Health & Safety Session 3 Safety Management / Risk Assessment

AIMS To provide managers with the information, skills and insights to prepare a Safety Statement for their area of responsibility. Have developed skills to carry out Risk Assessments in their area of responsibility. To raise awareness of roles, responsibilities and issues relating to Health and Safety.

Top 3 risks in your workplace. List what you think are the three biggest risks in your workplace. –How easily could an accident happen? –How serious would that accident be? –Who could be affected and how?

Law at Work! Common Law –Precedent –Previous cases –Organic Statute Law –The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act (1989) –Safety Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations (1993) Many other provisions!

Legal Aspects Common Law (Duty of Care) –Safe Place of work –Safe plant and equipment –Competent staff –Safe systems of work

Common Law / Tort Parallel to H&S legislation. Used in civil proceedings not statutory actions. Based on precedent and case law. Safety Statement is admissible as evidence. Imposes a “Duty of Care”.

Legal Aspects Statutory Law –The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act (1989) –Safety Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations (1993) –Numerous subsequent amendments, SI’s etc.

THE 1989 ACT: A SUMMARY SAFE PLACE OF WORK. SAFE ENTRY AND EXIT SAFE PLANT AND EQUIPMENT SAFE SYSTEMS OF WORK INFORMATION AND TRAINING PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT EMERGENCY PLANS STAFF DUTIES PREVENTION OF RISKS WELFARE FACILITIES

WHAT IS A SAFETY STATEMENT ? A programme in writing stating your commitment to the Health and Safety of your staff. States the arrangements / practices put in place to fulfil this commitment. Should be a “live” working document. Sect 12. HSWW Act.

“The plan is nothing, planning is everything”

Which Line is Longer?

MAIN ELEMENTS OF A SAFETY STATEMENT GENERAL POLICY STATEMENT HEALTH AND SAFETY PROVISIONS RELEVANT RESOURCES RESPONSIBILITIES MANAGEMENT CHART H&S LAWS LOCALISED LISTS OF RISK ASS’NT LISTS OF WHO ARE AT RISK LISTS OF PRECAUTIONS LISTS OF WHO IS RESPONSIBLE AT A LOCAL LEVEL HIGH/ MED / LOW RATING

BENEFITS OF A SAFETY STATEMENT Reference Document Checks and Control Document Compilation acts as a safety audit. Completion raises safety awareness. Useful training document. Serves as a record of ongoing safety developments.

Accidents An accident is an unplanned and uncontrolled event in which the action or reaction of an object, substance, person or radiation results in personal injury or the probability thereof.

Why they happen. Cause% of events Inadequate operating procedure19% Error in recognition or confirmation15% Error in judgement14% Poor inspection12% Inadequate directives / supervision10% Inadequate communication10% Operational error6% Unskilled operation6% Imperfect maintenance2% Other6%

How things fall down! STAGE 1 NOTIONALLY NORMAL STARTING POINT STAGE 2 INCUBATION PERIOD STAGE 3 PRECIPITATING EVENT STAGE 4 ONSET STAGE 5 RESCUE AND SALVAGE STAGE 6 READJUSTMENT

Risks and Hazards A “hazard” means anything that can cause harm (e.g. dangerous chemicals, machinery, electricity, working at heights from ladders etc.) “Risk” is the likelihood, great or small, that someone will be harmed by the hazard, together with the severity of the harm suffered.

WHAT IS A RISK ASSESSMENT ? A STRUCTURED EXAMINATION {OFTEN USING CHECKLISTS} OF WHAT IN YOUR WORKPLACE CAN HARM PEOPLE. IT IS A PROCESS OF WEIGHING UP WHETHER ENOUGH PRECAUTIONS HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT SUCH ILLNESS OR INJURY

Specific Tasks = Specific Risks

Physical Hazards (e.g.) Manual handling Working at height Work equipment and tools Slip and trip hazards Fire and hot substances Electricity Poor housekeeping

Health Hazards (e.g.) Noise Harmful dusts Poor or bad lighting Vibration Radiation Extremes of temperature

Chemical Hazards (e.g.) Toxic Explosive Corrosive Flammable Affecting skin Carcinogenic Respiratory problems

Biological Hazards (e.g.) Needle prick Infection Diseases –Weils –Legionnaires –Diarrhoea –Farmers lung etc.

Human Factor Hazards (e.g.) Violence and aggression Stress Bullying and harassment Fatigue Pranks and horseplay Absent team members Untrained staff Other psycho-social issues

Discussion Exercise Consider the various HAZARDS in your area of responsibility. Rate the RISK that they pose. –High –Medium –Low

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES SAFETY AS INTEGRAL PART OF MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS EFFECTIVE SAFETY PROGRAMME FOR ALL ACTIVITIES IN ORGANISATION. PERIODIC REVIEW MANAGERS COMPLY WITH SAFETY LEGISLATION CONSULTATION MECHANISMS IN PLACE

DELEGATE TO APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL ADEQUATE INCIDENT RECORDING IN PLACE

EMPLOYEES DUTIES BE FAMILIAR WITH SAFETY STATEMENT COOPERATE WITH SAFETY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME CARRY OUT WORK SAFELY KNOW FIRE AND SAFETY RULES USE PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT PROPERLY

REPORT ALL ACCIDENTS AND NEAR MISSES REPORT ALL DEFECTS MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE SAFETY OBSERVE SAFE WORK PRACTICES DO NOT INTERFERE WITH SAFETY EQUIPMENT

CHECKLISTS USEFUL TOOL TO CARRY OUT A PERIODIC SAFETY REVIEW USE AS A WALK ABOUT “AIDE MEMOIR” SHOULD BE SPECIFIC TO A PARTICULAR AREA / FUNCTION ONCE COMPILED CAN BE UPDATED TO REFLECT CHANGES / NEW AWARENESS

CHECKLISTS USEFUL TRAINING MATERIAL TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE AID TO DELEGATION RECORD OF WORK DONE AND SIGN OFF DATA

Risk Assessment Health and Safety Policy Identify Hazards Assess Risks Decide Precautions Record Findings Review and Update

Safety Culture? Control Competence Co-operation Communication

Planning Exercise Brainstorming Session. What steps can I take (from tomorrow) to improve the safety culture within my area of responsibility?

Accident Proof Yourself!!! Think before acting Know what you are doing and how to do it. If in doubt, ASK. Follow procedures as laid down. Be alert and aware. Use PPE. “Cop-on”