Well, it’s a good question and the reason why safety sometimes misses the mark. More systems and paperwork do not equate to better safety, and in fact it can lead to the opposite.
Simply, it’s too much safety stuff, i.e., SOPs, Polices, Plans, etc. which are focused on the wrong areas of the business. Creating processes and related work that doesn’t need to exist and which distracts from taking care of what is important, which is critical risks is safety clutter.
Intesafety recently went through a deep dive of all our systems and processes we use to support our clients. We were also guilty of this. We’ve stripped our systems bare to focus on what’s important and in the process made safety more understandable and useable by keeping it simple and real.
A few key questions that may help you establish if you suffer from safety clutter or indeed you are starting out on the safety journey:
To reduce the safety clutter, this is the end 😊.
To summarise, more documentation and paper does not lead to better safety. Keep it simple and real focusing on critical risk and you are on the right track.
Good Luck.
Internationally, there have been many attempts to identify the success factors for effective Health and Safety programmes and develop the relative management systems.
New Zealand business has primarily followed the AS/NZS 4801, 4804 and the OHSAS 18001 for measurement, application, and verification of management systems.
But with the withdrawal of the NZS 4801 programme and imminent removal of OHSAS 18001 programme, businesses face a systems verification dilemma.
Since the implementation of the HSW Act 2015, one national key audit process has been developed (the Safe Plus programme) and the internationally recognised ISO 45001 which was developed as an international standard by multiple business and trade unions.
With many common elements to the OHSAS 18001 and AS/NZS 4801 systems, organisations that retain either certification should be in a good position to transition to the ISO 45001 requirements.
Additionally, the base requirements for ISO 14001 (Environmental) and ISO 9001 (Quality) are shared in the system structure which allows business a head start to these additional standards if desired.
Many businesses will ask: what’s in it for me? (WiiFM)
Given the imminent withdrawal of the previous audit standards and subsequent certification, ISO 45001 is the natural heir apparent.
Clients, stakeholders and other PCBU will be looking for a recognised certification to enable the company into an application for tender process or simply as fulfilling their PCBU obligation to ensure engaged PCBU have a measure of competence to undertake works.
For PCBU contractors, they have long known of the labyrinth of pre-qualification requirements from individual clients – some require certification under a specific pre-qualification programme, other PCBU a differing one. This has been a waste of PCBU resourcing that has required duplication of work and productivity loss.
While it cannot be guaranteed that the existing pre-qualification processes will be entirely removed once ISO 45001 certification has been confirmed, initial indicators are that national and local government agencies will be looking for ISO 45001 certification as a pre-requisite for tendering purposes.
Companies that already have either AS/NZS 4801 or 18001 are well placed for ISO 45001 transition.
An integrated H&S, HS&E or HSEQ that is fit for purpose and proportional to the company size and activity is important. The audit standards have additional focus in the following areas:
At Intesafety, we’re proud of successfully producing integrated health and safety management systems specific to each business’ risks, that are compliant with the requirements of both AS/NZS 4801 and OHSAS 18001.
We are now developing our processes to include an HSE(Q) option for those companies that require ISO 14001 and 9001 compliant systems.
In association with our partner INX software, we can also provide an integrated HSEQ management software solution that has world leading HSEQ functionality, oversight and performance reporting capabilities.
Please call us to discuss your needs and how we can support your workplace HSEQ management systems development with ease.
Written by Aaron Neighbours.
Recently I had the pleasure of attending an ISO 45001 briefing regarding the transition from the terminal AS/NZS 4801 & 18001 Health and Safety Management Standards criteria.
What struck me during the presentation was the alignment to Intesafety’s existing approach of producing ISO standards compliant, risk based and integrated safety management systems.
We have previously based our management system development on the OHSAS 18001 format, then tailored these elements to suit each client’s organisation size, activities and associated risk profile.
By using this process, we have established a solid foundation for clients to migrate their existing systems into an ISO 45001 compliant system with minimum fuss, resourcing or cost.
Our plans and system documents clearly set out expectations for the management of health and safety. By working with a common system across all its operations, a standardised and consistent approach can be achieved between all Health and Safety, Environmental, and Quality operating activities.
System documentation links specific elements of the company HSMS to the Plan – Do – Check – Act (PDCA) continual improvement cycle. For each of these elements, a section is detailed within the main Health and Safety Management Plan to outline the objectives and key requirements as to how this will be achieved.
