Health and Safety Management Systems can increase Site Safety

If you are an EHS leader in construction or manufacturing and responsible for health and safety management systems and always looking to find better ways to achieve safety excellence, then this article is for you.

According to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive), the estimated cost of injuries and ill health in 2019/20 was £18.8 billion in the UK.

The good news is that you can avoid this type of cost with tools available to help organisations manage these risks and ensure the safety of their workers and the environment. A robust environmental, health and safety (EHS) management system is one of these tools. In this blog post, we will discuss how health and safety management systems can increase site safety in construction and manufacturing.

But first, what is an health and safety management system?

What is a health and safety management system?

A health and safety management system is a comprehensive management system that integrates environmental, health, safety, and quality management to identify, assess, and control risks in an organisation. This system includes policies, procedures and protocols to ensure that workers and the environment are protected.

5 ways in which health and safety management system can increase site safety in construction and manufacturing:

Improved risk management:

Construction and manufacturing industries are inherently risky, with numerous potential hazards to workers and the surrounding environment. Therefore, ensuring site safety and mitigating risks is critical.

An EHS system provides a framework for identifying and managing risks. It involves regular risk assessments and audits to identify potential hazards and implement measures to mitigate them.

When you implement health and safety management system, you can ensure that you have identified all the risks in your operations and have appropriate controls in place to prevent accidents and injuries.

For example, in the construction industry, an EHS management system can help identify potential hazards associated with working at heights, working with heavy machinery, or working in confined spaces.

The system can then implement controls such managing training record registrations for personal protective equipment (PPE) use, safety harnesses, and other safety training requirements to mitigate these risks.

Similarly, in the manufacturing industry, EHS system can help identify the potential hazards associated with working with chemicals, operating heavy machinery, or working with high-pressure systems.

The system can help EHS leaders implement controls such as safety guards, safety interlocks, and safety training to mitigate these risks.

Compliance with regulations for Manufacturing and Construction Site Safety

Construction and manufacturing industries are highly regulated, and there are strict regulations that govern these industries. A health and safety management system can help you to ensure that your organisation complies with all the relevant regulations and standards.

Compliance with regulations not only protects your workers but also protects your organisation from legal liabilities.

For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the US, as well as Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in UK, and Health and Safety Authority (HSA), in Ireland, establish regulations for the construction industry that require employers to provide a safe working environment for employees.

A system can ensure that your organisation is complying with these regulations by making implementation of appropriate controls easier for you.

Increased accountability and responsibility through health and safety management system

Health and safety management requires organisations to have a clear chain of responsibility and accountability. By implementing a health and safety management system, you can ensure that everyone in the organisation understands their roles and responsibilities.

This helps to prevent accidents and injuries by ensuring that everyone is aware of the risks and hazards and knows what measures to take to prevent them, improving site safety.

For example, in construction, an EHS system can ensure that all your employees, contractors, and subcontractors understand their roles and responsibilities regarding site safety in the construction industry. This includes ensuring that all workers have completed safety training and following safety protocols.

Similarly, in manufacturing, this can ensure that all teams understand their roles and responsibilities regarding site safety.

By increasing accountability and responsibility, a health and safety management system system can create a culture of safety within the organisation, where everyone understands the importance of safety and takes the necessary measures to prevent accidents and injuries.

Improved communication

Effective communication is critical in ensuring safety at construction and manufacturing sites. An EHS system requires effective communication between all stakeholders, including employees, managers, sub-contractors, and suppliers.

Effective communication ensures that everyone is aware of the risks and hazards and knows what measures to take to prevent accidents and injuries. This can help employees understand their roles and responsibilities regarding safety, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

A good system can ensure that all workers are aware of potential hazards and know how to report any incidents or near-misses by providing standard processes for health and safety management.

This can be achieved through regular safety meetings, safety training, and the use of safety signs and labels. In addition, recording these activities in a single place makes knowledge sharing easier.

By improving communication, a health and safety management system can ensure that everyone in the organisation is aware of the risks and hazards and knows how to prevent accidents and injuries.

Increased efficiency

Health and safety management involves regular audits and inspections, which can help to identify areas for improvement. An EHS system can help identify areas where equipment or processes can be improved to increase efficiency and reduce the risk of accidents and injuries. This can include implementing safer equipment, reducing the number of workers on a site, and improving work processes.

By increasing efficiency, health and safety management systems not only can improve productivity and reduce waste but also create a safer workplace.

In conclusion, a health and safety management software system can help you implement an effective and long term health and safety management practice. There are several steps to go about this, including selecting the right software and defining the scope of the EHS system. In addition, identifying and evaluating the safety risks, implementing the system and monitoring and evaluating its effectiveness are important steps to follow.

If you’re interested in implementing a robust health and safety management system with the help of an EHS software, consider using EHSwise. Kianda EHSwise is an innovative solution that provides a user-friendly and flexible interface to help manage health and safety.

So why not take the first step towards improving safety at your site and try Kianda EHSwise today?

Health and Safety Management Systems can increase Site Safety in Construction and Manufacturing

What is a health and safety management system?