WHAT is it and WHY is it Important for you Health & Safety Policy Development

An occupational health and safety policy is a statement of an employer's commitment to worker health and safety. A clear, concise occupational health and safety policy, signed by the highest level of management at the workplace, should state the employer's commitment, support and attitude to the health and safety program for the protection of workers.

The employer's attitudes, relationships between management and workers, community interests and technology all combine to play a part in determining how health and safety are viewed and addressed in the workplace.

Workplaces with exceptional health and safety records have established a clear line of responsibility for correcting health and safety concerns. This action enhances working relationships between management and workers.

Compiling a health and safety policy shows that you have been through the process of examining your safety systems. A written health & safety policy is a legal requirement for any company employing 5 or more staff. The policy should consist of three key sections:

Statement of Intent (What the company intends to achieve with regards to health & safety – it’s objectives targets and goals)

Organizational Responsibilities (Who is responsible for what, from Managing Director and the Board, down through layers of management right the way down to employees).

Arrangements for Implementation (How the company is going to achieve its aims – the detailed procedures that will be followed to ensure staff remain safe and healthy). This should be specific to the company, and might include such topics as risk assessment, training procedures, manual handling, work at height, workplace transport, personal protective equipment, consultation with employees etc.

The policy must be regularly reviewed and revised, and must be brought to the attention of all employees.

Whatever your current position Effective Safety can help. If you have no current policy at all, we can work with you to develop a brand new policy or perhaps you already have a policy, but feel it is a little outdated and not quite to your needs. Rather than reinvent the wheel, we can review and update the policy – trimming any sections not relevant and adding any required sections.

The requires that anyone employing five or more persons must:
Prepare a written statement of policy
Set out organization and arrangement for implementing policy
Revise and update as necessary
Bring the policy and arrangements to the notice of all employees

A sample Health and Safety Policy

[Employer name/Farm operation ] is vitally interested in the health and safety of its employees. Protection of employees from injury or occupational disease is a major continuing objective. [_____ ] will make every effort to provide a safe, healthy work environment. All supervisors and workers must be dedicated to the continuing objective of reducing risk of injury.

[_____ ], as employer, is ultimately responsible for worker health and safety. As the employer of [______ ], I give you my personal promise that every reasonable precaution will be taken for the protection of workers. Supervisors will be held accountable for the health and safety of workers under their supervision. Supervisors are responsible to ensure that machinery and equipment are safe and that workers work in compliance with established safe work practices and procedures. Workers must receive adequate training in their specific work tasks to protect their health and safety.

Every worker must protect his or her own health and safety by working in compliance with the law and with safe work practices and procedures established by the company (or farm operation).

It is in the best interest of all parties to consider health and safety in every activity. Commitment to health and safety must form an integral part of this organization, from the owner to the workers.

Signed: [______________ ] Employer (Farm operation)

Health and Safety Program

In addition to preparing a health and safety policy like the one above, the employer who regularly employs more than five employees must also have a program in place to implement that policy. This program will vary, depending upon the hazards encountered in a particular workplace. Program elements may include all or some of the following:

Worker training e.g.., new employees, new equipment, new job procedures
Workplace inspections and hazard analysis
Analysis of the accidents and illnesses occurring at the workplace
A health and safety budget
A formal means of communication to address promptly the concerns of workers
Confined space entry procedure
Lock-out procedure
Machine guarding
Material-handling practices and procedures
Procedures specific to the individual farming operation, e.g., harvesting fruit, large animal handling
Preventing occupational disease, e.g., preventing the transmission of diseases from animals to humans
Maintenance and repairs
Housekeeping
Personal protective equipment, e.g.., respirators, hearing protection
Emergency procedures
First-aid and rescue procedures
Electrical safety
Fire prevention
Engineering controls e.g., ventilation