What is a workplace health and safety policy?
A workplace health and safety policy is a written statement of an organization’s commitment to the health and safety of its employees and stakeholder through its operations. It is an endorsed commitment by management to its employees regarding their health and safety¹.
Why do we need a written safety policy?
A workplace health and safety policy aims to prevent workplace accidents and illnesses and ensure that employees have a safe and healthy working environment. It outlines the company’s approach to health and safety management, including its goals, responsibilities for implementing and enforcing safety measures, and procedures for preventing accidents and injuries, promoting safe work practices, and protecting the health and well-being of workers.
The policy may also include information on hazard identification and assessment, reporting and investigating incidents, emergency procedures, health and safety training, and the provision of personal protective equipment and other safety measures. The company’s management should develop it in consultation and participation with workers. It may be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect workplace changes and ensure that it remains relevant and practical.
A workplace health and safety policy is essential for creating a safe and healthy working environment. It can help to reduce the risk of accidents, injuries, and illnesses at work.
Importance of Health And Safety Policy
A health and safety policy is an essential tool for any organization because it:
- Promotes a Safe Work Environment: A well-designed health and safety policy set clear expectations and procedures for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, reducing the risk of accidents and incidents.
- Demonstrates Commitment to Employee Safety: A strong health and safety policy sends a message to employees, customers, and other stakeholders that the organization is very committed to providing a safe work environment.
- Supports Legal Compliance: Health and safety policies help organizations comply with occupational health and safety regulations and laws, reducing the risk of fines and legal action.
- Increases Productivity: By reducing the risk of accidents and incidents, a health and safety policy can help increase productivity and reduce the costs associated with workplace injuries and illnesses.
- Reduce cost: Every accident costs an organization directly or indirectly. Managing health and safety can help reduce accidents and, ultimately, the costs associated with these accidents or incidents.
- Enhances Reputation: An effective health and safety policy can improve an organization’s reputation by demonstrating its commitment to responsible and ethical business practices.
- Facilitates Continuous Improvement: A health and safety policy provides a framework for continuous improvement, helping organizations to identify and eliminate hazards and to make ongoing improvements to the health and safety of their workplace.
Overall, a health and safety policy is an essential component of a comprehensive occupational health and safety management system and is critical to ensuring the health and well-being of employees and the organization’s success.
Key Elements of Health and Safety Policy According to ISO 45001
ISO 45001 is an international standard for occupational health and safety management systems. The standard outlines the key elements of a health and safety policy as follows:
- Commitment: A statement indicating the company’s commitment to providing its employees with a safe and healthy work environment.
- Context of the organization: The policy should consider the organization’s context, including its external and internal factors and the needs and expectations of interested parties.
- Leadership and worker participation: The policy should demonstrate the organization’s commitment to health and safety and involve workers in decision-making and implementation.
- Hazard identification, assessment, and control: The policy should include processes for identifying and assessing hazards and implementing appropriate control measures.
- Objectives and programs: The policy should establish health and safety objectives and implement programs to achieve them.
- Performance measurement and evaluation: The policy should include a process for monitoring and measuring health and safety performance and making improvements as necessary.
- Communication, participation, and consultation: The policy should outline processes for communicating with workers and other interested parties and involving them in health and safety matters.
- Documentation: The policy should be documented and available to all relevant parties. Remember, the top senior management must sign the HSE policy to show their commitment and first priority towards health, safety, and the environment.
- Responsibilities: A clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of top management, middle management, and employees in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.
- Accident and Incident Investigation: A procedure for conducting investigations of accidents and incidents in the workplace.
- Safe Work Procedures: Detailed procedures for performing tasks safely, including emergency response procedures.
- Training: A program for providing health and safety training to employees, including new employee orientation and ongoing training for all employees.
- Personal Protective Equipment: Provision arrangements of appropriate personal protective equipment for employees to use when required.
- Health and Safety Inspections: Regular workplace inspections program to identify and correct potential hazards.
- Emergency Preparedness: Procedures for responding to emergencies, including evacuation plans and emergency response teams.
- Record Keeping: A system for maintaining records of health and safety incidents, hazards, and corrective actions.
- Review and Evaluation: A process for regularly reviewing and evaluating the health and safety program’s effectiveness and making necessary improvements.
- Continuous improvement: The policy should include a process for continuous improvement of the occupational health and safety management system. Set a tangible approach to continually improve workplace health, safety, and environmental conditions.
Why is it important to review safety policy?
It is important to regularly review a company’s health and safety policy to ensure that it remains effective and relevant to current circumstances. There are several reasons why this is necessary:
- Compliance with laws and regulations: Health and safety laws and regulations can change over time, so it’s essential to ensure that the policy stays up-to-date and complies with current requirements.
- Adaptation with technology: New technologies are rapidly evolving, and many advances, such as artificial intelligence (AI), can help to reduce accidents or incidents. Therefore, ensuring that the safety policy keeps evolving and integrating new technologies is essential.
- Protection of employees: A comprehensive and effective health and safety policy review can help to protect employees from accidents, illnesses, and other work-related hazards.
- Improvement of working conditions: Regular reviews can identify areas for improvement and help to create a safer and healthier workplace for employees.
- Reduction of liability: A well-designed health and safety policy can help to reduce a company’s liability in the event of an accident or illness.
- Demonstration of commitment: Regular reviews demonstrate a company’s commitment to health and safety and can help to improve employee morale and engagement.
Overall, regularly reviewing a company’s health and safety policy is a critical component of a comprehensive health and safety program and helps ensure employees’ well-being and safety.
References
1. https://www.gov.nl.ca/dgsnl/ohs/safety-info/si-safety-programs/#15