Why the Need for Safety Management Plan Template?

For a company actively engage in the field of construction, construction management usually involves various phases of work like planning, designing, budgeting, implementation and safety. In most cases, safety is given less attention as more effort is exerted on how to decrease expenses and finding ways to meet target dates of completion. The worker sometimes gets the work done by shortcut which occasionally puts his safety at risk. Whether the job is simple and can be completed in a short period, is not enough reason to waive creating a safety plan. One can never tell what will happen in the future. While it is true that there are so many available downloadable Safety Project Management Plan templates, it is not always a guarantee that simply filling out the template can make your company compliant. An organized system is to implement and manage the plan is crucial. With the tightening demands of regulatory agencies to craft an effective safe system in your work, more companies have increased their awareness on the need to invest and support their safety management plan.

As reiterated, crafting a safety plan is significant tool in doing business and should not be taken for granted. If you have sincere desire to take care of the safety of your workers, then you need to decide on that plan. There is a variety of information that needs to be considered depending on the actual conditions in the job site. It is not a one man's job as the intention to cover all important safety aspects that are typically needed in doing the work. Besides it might be more practical to generate your plan using a template to save time in drafting and the chance of missing out important details. A simple template usually contains some basic parts like Policy Statement, Safety Rules, and Investigation Processes among others. Make certain that the information you will provide is correct as this will become a communication tool to workers. It would make the job of the safety engineer or the officer in-charge easy.

For large scale projects, there is more relevant information that must be included in the plan depending on the kind of work environment. The Safety Plan is a comprehensive document that may require some time to create. Better be safe than sorry and lose money in the end. It is considered a major accomplishment on the profile of any company to achieve a Zero Man-hours lost to accidents. This record will definitely look good on your next project bidding.

Project Management Made Easy

Complex projects require sophisticated software and scheduling tools, however simpler and more straightforward projects involving only a few people over a relatively short period of time require a much simpler approach.

Usually, a simple project management will have a few steps which are dependent on other steps taking place first, and will be relatively straightforward to coordinate. An example might be creating and implementing a marketing plan for a one person business, painting a single room, baking a cake, planning a weekend away for two, building a garden shed etc.

With simple projects, a tool such as a Gantt chart may make over complicate the project scheduling. Unless all team members are trained in the tool then the use of the tool may itself lead to poor communication and an unsatisfactory result. A simple project such as those identified above may only require a timetable and/or an action plan. All those in the project team should be communicated with as to their tasks content and timing. Timetables can then be negotiated and agreed; actions lists or diaries/calendars can be used for recording and planning purposes.

All projects have control points and required deadlines, where progress is monitored and measured. In the event that a deadline is missed then the overall impact on project completion time can be assessed, and if necessary new timetables drawn up, re-negotiated and agreed.

Action Plans are lists of tasks/individual actions that are carried out to achieve a single and objective or outcome - in this case, the specific project. Action Plans focus on the achievement of a single goal, the action may then be translated in to a to-do list/diary cum calendar which cover many goals.

Safety Management Series

I believe that most folks are well-intentioned when it comes to the health and safety of themselves and others. I've never actually met anyone in any company during my over three decades of OHS management plan experience who actually wanted to hurt anyone. I think the problem is that some percentage of employers, managers and workers just don't know what activities they are to engage in to really make their workplace safe. Knowing what to do and how to do those things that make a safe work situation is a fundamental requirement of efficient and effective OHS problem-solving.

Good problem-solving requires us to be both efficient and effective. A problem solved inefficiently only causes other problems. A problem solved ineffectively isn't really solved at all. There are only four possible combinations of being effective and efficient. You either are or you aren't. No matter what state you find yourself in, there are practical things to do to improve not only your results, but the processes you use to achieve those results.

Effectively efficient: Doing the right things right

This is akin to driving a well-maintained boat with a super crew on board with a well-defined plan to get to the other side of the lake. We'll not only accomplish our goals, but we'll do it in record time with few problems, if any, to resolve along the way. The plan is solid, we have the right people in place, and we just need to execute the plan. Then, of course, we need to celebrate our accomplishment.

In managing OHS management plan issues, this means that your own evidence tells you that you are managing safety in a way that results in the creation of safety. You can see the evidence of safety when you look. Workers are working without taking unnecessary risks. You can observe workers following work procedures that they helped develop and are wearing proper protective clothing and equipment. The safety rules make sense to the people who need to follow them and the safety culture is observable. It feels good to be safe. Safety isn't a "program." It's the way that your company does its work.

If you find yourself in the effectively efficient state, then please keep doing what you are doing. Continue to strive to do the right things right. Start to measure not only your activities to make it safe, but the outcomes of those activities. Make sure you celebrate your successes. If you find yourself in the effectively inefficient state, then work on your processes. Refine how you are creating safety by reducing unnecessary steps in your plans and procedures. Engage the people that actually do the work to help you define the steps to efficiently get things done. If you find yourself in the ineffectively efficient state, stop the focus on how you are trying to create safety and think about what you are doing and why you are doing it. Challenge your current practices. Look for evidence-based solutions. Ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing. If you find yourself in the ineffectively inefficient state, then just quit - just kidding! Immediately start with finding out what to do, then think about how to do it in your culture. The road to excellence will be hard work, but rewarding.

