Successful Workplace Safety & Health Management System

The Safety and Health Management System model below are one of the simple example of Safety and Health management model adopted by successful organisation. This organisation emphasize on the continual improvement of safety and health program in the workplace to ensure that the safety and health of the workers will be the priority in their business operations.

The main component that will moves this Safety and Health Management System to be functional and effective is the Commitment from the Top Management. The overall responsibility to this systems lies on the shoulder of management team (both top and middle Management team). They have to ensure that all other components of the systems established in a systematic manner with a proper planning and implementation.

They have to set the policy and objectives, employ resources, budget allocations, get the correct team and monitor the programs.  The implementation of any program related to safety and health should be based on this management system so that it can be monitor and improved accordingly to ensure the safety and health of the workers is maintained. Audit and inspection is the  tool that can be used by the management team to ensure the effectiveness  and the quality of the program introduced .

The professional groups in Safety and Health such as Safety and Health Officer, Occupational Health Doctor and Nurses, Industrial Hygienist, Toxicologist, etc. should be engaged by the management to assist them in establishing Safety and Health programs. The implemented programs should then be evaluated and improved.

WHY A BUSINESS NEED AN OSH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ?

WHY A BUSINESS NEED AN OSH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM  ?

In business organisations, the basic difference between safety and health management and other aspect of management is that it generally does not seem to be part of organisation. People have a variety of reasons and motivations to begin and continue their business without proper consideration for safety and health. However, a well managed and successful organisation normally have a better safety and health performance and accident record. Therefore, the way safety and health is managed can be used as a yardstick of an efficient business.

Heinrich who is known as father of safety management considered accident as partial failure of the safety management. According to the DOMINO THEORY of accident causation model, Management lack of control is the main element that contribute to the domino effect in the event of an accident. Therefore preventing accident by proper management of Safety and Health will also prevent failure of the management in their duties.

In Piper Alpha Fire Tragedy, Lord Cullen stated in his report:-                               

    “ The Safety Management System should set out the safety objective….          the system by which these objectives are to be achieved, and the performance standards which are to be met and the means by which adherence to the standard is to be monitored “

The approach of Quality Management Model sometimes called “Deming Model” or “PDCA” is a complete loop system. This will ensure that the standard or quality will be achieved and the effectiveness of the management system is well monitored and improved continuously within the system.