What is Health and Safety Management?

Health and safety management can be thought of as achieving a workplace that is free from unacceptable risks of harm.

Health and safety management requires a structured and systematic approach to achieve success.

Successful health and safety management within any organisation must stem from the demonstrated and actual commitment, with the acceptance of responsibility, of the people at the top of the organisation and down through a clear chain of command.

The Importance of Health and Safety

Have you ever thought why, as a manager, you need to understand the importance of health and safety in the workplace?

Organisations have a legal duty to put in place suitable arrangements to manage health and safety. The key to effective management of health and safety is dependent on leadership and management, an environment where people are trusted and involved and a trained and skilled workforce.

As a manager, you’ll be involved in implementing these within your organisation. These will help to reduce loss to the organisation through injuries, ill health and incidents.

Why Health and Safety?

As a manager, you have a responsibility to look after the health and safety of the employees who report to you.

However, there are other reasons why health and safety management is a good idea.

Moral – You have a moral obligation to protect employees, contractors and visitors and keep them safe from harm for the sake of themselves, their families and for the continued success of your organisation.

Legal – Providing a safe place of work is important so that people do not suffer injuries or ill health and this philosophy is supported by health and safety laws and regulations. Any organisation causing injury or ill health by its acts or omissions could be prosecuted under criminal law.

Financial – There are a large number of financial costs involved with unsafe workplaces from direct costs associated with legal action, to the indirect costs such as lost time and lack of productivity. An unsafe workplace can also be subject to legal action and fines.

Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA)

PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) is a recurring four-step management method used in organisations for the control and continual improvement of successful health and safety management.

Source: RoSPA e-learning course

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