Remember that every company is in some state of your OHS management plan development and delivery evolution. Components of what you are doing to create safety may very well be in a variety of states of both efficient and effective.

Ingredients to Effective Contractor Management

If you want to effectively manage workplace compliance, you need to manage your contractors’ compliance. No matter how robust, comprehensive or proven your OHS management systems maybe, if you have a non-compliant, or poorly trained, contractor onsite, it could all amount to nothing if an incident occurs. A reliable contractor management system has to be an essential part of any OHS management plan.

The five essential ingredients of an effective contractor management solution are:

1. A reliable contractor induction system

2. The ability to upload, track and manage compliance related documents

3. Comprehensive reporting capabilities

4. A reliable management plan

5. A dedication to making it all work!

Let's look a bit more closely at these five points:

1. Reliable Induction: While most companies have a contractor induction system in place, it is often out-dated, unreliable. How many companies still throw a handbook at their contractors, or stick them in front of a DVD and get them to sign a form? The fact is, if you track your contractor inductions or your contractors comprehension levels, you're doing very little to improve safe work method statement and nothing to improve compliance. Your first step in contractor management has to be inducting contractors through reliable, induction software with the capability to track inductions, measure comprehension and notify you when an induction needs to be renewed.

2. Capturing Relevant Documents: Insurances, licenses, company details they all need to be captured and checked before contractor even steps onto your site. Once you have them, they need to be managed so that when they expire or become outdated, you are automatically notified. You can then make sure they are renewed before you allow that contractor onsite again. You will also have a record of your activities to help ensure your company's compliance.

3. Comprehensive Reporting: The ability to report up-to-the minute activity associated with your contractor management is at the heart of demonstrating your commitment to safety. It provides you with the information you need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your contractor management system and sets you in the right direction for continual improvements.

4. Management Plan: Simply having a system in place is not enough. You need to have someone to oversee and monitor how well it's working and leading the charge for continual improvements. If you are building a system in-house, this means assigning someone to oversee the software development and maintenance. If you are outsourcing a solution, make sure you find a company that actually understands, and is dedicated to, the everyday issues of OHS managers, not just a software developing company.

5. Dedication: Without an organization-wide dedication to making the system work, your contractor management solution can fall apart very quickly. At every level, you need to build an understanding of why an effective contractor management system is important and what the benefits to the company are. In most organizations, there are many people involved in the implementation of your OHS management systems. It is likely that they haven't placed much importance on your contractor management in the past. You'll need to make an effort to change that.

Once you have your system in place and have established an understanding of the real differences it can make to your company, a fully functioning contractor project management plan template system has the power to improve workplace compliance and, more importantly, contractor safety.

Health and Safety: A Work Method Statement

Not many would be aware of this, but the government has legislation for health and safety of people at work. The Health and Safety at Work requires the employers to have proper health and safety management systems as a work method statement. The Act makes provision for securing the health of people at work, welfare and safety of the employees including the people who are not directly employed by the company like contractors and visitors.

As the law exists and it is compulsory for the employers to follow the guidelines, it is also necessary for the employees to know about their rights and duties regarding their own health & safety. Employers should conduct a General Risk Assessment to ensure the health and safety of their employees. To create awareness about health & safety at work, the employers should have proper employee induction & health and safety training programs whenever new employees join the company. The induction program should educate the employees about the safety standards, procedures, policies of the company and project management plan template.

The basics of health and safety at work start with having proper First Aid. Every organization big or small must have proper First Aid Kits and systems. While at work, people can suffer an injury or fall ill. It is very important for the company / firm to have proper arrangements so that the employees can receive immediate medical attention. A person who has received proper training for administering First Aid should be appointed for this.

Fire safety is of prime importance at work. The potential hazards and sources of fuel, oxygen & ignition etc should be identified. Proper Fire detection and warning systems should be in place to prevent any mishaps. Fire extinguishers should be kept ready in different places throughout the building. There should be exit doors and escape routes in the building. Electrical equipments and wiring should be proper and checked at regular intervals. The employees should be given training on dealing with fire emergencies. Fire drill and Fire Risk Assessment should be done at regular intervals. Stress at work place is common. But if it starts affecting the health of the employee then it is a problem. Employers should identify the factors causing excessive stress to the employees. A stress risk assessment should be done to identify the potential hazards and risks. Proper measures should be adopted to control excessive employee stress. Employees should be given proper training, support and care to help them prevent & relieve the stress.

Employers should follow the norms of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations. They should assess the health risks faced by the employees from the chemicals or substances used at workplace. Proper control measures should be adopted and the same should be followed by the employees. Training and information about the health risks should be provided to the employees. The employers are also required to have proper policies for disability health & safety. Employees with cognitive, physical, sensory, ambulant and other disabilities have a right to proper arrangements and facilities at the workplace. There should be proper access, lighting, signage, seating arrangements for the disabled. Other employees of the company should also be sensitized about the same.

New and expectant mothers have a right to proper care at the workplace. The employers should identify the potential hazards to the mother as well as the baby while at work. The employers can offer alternative work, different or less work timings or paid leave to ensure the health and safety of the mother and baby. Similarly, arrangements should be made for young people at work and lone workers. A general risk assessment should be done for the security, health and safety of such employees.