communicated to relevant personnel

Audit results to be informed to senior management.

 Step 6
Management review
Considers the overall performance of the OH&S system
•        A programme of review should be identified: weekly,
monthly, annually, etc.
• Frequency may need to be revised in-line with system
maturity, audit outputs and results
• Audit results should form the basis of review
• Review should be documented
• Review should be linked to risk assessment
• Audit schedules should be established based upon results
of risk assessments

Senior management to undertake management review

 Non-Conformance to the
Standard
Major non-conformance Minor non-conformance
• No risk • Notice board not up to
assessments date
• No objectives / • PPE showing signs of
targets wear
• Poor communication • Poor housekeeping
• Poor documentation
• No management
review
• Legal breach.
 Registration Process

Introductory visit- STAGE ONE

Conducted early on in the project. Desk top review,
Identifies areas that are OK inc. clause 4.3
and which areas need more work.

Address STAGE TWO

non-conformances Implementation
audit
Nicola Coote, CFIOSH, MIIRSM,
MCIPD, Sp Dip Env Man
Director
 
Tel;  01622 717700
Website: www.phsc.co.uk