1. Safety Systems Assessment Tool
Michelle Davidson
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

2. Overview What is a Safety Management System?
Safety Management System Assessment Tool
Elements assessed
Examples/learnings
Other relevant tools

3. What is a safety management system?
Set of linked policies, procedures and practices in place to manage workplace health and safety risks
AS 4801 “gold standard”
That part of the overall management system which includes
organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices,
procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing,
achieving, reviewing and maintaining the OHS policy, and so managing
the risks associated with the business of the organization.
In general terms, a safety management system is a system focused on improving safety performance by combining and integrating planning, implementation and review processes with the management of organisational and consultative arrangements. These systems may apply to the activities of an enterprise as a whole, or they may target specific are
A safety management system is not simply the existence of forms, processes, policies or documents that describe various safety aspects of an organisation. It must give effect to, or exercise, the content of the safety documentation in an on-going and managed way across an organisation that improves safety outcomes.
system which is exercised by a systematic and continuous improvement approach which uses feedback to manage and improve safety outcomes. This system sets, implements and modifies benchmarks and standards for electrical safety.
We have seen in the course of our work some businesses with great tome that are described as their safety management system, then when reading through it, it is obvious that it is a system purchased (and perhaps adapted via inclusion of a few terms or just the business name) and not well, if at all, implemented into the workplace

4. What should an effective safety management system do?
Set out OHS policy and objectives
Establish, assess and review the effectiveness of procedures which give effect to OHS policy and objectives
Achieve conformance with OHS policy and objectives of the organisation; and
Demonstrate such conformance to others (via self-declaration or certification/ registration as appropriate)
Does not need to be complex, or even an expensive product – it needs to be practical, to realistically represent the specific operational requirements and activities of your business
However, any effective OHSMS needs to reflect OHS issues in the organization in which it is used.
An effective OHSMS can assist an organization to—
• Set out OHS policy and objectives
Establish, assess and review the effectiveness of procedures which give effect to OHS policy and objectives
Achieve conformance with OHS policy and objectives of the organisation; and
Demonstrate such conformance to others (via self-declaration or certification/ registration as appropriate

5. Safety Systems Assessment Tool
So how can you assess your SMS – and see whether you are working towards an effective system
This tool is readily Available on WHSQ website – under Injury Prevention and Management.
Based on Serious About Safe Business pack, along with elements of the Online Safety Benchmarking Tool and AS4801
Developed by IPAM team,
SASB (used and recognised across a number of states)
The IPaM team of WHSQ have developed this tool to assist its advisors, and the general public to assess safety management systems of businesses.
This tool has been based upon the SASB pack, and also includes detail from the online safety benchmarking tool (WHSQ) and AS I will speak a bit about SASB and OSBT a bit later

6. Elements of the tool Management and Leadership Commitment
Planning and Reporting Safety
Consultation, Communication and Safety Climate
Risk Management
Safe Work Procedures, Training and Supervision
Injury Management
Similar to the elements of the SASB pack, the SMS assessment tool assesses through the following elements:
Management and Leadership Commitment
Planning and Reporting Safety
Consultation, Communication and Safety Climate
Risk Management
Safe Work Procedures, Training and Supervision
Injury Management
We will discuss a bit more in the next slides

7. Management and leadership commitment
Demonstrations of commitment include:
Leading by example
Communication safety responsibilities to workers
Allocating time and money to safety
Making safety a priority
Implementing safe systems of work
Encouraging reporting of incidents
Valuing worker contributions
WHY? Management Commitment is important because responsibility for safety starts at the top
Demonstrations of commitment include:
Leading by example
Communication safety responsibilities to workers
Allocating time and money to safety
Making safety a priority
Implementing safe systems of work
Encouraging reporting of incidents
Valuing worker contributions

8. Planning and Reporting Safety
Procedures for workers to make reports of hazards, incidents, illnesses and injuries
Workers encouraged and supported to report hazards, incidents and near misses
Acting on reported issues and incidents
Reviewing reports to identify trends and take appropriate action
Reporting to statutory authorities (WHSQ)
WHY? Reporting procedures help you identify health and safety problems, and find and implement solutions
A simple reporting procedure will help you obtain information about health and safety issues in the workplace, identify problems when they arise, and address them.
Some of the indicators that an employer is meeting
Procedures for workers to make reports of hazards, incidents, illnesses and injuries
Workers encouraged and supported to report hazards, incidents and near misses
Acting on reported issues and incidents
Reviewing reports to identify trends and take appropriate action
Reporting to statutory authorities (WHSQ)

9. Consultation, Communication and Safety Climate
Process for consulting with workers about health and safety matters
Consultation arrangements structured so all workers have access to the consultation process
Workers know about their entitlements to elect WHSR and ask to set up work group
Access to information which helps to raise awareness of safety issues and solutions
Why consult? (apart from the requirement to consult under legislation)
Workers are directly affected by safety decisions and often see things that management just aren’t aware of.
Consultation enables you to share WHS information and to take your workers views into account before you make decisions
Good consultation means you get ‘buy-in’ from your workers – real involvement, not just a token effort
Some of the things we look at when assessing consultation, communication and safety climate are:
Process for consulting with workers about health and safety matters
Consultation arrangements structured so all workers have access to the consultation process
Workers know about their entitlements to elect WHSR and ask to set up work group
Access to information which helps to raise awareness of safety issues and solutions

