Safety, Health and Wellbeing Procedures for Health and Safety Monitoring

Transcription

1 Safety, Health and Wellbeing Procedures for Health and Safety Monitoring September

2 Procedural Guidelines for Health and Safety Monitoring 1 Introduction 1.1 Definition Health and safety monitoring refers to the ongoing follow up in the work area concerned after the completion of the first and subsequent risk assessments and the implementation of hazard control measures/remedial action. Active monitoring gives feedback on performance before accidents, ill health or incidents occur. Reactive monitoring is action triggered by such an event and is dealt with under the procedures for the reporting of accidents, incidents and injuries at work. 1.2 Purpose Health and safety monitoring is the means by which the effectiveness of the hazard control measures can be reviewed and judgements made on the health and safety standards implemented as a result of the risk assessments. Health and safety monitoring also serves to identify those work conditions and practices which present new or previously unforeseen hazards and risks or hazards and risks due to non compliance with the control measures instituted and on what action must be taken. For example the need to review a protocol or undertake an assessment of proposed new equipment. Monitoring is important in ensuring that planned and identified improvements are being implemented and a management responsibility identified in health and safety policy. 2 Safety Health and Wellbeing Advisory Groups (SHWAG s) SHWAG s represent, all faculties and services within the University. The advisory groups monitor local systems and procedures, plan for health and safety, provide reports for management, conduct health and safety inspections and review accident and sickness and absence information. The advisory groups do not, however, reduce general managements responsibilities in relation to safety health and wellbeing. 3 Workplace Inspections Workplace inspection is a key element in active monitoring. Health and safety inspections will be undertaken by the person or persons designated by the Chair of, or manager for the work area(s) concerned. The following people will make up the team. i) The faculty/service safety health and wellbeing liaison person/coordinator; ii) The local safety representative who may be the trade union s safety representative; iii) A member of the local SHWAG, where applicable; iv) Other workplace representative where applicable. The designated person(s) should be familiar with health and safety legislation, University and local policies, regulations, procedures and codes of practice including those relating to relevant specialist areas. Designated persons will be expected to have a positive attitude towards health and safety measures and accident prevention. They will be expected to encourage the development of 2

3 positive health and safety attitudes and practices in others via their health and safety inspection responsibilities and activities. In designating one or more persons to undertake health and safety inspection, the responsible manager is delegating this area of responsibility for the period concerned. However, the designated person(s) shall liaise with the responsible manager on all aspects of the health and safety inspection and shall submit a written report after each health and safety inspection event. Each report will be copied to the SHWAG where applicable. The designated person(s), if not already a member(s) of the SHWAG, will be co-opted to SHWAG to present the health and safety inspection outcomes, actions taken or proposed and future health and safety inspection events. SHWAG members and workplace colleagues will be encouraged to identify conditions or practices for routine or more urgent health and safety inspection. 4 Advice and Training Advice and training will be available for designated person(s) via the Safety Health & Wellbeing office. 5 The Inspection Programme 5.1 When should local health and safety inspection take place? Ideally, over a period of time, e.g. twelve months, health and safety inspection should cover all work areas at the times those areas are operating. The responsible manager and the designated person(s) must give consideration to those work areas which have early starts, late finishes, evening or weekend operations and operations undertaken by different teams of employees and others. The whole task may be managed more efficiently if focused on small workplace units. 5.2 How long should health and safety inspection take? Regular, planned sessions of up to 2 hours duration are preferred to half or full day sessions. However, health and safety inspection must be a thorough process which monitors both compliance with good practice and those conditions or practices which are hazardous. 5.3 What elements should health and safety inspections include? The health and safety inspection form lists premises, conditions, procedures and areas of work to be considered and provides consistency of approach. Inspection forms can be tailored to specific locations or work activities. 3

4 6 Health and Safety Inspection Schedule An inspection schedule will be planned according to the level of risk. It may be necessary to plan additional inspection if conditions change substantially. Normally the schedule will be drafted as follows: Level of area risk High Moderate Low Number of inspections not less than 4 per year not less than 2 per year not less than 1 per year In order that an unacceptable workload is not placed on inspection teams, after an initial team inspection, local managers could be tasked with the interim inspections. In circumstances in which new or different work conditions or practices and their associated control measures are introduced during the period of the schedule, the inspection schedule should be adjusted accordingly. Similarly in the event of a failure of a control measure (whether or not this resulted in an accident) the designated person(s) should ensure that the revised control measures are regularly monitored. 7 Procedure for Health and Safety Inspection 7.1 Planning and Preparation by the Designated Person(s) i ii iii iv prepare inspection schedule; give notice, arrange access and obtain any protective clothing necessary; the health and safety inspection form from previous inspections (or risk assessment forms for the area) should be used as a basis for the process; Incorporate reports from colleagues on conditions or practices for routine or more urgent health and safety inspection, or ask local staff if there are problems they are aware of. 7.2 Inspection Process i. Designated persons are required to engage in active monitoring whatever the identified risk level. This involves observing the work in progress, the controls in place to minimise risk from hazards associated with the work condition or work practice; ii. Designated person(s) must be alert to the presence of any adverse conditions and/or unsafe practices which may occur intermittently in any work area and which are contributory causes of accidents at work (see health and safety inspection form). Whilst recognising that the activities of the work area must continue during the inspection process, designated persons will involve employees and others in the work area, as far as practicably possible, in discussion, in questioning their work procedures, in hearing their views and in giving them advice of a health and safety nature as appropriate. Similarly, where good working conditions prevail and good working practices are observed designated person(s) will commend the employees and others concerned; 4

5 iii. iv. the health and safety inspection form should be completed during the monitoring process and additional notes made on discussions held and advice given as the health and safety inspection proceeds; a cross check should be made, whilst in the work area, to assess the effectiveness of the control measures. The assessment, satisfactory/not satisfactory, should be recorded on form and the risk assessment form revised. v. in the event of a designated person observing or discovering an adverse condition and/or an unsafe practice during the monitoring process which she/he judges to be a major or serious hazard (as defined in the Code of Practice on Health and Safety Risk Assessment) she/he has the delegated authority to require the relevant work activity to cease forthwith. Such a requirement when made should be conveyed in person or telephoned immediately to the responsible manager concerned who will endorse the temporary stop and will activate appropriate corrective procedures in conjunction with a Safety Health and Wellbeing Advisor; vi. at the conclusion of the inspection process the designated person will ensure that the health and safety inspection form is completed fully. The designated person and the workplace supervisor (or equivalent person) must both sign the completed form. 7.3 Final Stages i. in a case in which a work activity has been suspended the designated person must be available, if required, to elaborate on her/his decision for the responsible manager and the Safety Health and Wellbeing Advisor; ii. iii. iv. in all cases, make two copies of the completed form and place the original in the safety file; Prepare a brief commentary/report on the monitoring process and the outcomes. Indicate any action points and risk levels (refer to Risk Assessment Code of Practice); Forward the commentary/report to the responsible manager and the Chair of SHWAG within seven working days (or as soon as practicable) of the health and safety inspection. A copy of the commentary/report should be placed in the safety file; v. Attend the next meeting of SHWAG to speak to the commentary/report and the data on form as required. vi. Inspection monitoring outcomes will form part of the annual Safety Health and Wellbeing Audit process under the management of hazards. 8.0 Further information Inspection forms can be obtained from :- 5