Economics can play a major role in influencing health and safety standards. The following ways are the most common:
X
u lack of orders and/or money can cause employers to try to ignore health and safety requirements;
X
u if employers were really aware of the actual and potential cost of accidents and fires, they would be more concerned about prevention. The HSE believes that the ratio between insured and uninsured costs of accidents is between 1:8 and 1:36;
X
u perversely, when the economy is booming activity increases and, particularly in the building industry, accidents can sharply increase. The pressures to perform and deliver for customers can be safety averse;
X
u businesses that are only managed on short-term performance indicators seldom see the advantage of the long-term gains that are possible with a happy, safe and fit workforce.
The cost of accidents and ill-health, in both human and financial terms, needs to be visible throughout the organisation so that all levels of employee are encouraged to take preventative measures.
3.6 Practice revision questions
1. (a) Describe the four elements that boards of directors should take into account when overseeing the management of health and safety within their organisation.
(b) Outline the responsibilities that departmental managers have to ensure the health, safety and welfare of those working in their department.
(c) Outline the factors that will determine the level of supervision that a new employee should receive during their initial period of employment within an organisation.
2. (a) Explain the meaning of the term ‘competent person’ when related to health and safety.
(b) Outline the factors that the employer should consider when selecting an individual for the role of health and safety competent person within the organisation.
(c) Outline the organisational factors that may cause a person to work unsafely even though they are competent.
(d) Identify FOUR types of specialist help that may be required to support the health and safety function.
3. (a) Explain the meaning of the term ‘health and safety culture’.
(b) Describe FIVE requirements of a positive health and safety culture.
(c) Identify ways in which the health and safety culture of an organisation might be improved.
(d) Outline EIGHT possible indications of a poor health and safety culture in an organisation.
4. (a) The number of accidents is a measure of the health and safety culture in a company. State the definition of ‘accident incidence rate’.
(b) Describe other measures of health and safety culture. Outline how information on accidents could be used to promote health and safety in the workplace.
5. (a) Explain, using an example, the meaning of the term ‘attitude’.
(b) Outline THREE influences on the attitude towards health and safety of employees within an organisation.
6. (a) Explain the meaning of the term ‘motivation’.
(b) Other than lack of motivation, outline FOUR reasons why employees may fail to comply with safety procedures at work.
(c) Outline ways in which employers may motivate their employees to comply with health and safety procedures.
7. (a) Explain the meaning of the term
‘perception’.
(b) Outline the factors relating to the individual that may influence a person’s perception of an occupational risk.
(c) Outline ways in which employees’
perceptions of hazards in the workplace might be improved.
8. The human factors which influence behaviour in the workplace are the organisation, the job and personal factors.
(a) Describe the essential elements in the organisation and the job that will ensure good health and safety behaviour.
(b) Outline personal or individual factors that may contribute to human errors occurring at work.
9. (a) Explain the meaning of the term ‘human error’.
(b) Describe the difference between human errors and violations.
(c) Describe, using practical examples, THREE types of human error and THREE types of violation that can lead to accidents in the workplace.
10. (a) Identify FIVE topics for which there would be health and safety standards in a company.
(b) Outline the possible actions that a chief executive and senior managers could take to improve the health and safety standards in the workplace.
11. Following a significant increase in accidents, a health and safety campaign is to be launched within a manufacturing company to encourage safer working by employees.
(a) Outline how the company might ensure that the nature of the campaign is effectively communicated to, and understood by, employees.
(b) Identify a range of methods that an employer can use to provide health and safety
information directly to individual employees.
(c) Outline reasons why the safety
procedures may not have been followed by all employees.
12. Outline the advantages and disadvantages of communicating health and safety messages to employees:
(a) Verbally (b) In writing (c) Graphically.
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13. Notice boards are often used to display health and safety information in the workplace.
(a) Outline the limitations of relying on this method to communicate to employees and how these limitations may be addressed.
(b) Identify FOUR types of health and safety information that might usefully be displayed on a notice board.
(c) Identify FOUR other methods which the employer could use to communicate essential health and safety information to their
employees.
14. (a) Explain the circumstances in which an employer must form a health and safety committee under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations.
(b) Outline SIX reasons why a health and safety committee may prove to be ineffective in practice.