10. Risk Management Structured approach for identifying hazards
Risk assessments conducted for uncontrolled hazards
Control measures for all identified risks (controls developed in relation to relevant legislation, codes of practice, Aust Standards)
Emergency preparedness and response
WHY?
Structured approach for identifying hazards
Risk assessments conducted for uncontrolled hazards
Control measures for all identified risks (controls developed in relation to relevant legislation, codes of practice, Aust Standards)
Emergency preparedness and response

11. Safe Work Procedures, training and supervision
Safe Work Procedures developed for all tasks in workplace (where risk of injury or illness identified)
Regular review of Safe Work Procedures
Structured Induction program
Training, including Safe Work Procedures relevant to their job
Supervision to ensure Safe Work Procedures are being followed
WHY? Workers need to know how to do their jobs safely and need to be aware of the issues that affect their health and safety
Training and supervision is all about making sure people are competent in the task they are performing and ensures that people have the knowledge and skills to work safely
Developing safe work procedures is just one part – ensuring workers understand how to perform the task and perform it competently is also an important element.
Some ways to assess this element include:
Safe Work Procedures developed for all tasks in workplace (where risk of injury or illness identified)
Regular review of Safe Work Procedures
Structured Induction program, including general safety rules and responsibilities, and specific task related items
Training, including Safe Work Procedures relevant to their job
Supervision to ensure Safe Work procedures are being followed

12. Injury Management Procedures to follow if injured at work
“Stay at work” and return to work/suitable duties plans developed for workers injured at workplace
Resources to support and assist injured workers
WHY? As employers you have obligations for workers compensation and return to work. Effective workplace rehabilitation has benefits for everyone – workers and businesses
Procedures to follow if injured at work
“stay at work” and return to work/suitable duties plans developed for workers injured at workplace
Resources to support and assist injured workers

13. Examples from industry
Common themes:
Consultation
Toolbox talks for ancillary staff
WHS Committee
Communication across organisation eg via newsletter
Hazard identification/reporting system
Formality/structure of system
Risk Assessment/Safe Work Procedures
Injury management processes
Myself and my colleagues have used this tool with many employers across a range of industries including education
Length of time taken to conduct assessment – depending on availability of evidence – several hours to all day
Some common themes/outcomes from working with education
Consultation
Toolbox talks for ancillary staff
WHS Committee
Communication across organisation eg via newsletter
Hazard identification/reporting system
Formality/structure of system
Risk Assessment/Safe Work Procedures
Injury management processes

14. SASB - safety management system
Management Commitment
Consultation
Safety Management System
Workers Compensation Return to
Safe Work Procedures
Work
Another safety management system available on our web site is the Serious about Safe Business pack.
The pack is a practical approach to managing safety in your workplace, essentially it is a simplified safety management system comprising six fundamental elements:
Management commitment
Consultation
Save work procedures
Training and supervision
Reporting safety
Workers compensation and return to work
The pack includes advice sheets for each element, explaining their importance in managing safety in an effective and systematic manner - along with suggestions for action and implementation as well as some handy templates.
Reporting Safety
Training & Supervision

15. SASB - self assessment
The pack includes a simple self assessment tool which helps you get started with identified priority areas for improvement.
Each element has three rating levels of performance:
The ‘Green zone’ demonstrates you are likely to have effective safety practices in place and will need to maintain these.
The ‘Orange zone’ means you are on the right track, and there are still likely to be opportunities available for improvement
The ‘Red zone’ indicates it is likely that you are not managing health and safety issues effectively. Significant improvements may be required to prevent injuries and illnesses from occurring.

16. Online safety benchmarking tool (OSBT)
Self assessment tool
Confidential
Includes guidance for improvement
Results against:
Set criteria
Business size
Other business in
industry group
And speaking about self assessments for safety management systems ….. another very useful tool on the WHSQ web site is the online safety benchmarking tool.
This tool is suitable for business owners, managers, staff and safety professionals. It can:
Help you to assess whether you have an effective, systematic approach to managing health and safety
Allow you to compare your performance anonymously with other businesses across similar industry sectors and sizes
Provide guidance to help you improve your management of work health and safety issues.

17. OSBT report
On completion of the survey, you are provided with a report that can be used in consultation with employees, safety stakeholders and committee meetings.
You can revisit the tool and use a secure confidential login to add future initiatives you have implemented, reassess your progress and celebrate your success.

18. Injury cost calculator
Initial, overlooked, and uninsured costs:
incident
investigation
damage
replacement
productivity costs
+ existing examples
I’d also like to take this opportunity to present another tool on the WHSQ web site – the injury cost calculator.
The calculator includes:
incident costs, including first aid and transport of injured worker
investigation costs, including time to cease production and investigate the incident
damage costs, including assessment, repair and clean-up time
replacement costs, including locating, hiring and training a replacement worker
productivity costs, including disruption and claim management time.
The injury cost calculator is a tool that assists businesses to calculate the initial and often overlooked and uninsured costs of real and potential workplace injuries.
What costs are excluded?
The calculator does not cover workers' compensation, general insurance (e.g. property/equipment) or any common law costs. You will need to add these costs to the total from the injury cost calculator for a more complete picture of the costs of a workplace injury.
The calculator does not include less tangible costs of a workplace injury, such as poor employee morale, absenteeism, and negative customer relations and business reputation.
Examples using real life scenarios have been developed to demonstrate the impact of injury on your business or organisation.

19. Questions?

20. Contact us

21. What’s your most important reason for workplace safety?
Work safe. Home safe.