Element 1

Why We Should Manage

Workplace Health and Safety
Learning Objectives

1. Discuss the moral, financial and legal reasons for

managing health and safety in the workplace.

2. Explain how health and safety is regulated and the

consequences of non-compliance.

3. Summarise the main health and safety duties of

different groups of people at work.

4. Explain how contractors should be selected, monitored

and managed
1.1 Morals and Money
Definitions

Health Absence of disease or illness.

The protection of the bodies and minds of people

from illness resulting from the materials,
processes or procedures used in the workplace”.
For example, exposure to hazardous chemical can
result in physical ill health (asthma), verbal abuse
or work-related stress can result in psychological
ill-health.

Safety The protection of people from physical

injury

For example, working at height on an unprotected

edge is unsafe, because there is a potential to fall
from height resulting in serious injury or death.
Hence provision of safe working platform prevent
physical injury is considered as safety.
Definitions

Welfare

The provision of facilities to maintain the health and well-

being of individuals at the workplace.

Welfare facilities includes:

 Washing and sanitation arrangements

 The provision of drinking water

 Heating, lighting, accommodation for clothing

 Seating (when required by the work activity)

 Eating and rest rooms

 First aid arrangements are also considered as welfare

facilities
Definitions

Occupational ill-health

is concerned with those illnesses or physical and

mental disorders that are either caused or triggered by
workplace activities. Such conditions may be induced
by the particular work activity of the individual or by
activities of others in the workplace.

The time interval between exposure and the onset of

the illness may be short (e.g. asthma attacks) or long
(e.g. deafness or cancer).
Reasons for Managing Safely

Legal Finanal
Moral
Duty of care

Duty of care

Legal
- Preventive

- Punitive

- Compensatory

Financial
- Direct Cost
- Indirect Cost
The Moral Reasons for Managing
Health and Safety

• The injured people may suffer pain, disability, and

financial losses as part of their employment.
• The effects of an injury can have consequences on
individual personal and social life.
• It also have impact on injured person’s family which
is morally unaccepted.

Organisations ‘do the right things’ so that the workers return

to home happily without any injury or ill-health

Employers have a moral duty to ensure the health, safety,

and well-being of their employees and non employees
Financial Reason for Managing Health
and Safety

Accidents and ill-health involve costs

Direct Costs

Measurable costs directly associated with the

accidents.
Involves payment of money.

For e.g.
 Compensation pay outs.
 Victim Sick pay.
 Fines from criminal court.
 Machinery repair costs

Indirect Costs
Indirect costs arises as a consequence of the event.
Often difficult to quantify, substantial than direct
costs.

For e.g.
 Loss of worker morale
 Supervisor time spent on investigation and
preparing reports.
 Recruiting and training new employees.
 Loss of business reputation and goodwill
Insured / Uninsured Costs

There is a legal requirement to have insurance against

certain types of liability, however many of these costs
are not covered by insurance.
1.2 Regulating Health and Safety
Legal Reasons for Managing Workplace
Health and Safety

ILO C155 Occupational Safety and Health Convention

1981, will have a legal arrangement in place to
promote occupational safety and health are set into
national laws and enforced.
In UK, the Health Safety Executive enforces legislation
under HASAWA 1974.

There is no harmonised standard for health and

safety, each country has their system in place to
protect employees so far as is reasonably practicable.
International Labour Organisation

ILO is a tripartite structure

- Employers’
- Workers
- Government

ILO implements national policy on social, economic, and

many other issues

The Functions of the ILO

The ILO has four principal strategic objectives:
1. To promote and realise standards, and
fundamental principles and rights at work.
2. To create greater opportunities for women and
men to secure decent employment.
3. To enhance the coverage and effectiveness of
social protection for all.
4. To strengthen triparty and social dialogue.
International Labour Standards

International labour standards are legal instruments

drawn up by the ILO's constituents and setting out basic
principles and rights at work.

They are either ‘conventions,’ which are legally binding

international treaties that may be ratified by member
states, or ‘recommendations,’ which serve as non-binding
guidelines.
Employers’ Responsibility

ILO OSH Convention C155, employers have various

responsibilities. The responsibilities shall be ‘so far
as is reasonably practicable’

“So far as is reasonably practicable”

means that the degree of risk must be balanced

against the time, cost, effort, and degree of difficulty
necessary to combat it.
Employers’ Responsibility

The general duty includes

 the provision and maintenance of plant and

systems of work that are safe and without risks
to health.

 arrangements for ensuring the safety and

absence of risks to health from the use,
handling, storage and transport of articles and
substances.

 the provision of information, instruction,

training, and supervision sufficient to ensure
the health and safety at work of his employees.

