Inside this issue...

-    An area of health and safety which is NOT ridiculous is your health and safety policy!

Dear Reader,

I recently read an article about a gentleman in the UK who’s been forced to take early retirement because his obesity poses a health and safety risk! The poor man says he, too, is worried that he might hurt someone at work if he fell on them.

"I'm 6ft 2ins and diabetic. If I suddenly had a diabetic hypo and there was someone smaller standing next to me, it wouldn't do them any good if I fell on them."

He added that his weight was causing him problems at work – where he often had to climb on to platforms to carry out his tasks.

I think perhaps the UK is being a little extreme. For the full article, click here.

An area of health and safety which is NOT ridiculous is your health and safety policy!

Your health and safety policy is evidence of your commitment to create a safe and healthy work environment and to achieve compliance with health and safety legislation.

A health and safety policy statement focuses your attention on what you need to do. Your management system should align itself to the policy statement.

Example

You have identified high noise levels and the possibility of noise induced hearing loss at your premises. To make this a safe work environment you need to implement a hearing conservation programme.

Your Health and Safety Policy will contain a statement: “To create a safe and healthy work environment, set objectives to reduce health and safety risk.”

You then will set objectives, e.g. reduce the noise levels by 25% within two years.

5 requirements for your Health and Safety Policy

Your policy can be a one-page statement, but it must:

• Be written
• Describe the nature and extent of your business

Example

Xcel Finances provides personal financial services in Southern Africa; or Comfy Sofa Furniture Company, situated in Durban, manufactures wooden furniture for distribution in Southern Africa.

• State your intention to comply with applicable legislation
• State your intentions to provide a safe and healthy working environment
• State when and how you’ll review the policy or there must be a supporting document stating when and how your Health and Safety Management System, including this policy, is reviewed.

Read H03: Health and safety policy in your Health and Safety Advisor, and you’ll also find out:

• Who should draw up your policy?
• In certain industries it’s a legal requirement to have a Health and Safety Policy
• Checklist: Companies that must have a Health and Safety Policy
• Why you should develop a plan even if it’s not a legal requirement
• Step-by-step: 5 steps to ensure your Health and Safety policy is followed
• Sample Health and Safety Policy statement

In the name of safety,

Christel Fouché

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More Health & Safety topics and recent updates...

Take a look at some of the most popular past articles:

    * A GOOD health and safety surprise
    * Who has time to decipher health and safety laws?
    * 9 ways you're driving your employees to drugs
    * Are you ready for a health and safety inspection?

Which have been your favourites? Email me and let me know which articles are your favourites. nadia@fsp.co.za

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