This diagram illustrates how each element relates to the key stages of the Plan (Stage 1), Do (Stage 2), Check (Stage 3) and Act (Stage 4) continual improvement cycle.
At Intesafety, we offer functional solutions to improve health and safety management by migrating to the Health and Safety software solution, INX InControl.
InControl HSEQ Management software has user-friendly and effective functionality for managing the majority of HSEQ management system requirements, as well as very advanced data analysis and reporting capabilities.
The system is heavily risk management focused. Along with its core event management and investigation capabilities, you can make your management system almost entirely paperless.
After it is implemented – you will wonder how you previously did without it!
With our clients maintaining compliance to their own specific management system requirements, we can now focus on the support required to transition them into the ISO 45001 audit requirements. This software solution means all the evidence required is at your fingertips if used correctly.
Reach out to us today if you are interested in achieving an integrated and ISO 45001 compliant system or migrating it to an effective HSEQ management software solution.
Written by Aaron Neighbours, Intesafety General Manager and Health & Safety Partner
Have you implemented your health and safety system effectively?
At Intesafety, we regularly undertake reviews of PCBU Health and Safety Systems and Processes. This isn’t only for compliance purposes, but also as a measure of whether it “fits” the organisation and is relative to their risk profile.
It’s not surprising that while health and safety systems are developed with the resources and maturity of the organisation in mind, they often lack clarity around how it should be implemented – and more importantly, the functional requirements of the system.
In other words – they’re strong on the what is required, but short on the how, who, when and what tools to assist with!
As Safety Consultants (we prefer the term Safety Partners), providing health and safety plans to organisations that have the internal health and safety expertise and resources to develop the required processes is fine.
However, it would not be appropriate to deliver off-the-shelf systems to (in some cases) naive clients and then provide little or no implementation support or guidance.
We recognise that in some cases the client does not wish to expend additional resources on implementation support for their plans. If this is the case, then we should be questioning the purpose of the plan request in the first place.
If Safety Consultants are delivering plans without assisting clients with the application/implementation of the plan requirements, we should be asking: how is this improving the client’s safety programme and management of risk?
I know – this sounds like a Safety Consultant with a conscience!
At Intesafety, we can provide plans enabling organisations to fast track their health and safety system to ISO 45001 standards. Or, we can provide a small business plan enabling smaller PCBUs to effectively communicate, implement, and monitor their safety systems.
We provide ongoing guidance and support at a level requested by the client, but also highlight the drawbacks where a plan or systems application falls short.
Intesafety is the New Zealand partner for INX InControl. This scalable HSEQ Management software solution enables you to:
The right health and safety software fits easily and conveniently with your management plan requirements.
We offer a free initial discussion around your existing systems and can offer assistance with any development and implementation required.
With the right management system in place, you can drive the correct attitudes and behaviours – we’re here to partner with you to achieve that.
As Workplace Safety Partners, we are fortunate to be able to work in different businesses each day and interact with many leaders and workers in the process. We can see their safety maturity at different stages and partner with them on their journey to develop, implement and sustain effective Health and Safety management solutions.
When we look at a business risk profile, many aspects of the business share some common risks. One of these, of course, is the risk of harm to its workers.
Whether they are employees, contractors, volunteers or in other work arrangements such as a shared workplace, people are fundamental to any business success. Our collective objective as business leaders is to ensure we understand the businesses risks and ensure there are effective controls in place to manage risks as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
To achieve this level of effective risk management, as leaders, we need to self-check ourselves and ask the right questions.
There has been plenty of advice floated over the last few years about how to lead workplace safety. Some of this is based on scare tactics and must be confusing for leaders when trying to find their way.
Whether you follow the Safety 1, Safety 2, Safety differently, or the next wave of Safety process, it’s important to ensure you bring your focus to what matters most – your people.
We understand that managing and leading workplace safety can appear to be difficult. As your partner, our mission is to support you with workable solutions, coach your leaders and ensure effective management systems.
We support your leaders and H&S professionals to become true ‘Safety Champions’ with our Workplace Health & Safety Management Leadership Mentoring and Coaching.
Find out more and enquire about this service here.
Here at Intesafety, we believe that having an effective health and safety system positively influences organisational performance. We base our systems on the OHSAS 18001 format and tailor these elements to suit the organisation size, activities, and associated risk profile.
