What Is A Safety Management System?
Safety is important to any organization engaged in business activities with employees, customers and vendors. Issues of legal liability and financial responsibility are serious legitimate business concerns. A safety management system ideally is an integrated and documented program of continuous improvement in all areas of safety.
Need for a Safety Management System
Accidents, property damage, injury and illness cost money and require reasonable precaution for the safety and wellness of everyone involved. An organization's safety record affects insurance rates, employee morale and reputation with customers and the community. Safety management involves multiple avenues of control including risk assessment, safety policies and procedures, and safety measurement and monitoring.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment analyzes exposure, severity and probability of unsafe conditions through documented observation. It identifies causes and solutions for accidents, illness, injury or property damage. Risk assessment involves identifying hazards, analyzing who may be affected and how, evaluating risks and determining preventative courses of action, as well as recording the findings and regularly reviewing areas of possible risk and improvements.
Safety Policies and Procedures
Safety policies and procedures are necessary to communicate and document goals and expectations for safety responsibilities. Safety policies explain how employees are to work safely, what is not allowed and what will happen if policies are not followed. Safety procedures include clear instructions for working safely in dangerous areas or with dangerous tools and supplies.
Safety Measurement and Monitoring
Various systems and programs measure and monitor safety. Safety can be monitored internally within an organization or it can be done by an outside source like a consultant. OSHA regulations require specific reporting and record-keeping of accidents, illnesses and injuries that occur on the job. Safety measurement counts numbers and types of accidents and the costs, and monitoring involves assigning responsibility to someone specifically to examine, record and report on safety issues and actions.
Who is Responsible for Safety?
Managers and employees are all responsible for safety. Management has a larger responsibility for organizing safety programs, knowing about safety issues and records, and implementing policies. Employees must follow those procedures.
Need for a Safety Management System
Accidents, property damage, injury and illness cost money and require reasonable precaution for the safety and wellness of everyone involved. An organization's safety record affects insurance rates, employee morale and reputation with customers and the community. Safety management involves multiple avenues of control including risk assessment, safety policies and procedures, and safety measurement and monitoring.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment analyzes exposure, severity and probability of unsafe conditions through documented observation. It identifies causes and solutions for accidents, illness, injury or property damage. Risk assessment involves identifying hazards, analyzing who may be affected and how, evaluating risks and determining preventative courses of action, as well as recording the findings and regularly reviewing areas of possible risk and improvements.
Safety Policies and Procedures
Safety policies and procedures are necessary to communicate and document goals and expectations for safety responsibilities. Safety policies explain how employees are to work safely, what is not allowed and what will happen if policies are not followed. Safety procedures include clear instructions for working safely in dangerous areas or with dangerous tools and supplies.
Safety Measurement and Monitoring
Various systems and programs measure and monitor safety. Safety can be monitored internally within an organization or it can be done by an outside source like a consultant. OSHA regulations require specific reporting and record-keeping of accidents, illnesses and injuries that occur on the job. Safety measurement counts numbers and types of accidents and the costs, and monitoring involves assigning responsibility to someone specifically to examine, record and report on safety issues and actions.
Who is Responsible for Safety?
Managers and employees are all responsible for safety. Management has a larger responsibility for organizing safety programs, knowing about safety issues and records, and implementing policies. Employees must follow those procedures.
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