A successful health and safety management system is built on the foundation of a well-crafted health and safety policy statement, which also sets the tone for the organization’s safety culture by displaying leadership from the top.
A health and safety policy statement are ISO 45001 document packages that states an organization’s dedication to upholding workplace safety and shielding its workers from dangers and hazards. There are two key reasons why having a health and safety policy is crucial:
- Employers with five or more employees are required by law to have a recorded policy, as stated in Regulation 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974. It is helpful to have a written policy in place even if you are a lone proprietor and collaborate with contractors or employ fewer than five people.
- A company’s occupational health and safety policy must be defined and documented, according to ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Standard Clause 5.2 OH&S Policy.
It is crucial to distinguish between adhering to ISO 45001 standards and meeting legal requirements under the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974. The differences will be discussed in this post along with how to apply them to your own company.
How to Write a Health Safety Policy?
Your health and safety policy needs to meet certain requirements to document commitments to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 and obtain ISO 45001:2018 certification.
These pledges consist of the following:
- Workplace Health and Safety Act of 1974
- Avoid cases of health problems at work.
- Taking care of health and safety hazards at work.
- Ensuring personnel are competent to perform their jobs requires providing clear and explicit instruction, information, and training.
- Giving employees personal protection equipment.
- Advising workers on issues about their health and well-being.
- Supplying and keeping up secure plants and machinery.
- Ensuring the responsible use and handling of substances.
- Keeping wholesome and safe working environments.
- Carrying out emergency protocols, such as evacuation in the event of a fire or other major crisis, such as working
ISO 45001 Occupational Health Safety Standard
- Supplying a safe and healthy work environment that is appropriate for the size, purpose, and context of the organization to prevent work-related illnesses and injuries.
- Offering a structure for deciding on OH&S goals.
- Meeting prerequisites, including legal ones.
- Removing dangers and lowering OH&S concerns.
- The OH&S management system’s ongoing development.
- Participation and consultation with employees as well as, if applicable, workers’ representatives.
- You might see parallels in the commitments. By being aware of both needs, you can keep your health and safety policy from becoming redundant.
How to Convey the Contents of Your Health and Safety Policy?
The company’s health and safety policy must be understood by all employees. There’s no need to commit the policy to memory. Nonetheless, they ought to comprehend it and their part in accomplishing the organization’s goals regarding health and safety. Many businesses proudly post their policy statements about health and safety on their websites, intranets, or SharePoint systems.
How to Review the Health and Safety Policy?
The frequency of conducting a review depends upon such factors as companies and the size of the companies. Health safety executive The Health Safety Executive recommends doing a review once a year at the very least. If there’s a major change in the business circumstances, nevertheless, it can be important to do a review within that time range. Common modifications consist of:
- Improvements to machinery or equipment.
- Modifications to essential goods or services.
- Launching a new division for the company.
- Shifts in geography.
- Changes occur in leadership.
- Alterations following an occurrence.