 Workplace is maintained in a safe condition

without risk to health, including the means of
access and egress

 provision and maintenance of the working

environment for his employees which is safe
and without risk to health and adequate as
regards the provision of and arrangements for
their welfare facilities.
Employee Responsibilities

ILO convention C155, 1981, sets out the responsibilities of

the workers to safeguard themselves and others from harm.

ILO R164 sets that the employee should

• Take reasonable care for their own safety and that of
other people who might be affected by business
undertakings.

• Comply with procedures and instructions provided to

take care of themselves and others.

• Use of safety devices and Personal Protective

equipment correctly and not to misuse it.

• Report any situation to the supervisor or employer

which they believe, could present imminent danger
which they cannot themselves correct.

• Report any accident or occupational ill health which

arises as part of the employment.
Employee Rights

ILO Convention C155 insists that workers must be

provided with certain rights.

Article 19 to 21 of Convention C155 provides the

following rights to the workers:

 Workers must be given with suitable training

regarding occupational health and safety.
 Workers must be provided with adequate
information on actions taken by the employer to
establish occupational health and safety.
 Employers must make arrangements to the
workers and their representatives so that can co-
operate and consult with employer on matters
relating to occupational health and safety.
 The employee must be given with the right to leave
the workplace where is there is significant risk may
present to his life or health and shall not return to
the place until the workplace becomes safe.
Role of Enforcement Agencies

There is no harmonized standards for health and safety

globally, the enforcement system may vary from country
to country.

There is no harmonized standards for health and

safety globally, the enforcement system may vary
from country to country.

Enforcement Agencies

Fire Authorities

Insurance Companies
Consequences of Non-Compliance

• Issuing enforcement notices

• Fixed penalty fine

• Prosecute the employer in the criminal court

• Withdrawal of License
Other National Standards

These standards are not legal documents but still they are
adopted by many countries globally.

Standards demonstrate good management practices.

The ultimate objective of an organisation is to achieve

management quality and environment.

Standards that ISO has developed includes:

 ISO 9001 – Quality Management Standard (QMS)
 ISO 14001 – Environmental Management System
(EMS)
 ISO 12100 – Safety of Machinery

International standard for occupational health and safety

management:
 ISO 45001:2018
 HSEG65
National Standards

• The Health and Safety Executive

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) U.S
Sources of Information

Internal sources of information

 HSE Policy
 Risk Assessment
 Accident / Ill-health records
 Safety Committee meeting minutes
 First aid treatment records
 Absenteeism records
 Safe system of work / Method statement.
External Sources
 Inspection of Information
/ audit reports.
 Government Bodies i.e. UK - HSE, USA –OSHA
 International Bodies i.e. ILO, WHO
 Professional Bodies i.e. UK - RoSPA, IIRSM
 HSE Publications.
 Manufacturer’s Data
 Insurance Companies
 Trade Associations
 These international bodies even have their own websites
which provides valuable sources of updated information
 http://www.ilo.org.
 http://www.osha.gov.
 http://www.hse.gov.uk.
1.3 Who Does what in
Organisations
Introduction

In all the management systems, organising is an essential

part of the successful management of health and safety.

The significance of this element is to define clear roles

and responsibilities for various parties
Employers’ responsibilities towards
employees includes

 Developing policy, setting responsibilities and

arrangements to implement the policy.

 Provision of safe workplace, machinery, equipment

and substances.

 Providing necessary information, instructions,

training considering the workplace requirements
and individual capabilities.

 Provision of adequate supervision of work, work

practices and the use of correct application of
health and safety measures.

 Provision of welfare facilities including drinking

water, toilet facilities, changing rooms, eye wash
stations, first aid provision etc.,

 Provision of suitable and adequate personal

protective equipment without out any cost the
employees.

 Consultation with their workforce or other

representatives on all matters related health and
safety.

 Taking precautions to eliminate mental and

physical fatigue.
Directors and Senior Managers

Managing Director

Top
Management

Directors

Managers

Middle
Management

Supervisors
Directors and Senior Managers

Directors and senior managers are to make sure that:

 Health and safety policy are developed and

established.

 Carrying out risk assessments and ensures that

suitable control measures are in place.

 Involve themselves in leadership activities like site

visits, consultation with the workforce.

 Allocation of suitable resources

In addition, the senior managers will be provided specific

responsibilities. For instance, taking care of high risk
activities, or entire division or region.

 May appoint competent person to meet organisations

health and safety obligations

 Reviewing health and safety performance of an

organisation to ensure the objectives are being met
and remains valid.
Reviewing Health and Safety Performance

Directors and Senior managers must periodically

review organisation’s health and safety performance.

This can be done annually.

