Posted By Eliot Clarke Hi I would like to gauge the general opinion on H&S Policies. Traditionally they have tended to (rightly or wrongly) include all information relating to the organisation. So for example they may include certain safe working procedures for some items of plant. Is it now more appropriate to have a simple H&S policy that only includes the arrangements that affect all staff. For example, First aid procedures, fire and evacation procedures, smoking rules etc. More detailed information, for example the operating procedures for machinery can then be kept in a procedures manual in the relevant department. This could also apply to the responsibilities section, which can be kept very brief, with full health and safety duties being detailed in the individual's 'position contract / job description'. The statement of intent would of course remain, but the benefit of having a document three pages long rather than 30 is that people will actually read it. I ask the question as I was recently told that H&S policies should be constructed in the format where they contain all information that could ever possibly be needed. Thanks (not forgeting the first 2 sections)

Posted By Stephen D. Clarke Hi, If the H&S document is on the organisation's internal network then all the arrangements/procedures can be in one place and relevent sections may be quickly accessed if its in suitable format eg. via the contents page. Version control software will ensure it is manageable and easily modified/updated as necessary.

Posted By JEFFREY SMITH It may be worth you having an overarching company policy available for all but do a small to the point specific policy for the various areas (that's the route we are taking here in the MOD, especially on disparate sites!) otherwise the policy could be several volumes long. The current overall MOD policy is sat beside me and consists of 5 red ring binders - I've not met many people who have read through it!!

Posted By Dr. D. D. Radadiya HSE Policy should be very short, concise, and easy to understand by all employees. Basically it’s a management commitment and providing frame work to ensure HSE is embedded in the business. I had made paperless ISOs (including ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and OHASA 18001) where in we had a problem for field personnel those do not have PC and net working. So we could not avoid some paper work for documentation. But we made sure that every body has understood and developed aptitude to implement it willfully. Any numbers of policies, procedures are useless if they are not understood, conceived, and made practical by the employees.