The health and safety system documents set out the expectations for the management of health and safety. By working with a common system across all its operations, we achieve a standardised and consistent approach between the operating activities.
Each element of the system documentation links to the specific section of the Company Health and Safety Management System (HSMS) Plan – Do – Check – Act (PDCA) continual improvement cycle.
For each of these elements, a section is detailed within the main Health and Safety Management Plan to outline the objectives and key requirements as to how this will be achieved.
The ‘Plan’ stage is directed at establishing a platform describing how we will establish our systems meeting legal and stakeholder requirements. To ensure this occurs, we also assign responsibilities during the ‘Plan’ stage.
‘Do’ is the operational control platform. It details our risk management responsibilities along with specific guidance for operation issues and contractor management.
‘Check’ details the measurement requirements to ensure that the HSMS is operating as intended. This allows routine review and an opportunity to address any non-conformant or undesired trending.
The ‘Act’ stage is the systems sense check and review platform. It requires the organisation to review its application of the HSMS and build improvements into short and long-term planning.
This process enables Intesafety to maintain a compliant system while tailoring bespoke health and safety plans to meet our client needs.
Article by Ken Rees – Intesafety Health and Safety Partner
At Intesafety, we have the privilege of representing and supporting many businesses daily as their partner in workplace safety management.
We are very fortunate that we get to learn about the different types of businesses we operate in, the many risks involved, engage with its workers and coach its leaders. But most of all, we get to work together and overlay our safety management expertise in a way that fits our clients’ business – so it can reach its primary goals: keep people safe, ensure the business is viable and set out to deliver what’s it’s there to achieve.
It’s pleasing that many businesses we work with see workplace safety as more than just a compliance risk. They have moved beyond this ‘compliance culture’ and instead see it as a way of life – it’s just the way we do business.
After all, what is greater than protecting and caring for your workers and others who could be impacted from the business’s activities?
However, in our collective experience as Health and Safety Management professionals we have certainly seen our fair share of leaders and workers who don’t value safety. We believe in it being our duty to intervene here and set the record straight as to why it is so important.
On these occasions, the underlying question is:
Do they understand how it can be not just the law – but it can be the greatest aspect for their business?
The development of safe systems of work and a proactive safety culture provide benefits for the worker and employer alike. A poor culture can lead to weaknesses in the system and behaviours of staff – possibly because of poor training or communication – and an increase in injury rates.
When you manage risk and get your Health and Safety culture into a mature and proactive space, this then leads to better quality, cost savings and an enhanced reputation – does it not?
Our aim is to be your leader and support partner in workplace safety. We want to work together to deliver workable health and safety solutions to make your business great.
Call us today so we can discuss your challenges and develop a strategy to achieve your goals.
Written by Aaron Neighbours, Intesafety Principal Health and Safety Partner and General Manager
We often get asked, “What is a health and safety management system?”
And then, “How can you tell if it’s effective?”
They aren’t silly questions, and that’s what we are here for at Intesafety.
It is important to be mindful that every business is different. A good practice health and safety management system may have many different elements, each interlinked to achieve the business objectives for workplace safety. There is no one stop off-the-shelf package.
Here at Intesafety, our process is simple.
Firstly, we take the time to understand your business and your risks. We review your existing health and safety systems and processes against good practice and industry standards.
We look at a combination of both the systems and people elements, i.e. how informed are your workers, are your leaders walking the talk, are you monitoring the workplace, etc.
When we’ve completed this assessment, we can measure where your maturity in workplace systems and culture sit. This helps to develop standards, shape the strategy, and then tailor health and safety solutions that fit your business – to ensure it’s usable.
Typical elements may include any or all of the following, depending of the size and complexity of your business:
These are all important elements of typical health and safety management systems.
However, without buy in from workers, they can often fail. Effective leadership is essential – ownership from the top down, an understanding of requirements by all workers, including contractors and other stakeholders involved in your activities.
Further flaws in workplace safety can be the failure to implement systems and workers not following company requirements – i.e. their practices and behaviours are not aligned to where they should be.
How do you monitor these aspects of your business? Is your existing system fit for purpose?
We welcome the opportunity to discuss how your business operates and advise on what you need to do, to ensure you are taking all reasonably practicable steps in relation to workplace health and safety management.
Give us a call today – let’s think safe, work safe and ensure everyone goes home safe.
Written by Aaron Neighbours, Intesafety Principal Health & Safety Partner and General Manager