15. With reference to the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996:
(a) explain the difference between consulting and informing and the ways in which an employer can consult with the workforce;
(b) outline FOUR health and safety matters on which employers must consult their employees;
(c) outline the rights and functions of
representatives of employee safety elected
under the Regulations;
(d) identify four types of information that an employer is not obliged to disclose to an employee representative.
16. (a) Outline the importance of induction training for new employees in reducing the number of accidents in a workplace.
(b) Outline reasons for additional refresher health and safety training at a later stage of employment within a workplace.
(c) Identify the reasons for a review of the health and safety training programme within an organisation.
17. A building contractor is to undertake building maintenance work in the roof space of a busy warehouse. Outline the issues that should be covered in an induction programme for the contractor’s employees.
18. Following an accident at a manufacturing company, an investigation concluded that there had been a poor record of specialist and supervisory training.
(a) Identify THREE types of specialist training that may have been relevant to the company.
(b) Outline the possible supervisory failures that could have caused an accident.
19. Describe TWO internal and TWO external influences on the health and safety culture of an organisation.
APPENDIX 3.1 Leadership actions for directors and board members
This guidance, taken from INDG417, sets out an agenda for the effective leadership of health and safety by all directors, governors, trustees, officers and their equivalents in the private, public and third sectors. It applies to organisations of all sizes.
There are four elements that boards need to incorporate into their management of health and safety. These are:
X
u planning the direction of health and safety;
X
u delivering the plan for health and safety;
X
u monitoring health and safety performance; and X
u reviewing health and safety performance.
1. Planning the direction of health and safety The Board should set the direction for effective health and safety management. Board members need to establish a health and safety policy that is much more than a document – it should be an integral part of the organisation’s culture, its values and performance standards.
All board members should take the lead in ensuring the communication of health and safety duties and benefits throughout the organisation. Executive directors must develop the policy since they have responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the organisation and must respond quickly where difficulties arise or new risks are introduced; non-executive directors must make sure that health and safety is properly addressed.
Essential actions
For a policy to be effective, all board members must be aware of the significant risks faced by their organisation. The policy should include the Board’s role and that of individual board members in leading the management of health and safety in the organisation.
The Board needs to ‘own’ and understand the key issues involved and decide on the best methods to communicate, promote and champion health and safety.
The health and safety policy is a ‘living’ document and it should evolve over time; for example, during major organisational changes such as restructuring or a significant acquisition.
Good practice guide X
u Health and safety should appear regularly on the agenda for board meetings.
X
u The Chief Executive should give the clear leadership, but it may also be useful to name one of their members as the health and safety
‘champion’.
X
u The presence on the Board of a Health and Safety Director gives a strong signal that the issue is being
taken seriously and that its strategic importance is understood.
X
u The setting of targets helps the Board to measure performance.
X
u A non-executive director can act as a scrutiniser to ensure that robust processes are in place to support boards that face significant health and safety risks.
2. Delivering the plan for health and safety Delivery depends on an effective management system to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of employees, customers and members of the public. Organisations should aim to protect people by introducing management systems and practices that ensure risks are dealt with sensibly, responsibly and proportionately.
Essential actions
To take responsibility and ‘ownership’ of health and safety, members of the Board must ensure that:
X
u health and safety arrangements are adequately resourced;
X
u they obtain competent health and safety advice;
X
u risk assessments are carried out;
X
u employees or their representatives are involved in decisions that affect their health and safety.
The Board should consider the health and safety implications of introducing new processes, working practices or personnel and dedicate adequate resources to the task and seek competent advice when necessary. All board decisions, particularly when implementing change, must be made in the context of the organisation’s health and safety policy.
Good practice guide X
u Leadership is more effective if visible – board members can reinforce health and safety policy by being seen on the ‘shop floor’, following all safety measures themselves and addressing any breaches immediately.
X
u Health and safety should be considered when senior management appointments are made.
X
u Having good procurement standards for goods, equipment and services should prevent the introduction of expensive health and safety hazards.
X
u The health and safety arrangements of partners, key suppliers and contractors should be assessed regularly since their performance could adversely affect a director’s own performance.
X
u A separate risk management or health and safety sub-committee of the Board, chaired by a senior executive, should ensure that key issues are addressed and guard against time and effort
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being wasted on trivial risks and unnecessary bureaucracy.
X
u Health and safety training to some or all board members will promote understanding and knowledge of the key health and safety issues in the organisation.
X
u Worker involvement in health and safety, above the legal duty to consult worker representatives, will improve participation and indicate the commitment of senior management.
