Planning and Implementation

Initial review

The organization’s existing OSH management system and relevant arrangements should be evaluated by an initial review, as appropriate. In the case where no OSH management system exists, or if the organization is newly established, the initial review should serve as a basis for establishing an OSH management system.

The initial review should be carried out by competent persons, in consultation with workers and/or their representatives, as appropriate. It should:

• identify the current applicable national laws and regulations, national guidelines, tailored guidelines, voluntary programmes and other requirements to which the organization subscribes;
• identify, anticipate and assess hazards and risks to safety and health arising from the existing or proposed work environment and work organization; and
• determine whether planned or existing controls are adequate to eliminate hazards or control risks; and
• analyse the data provided from workers’ health surveillance, incident reports and near-misses.

The result of the initial review should:

• be documented;
• become the basis for making decisions regarding the implementation of the OSH management system; and
• provide a baseline from which continual improvement of the organization’s OSH management system can be measured.

System planning, development and implementation

The purpose of planning should be to create an OSH management system that supports:

• as the minimum, compliance with national laws and regulations;
• the elements of the organization’s OSH management system; and
• continual improvement in OSH performance.

Arrangements should be made for adequate and appropriate OSH planning, based on the results of the initial review, subsequent reviews or other available data. These planning arrangements should contribute to the protection of safety and health at work, and should include:

• a clear definition, priority setting and quantification, where appropriate, of the organization’s OSH objectives;
• the preparation of a plan for achieving each objective, with defined responsibility and clear performance criteria indicating what is to be done by whom and when;
• the selection of measurement criteria for confirming that the objectives are achieved; and
• the provision of adequate resources, including human and financial resources and technical support, as appropriate.

The OSH planning arrangements of the organization should cover the development and implementation of all the OSH management system elements, as described earlier and illustrated in figure 1.
 

Occupational safety and health objectives

Consistent with the OSH policy and based on the initial or subsequent reviews, measurable OSH objectives should be established, which are:

• specific to the organization, and appropriate to and according to its size and nature of activity;
• consistent with the relevant and applicable national laws and regulations, and the technical and business obligations of the organization with regard to OSH;
• focused towards continually improving workers’ OSH protection to achieve the best OSH performance;
• realistic and achievable;
• documented, and communicated to all relevant functions and levels of the organization; and
• periodically evaluated and if necessary updated.

Hazard prevention

Prevention and control measures

Hazards and risks to workers’ safety and health should be identified and assessed on an ongoing basis. Preventive and protective measures should be implemented in the following order of priority:

• eliminate the hazard/risk;
• control the hazard/risk at source, through the use of engineering controls or organizational measures;
• minimize the hazard/risk by the design of safe work systems, which include administrative control measures; and
• where residual hazards/risks cannot be controlled by collective measures, the employer should provide for appropriate personal protective equipment, including clothing, at no cost, and should implement measures to ensure its use and maintenance.

Hazard prevention and control procedures or arrangements should be established and should:

• be adapted to the hazards and risks encountered by the organization;
• be reviewed and modified if necessary on a regular basis;
• comply with national laws and regulations, and reflect good practice; and
• consider the current state of knowledge, including information or reports from organizations, such as labour inspectorates, occupational safety and health services, and other services as appropriate.

What is meant by ‘hazard’ and ‘risk’?

A hazard is something in an organization that has the inherent potential to cause injury or damage to people’s health, such as chemicals, electricity and working at height. Risk is when a hazard and person come together. Risk is the chance, high or low, that somebody could be harmed by the hazard, together with an indication of how serious the harm could be.

Management of change

The impact on OSH of internal changes (such as those in staffing or due to new processes, working procedures, organizational structures or acquisitions) and of external changes (for example, as a result of amendments of national laws and regulations, organizational mergers, and developments in OSH knowledge and technology) should be evaluated and appropriate preventive steps taken prior to the introduction of changes.

A workplace hazard identification and risk assessment should be carried out before any modification or introduction of new work methods, materials, processes or machinery. Such assessment should be done in consultation with and involving workers and their representatives, and the safety and health committee, where appropriate.

The implementation of a “decision to change” should ensure that all affected members of the organization are properly informed and trained.

For further information of how organizations can reduce the risks through hazard identification and risk assessment see the section on controlling the risks.

Emergency prevention, preparedness and response

Emergency prevention, preparedness and response arrangements should be established and maintained. These arrangements should identify the potential for accidents and emergency situations, and address the prevention of OSH risks associated with them. Quick and effective action may help to ease the situation and reduce the consequences. However, in emergencies people are more likely to respond reliably if they:

• are well trained and competent;
• take part in regular and realistic practice;
• have clearly agreed, recorded and rehearsed plans, actions and responsibilities.

The arrangements should be made according to the size and nature of activity of the organization.

The arrangements should:

• ensure that the necessary information, internal communication and coordination are provided to protect all people in the event of an emergency at the worksite;
• provide information to, and communication with, the relevant competent authorities, and the neighbourhood and emergency response services;
• address first-aid and medical assistance, firefighting and evacuation of all people at the worksite; and
• provide relevant information and training to all members of the organization, at all levels, including regular exercises in emergency prevention, preparedness and response procedures.

Emergency prevention, preparedness and response arrangements should be established in cooperation with external emergency services and other bodies where applicable.

Have employers considered the following matters with regards to emergency procedures?
 

• What might happen and how the alarm will be raised. Not forgetting night and shift working, weekends and times when the premises are closed, e.g. holidays.
• Planning what to do, including how to call the emergency services. Helping them by clearly marking the premises from the road. Is there a simple plan showing the location of hazardous items.
• Where to go to reach a place of safety or to get rescue equipment. Are suitable forms of emergency lighting provided?
• The number of emergency exits so that everyone can escape quickly, and are emergency doors and escape routes kept unobstructed and clearly marked.
• Have competent people been nominated to take control (a competent person is someone with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to manage safety and health).
• Deciding which other key people they need, such as a nominated incident controller, someone who is able to provide technical and other site-specific information if necessary, or first-aiders.
• Have essential actions been planned such as emergency plant shutdown, isolation or making processes safe. Clearly identify important items like shut-off valves and electrical isolators etc.
• Has everyone been trained in emergency procedures. Not forgetting the needs of people with disabilities and vulnerable workers.
• Work should not resume after an emergency if a serious danger remains. If you have any doubts ask for assistance from the emergency services.

Procurement

Procedures should be established and maintained to ensure that:

• compliance with safety and health requirements for the organization is identified, evaluated and incorporated into purchasing and leasing specifications;
• national laws and regulations and the organization’s own OSH requirements are identified prior to the procurement of goods and services; and
• arrangements are made to achieve conformance to the requirements prior to their use.

Contracting

Arrangements should be established and maintained for ensuring that the organization’s safety and health requirements, or at least the equivalent, are applied to contractors and their workers.

Arrangements for contractors working on site should:

• include OSH criteria in procedures for evaluating and selecting contractors;
• establish effective ongoing communication and coordination between appropriate levels of the organization and the contractor prior to commencing work. This should include provisions for communicating hazards and the measures to prevent and control them;
• include arrangements for reporting of work-related injuries, ill health, diseases and incidents among the contractors’ workers while performing work for the organization;
• provide relevant workplace safety and health hazard awareness and training to contractors or their workers prior to commencing work and as work progresses, as necessary;
• regularly monitor OSH performance of contractor activities on site; and
• ensure that on-site OSH procedures and arrangements are followed by the contractor(s).