How to Write a Health and Safety Policy

How to Write a Health and Safety Policy - This guide is intended to give organisation the ideas to formulate their own Occupational Health and Safety Policy by describing the essential ingredients. In brief, there are three main parts of the written policy, namely General Policy Statement, Organisation and Arrangement.

General Policy Statement (or Statement of Intent)

The first part can be a simple and brief statement of the overall intent of the employer to look after the safety and health of the workforce. Among other it should:

• Indicate that the management accept responsibility for the safety and health of the employees and others who may be affected by the work activities;
• Outline the goals of the policy;
• Establish the importance of safety and health to overall business performance;
• Bear a reference to other parts of the policy document which go into more details; and 
• Be dated and signed by the Chairman or Managing Director, or whoever speaks for the organisation at the highest level.

Organisation

The second part of the policy document should explain to the organisation on the safety and health responsibilities. This will be mainly about "who is to do what." Essentially it should spell out:

• The list of safety and health responsibilities of all levels of management, i.e from top management down to supervisors and safety and health personnel (if any);
• The role of workers in the implementation of the policy. Each employee has a duty not to endanger himself or others by his actions or omissions, and to co-operate in all measures provided for his safety and health.
• The structure and functions of safety and health committees and other in-house safety and health organisation (if any).

Arrangements

The third part of the written policy documents deals with practical systems and procedures, It concerns mainly with potential hazards and methods of dealing with them. Among others, essentially it should specify detailed arrangements for ensuring that the General Policy is being implemented including:

• The arrangement for training and instruction;
• Information about whatever hazards there may be in certain processes, the control measures and ways in which employees should co-operate for their own safety and health;
• Specify the company's safe system of work, including safe work procedures and rules;
• Scheme for the issuance, use and maintenance of personal protective equipment (PP.E);
• The procedure for reporting and investigation of accidents; and
• Emergency measures such as fire and fist-aid arrangements.

Finally, it is important that the content of the policy be made known to employees during induction and job training. The general policy statements should be displayed at strategic locations in the workplace. Review and revise the policy as appropriate from time to time, and then inform employees of any revision to the policy.