3. Monitoring health and safety performance Monitoring and reporting are vital parts of a health and safety system. Management systems must allow the Board to receive both specific (e.g. incident-led) and routine reports on the performance of health and safety policy. Much day-to-day health and safety information need be reported only at the time of a formal review. But only a strong system of monitoring can ensure that the formal review will proceed as planned – and that relevant events in the interim are brought to the Board’s attention.
Core actions
The Board should ensure that:
X
u appropriate weight is given to reporting both preventative information (such as progress of training and maintenance programmes) and incident data (such as accident and sickness absence rates);
X
u periodic audits of the effectiveness of management structures and risk controls for health and safety are carried out;
X
u the impact of changes such as the introduction of new procedures, work processes or products, or any major health and safety failure, is reported as soon as possible to the Board;
X
u there are procedures to implement new and changed legal requirements and to consider other external developments and events.
Good practice guide X
u Effective monitoring of sickness absence and workplace health will alert the Board to underlying problems that could seriously damage performance or result in accidents and long-term illness.
X
u The collection of workplace health and safety data will allow the Board to benchmark the
organisation’s performance against others in its sector.
X
u Appraisals of senior managers should include an assessment of their contribution to health and safety performance.
X
u Boards should receive regular reports on the health and safety performance and actions of contractors.
X
u Organisations will find that they win greater support for health and safety from workers by involving them in the monitoring process.
4. Reviewing health and safety performance A formal boardroom review of health and safety performance is essential. It allows the Board to establish whether the essential health and safety principles – strong and active leadership, worker involvement, and assessment and review – have been embedded in the organisation. It tells senior managers whether their system is effective in managing risk and protecting people.
Core actions
The Board should review health and safety
performance at least once a year. The review process should:
X
u examine whether the health and safety policy reflects the organisation’s current priorities, plans and targets;
X
u examine whether risk management and other health and safety systems have been effectively reported to the Board;
X
u report health and safety shortcomings, and the effect of all relevant board and management decisions;
X
u decide actions to address any weaknesses and a system to monitor their implementation;
X
u instigate immediate reviews in the light of major shortcomings or events.
Good practice guide X
u Performance on health and safety and well-being should be reported in the organisations’ annual report to investors and stakeholders.
X
u Board members should make extra ‘shop floor’
visits to gather information for the formal review.
X
u Good health and safety performance should be celebrated at central and local level.
APPENDIX 3.2 Detailed health and safety responsibilities Managing Directors/Chief Executives
1. Are responsible and accountable for health and safety performance at the organisation;
2. Develop a strong, positive health and safety culture throughout the company and communicate it to all managers. This should ensure that all managers have a clear understanding of their health and safety responsibilities;
3. Provide guidance and leadership on health and safety matters to their management team;
4. Establish minimum acceptable health and safety standards within the organisation;
5. Ensure that adequate resources are available for the health and safety requirements within the organisation and authorise any necessary major health and safety expenditures;
6. Evaluate, approve and authorise health and safety related projects developed by the organisation’s health and safety advisers;
7. Review and approve health and safety policies, procedures and programmes developed by the organisation’s managers;
8. Ensure that a working knowledge of the areas of health and safety that are regulated by various governmental agencies, particularly the HSE, Local Authorities and the Environment Agency, are maintained;
9. Ensure that health and safety is included as an agenda topic at all formal senior management meetings;
10. Review and act upon major recommendations submitted by outside loss prevention consultants and insurance companies;
11. Ensure that health and safety is included in any tours such as fire inspections of the organisation’s sites and note any observed acts or conditions that fall short of or exceed agreed health and safety standards;
12. Ensure that all fatalities, major property losses, serious lost workday injuries and dangerous occurrences are investigated;
13. Establish, implement and maintain a formal, written health and safety programme for the organisation that encompasses all areas of significant health and safety risk;
14. Establish controls to ensure uniform adherence to the health and safety programme across the organisation;
15. Attend the health and safety committee meetings at the organisation;
16. Review, on a regular basis, all health and safety activity reports and performance statistics;
17. Review health and safety reports submitted by outside agencies and determine that any agreed actions have been taken;
18. Review annually the effectiveness of, and, if necessary, require revision of, the site health and safety programme;
19. Appraise the performance of the health and safety advisers and provide guidance or training where necessary;
20. Monitor the progress of managers and others towards achieving their individual health and safety objectives.