The review should focus on

- Functioning of health and safety management

system

- The resources for continual success

Middle Managers

Responsible for day to day operations

Operational Responsibilities of the middle managers include:

 Provision and maintenance of workplace, equipment,

and tools without any risk to health.
 Risk assessments are carried out and reviewed at
regular intervals.
 Effective consultation and co-operation with workers,
supervisors, and top management.
 Identifying training needs and providing trainings to the
workers and contractors.
 Involve themselves in accident investigations and work-
related ill health.
Supervisor

Supervisor does close supervision of the work activities,

they are responsible for the areas under their control. The
responsibilities include:
• Conduct risk assessment and put effective risk controls in
place so far as is reasonably practicable.
• Develop safe system of work and involve workers when
developing procedures and ensure that the members of his
team are trained.
• Consultation with the workers and employee representatives.
• The supervisor must set as an example by showing his
commitment and control on safe behaviour and following
procedures.
• Carry out first level of investigation followed by near misses,
accident/incident or ill health reported and report to the
senior managers.
• Carrying our workplace inspection on the areas under their
control and to take actions against unsafe conditions, unsafe
practice which are observed at the time of inspection.
• Report to their managers on matters regarding health and
safety, where they do not have authority to take actions.
Joint Occupier Premises

o Co-operate with other employers

o Share information with other employer about the risk

that may arise and affect the other employer’s workers.

o Effective communication and exchange of information

between both the employers

o Development of policies – smoking, emergency spills,

Fire.

o Development of emergency procedures for shared

risks, for example, when establishing fire evacuation
arrangements

o Provision of information about risks through regular

meetings

o Conduct common fire drills, join inspection and

procedures for disposing wastes.

o Carryout joint site risk assessment.

Management of Contractors

Definitions

Client
A person or a firm who engages service of a contractor or
other professional person or company.

Contractor
A person or a firm that undertakes a contract to perform
certain work independently on behalf and not under the
direct control of the client.
Management of Contractors

Many of the health and safety problems arising from

contract work result from:

 Poor selection of contractors.

 Poor planning and agreement methods.
 Poor communication and sharing of information.
 Lack of monitoring from both the parties.
Client Responsibilities

 Address the risk to the safety of its employees.

 Address the risk to the contractor’s employees

arising from premises / plant / equipment / activity.

 Address risk to the public / others arising from the

work.
Contractor Responsibilities

Address the risk

 to their own employees arising from the work.

 to the client employees arising from the work.

 to the client arising from the work.

Effective Management of Contractors

 Selection of Contractor

 Planning the job

 Co-ordination of the work.

 Monitoring the contractors work

 Review the contractor’s performance and

effectiveness of existing control

Selecting a Contractor

The contractors must be selected carefully based on their

competence in health and safety

 The health and safety policy of the contractor.

 Experience in similar type of job and industry.
 Accident / ill health records.
 The quality of the previous risk assessments, safe
working methods.
 Details of the previous and current clients.
 Membership of professional body or certified body,
for example, Civil Engineering Contractors
Association (CECA), in UK; Builders Association of
India(BAI), in India.
 Enforcement history, any enforcement actions taken
against the contractor.
 The competence and training records of the staff, e.g.
their qualifications, experience and training.
 Machinery and equipment maintenance and testing
records.
 Arrangements in place for monitoring, reporting
accident/ ill health.
Planning the Job

 Carrying out a risk assessment for the contracted

work and together with employer to consider any
risks from each other work activity that could affect
health and safety of workers or others

 Developing safe working methods to control the risks.

 Carrying out Job Safety Analysis.

 Maintaining the documents for safe working methods

(Method Statement).
Co-ordination of the Work

Co-ordination must exist between the client and the

contractor.

That the work activity of both the parties does not

conflict each other.

Several contractors carrying out different tasks at one

time

The activity of one person must not create a hazard for

another in the same work area.

For example if the contractor is carrying out a machinery

maintenance it would be wise to prohibit other workers
or operators do any task with the machinery.
Monitoring and Managing the Work

Ensuring that contract terms and conditions are being

met in terms of technical quality as well as health and
safety.
Frequency depends upon
- The hazards
- The risk associated.
High risk activity may require frequent monitoring.
Long duration low risk work may be subject to weekly or
less frequent checks.
The proposed frequency is agreed between the client
and contractor initially.
 Regular Checks – ask yourself ‘are the control
measures are effective?
 Investigating after things went wrong, e.g. Near
misses, accidents, ill health reported.
Ask yourself what went wrong and how it can be prevent
from happening again?
Review Contractor’s Performance

The contractor’s job is complete when the work has been

completed according to the plan and the terms of the
contract agreement.

A joint client / contractor review can be effective in

reviewing contractor’s performance.

Any issues arising should be recorded. The information may

determine the future use of the contractor or the need for
changes to contractor management arrangements.
End-of-Section