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Posted By Nigel Hammond
Does anyone know where I can find a simple guide to 'Safe Systems of Work'.
I rang up HSE info line. They referred me to PUWER but this says little more than you need one!
I need more detail - including a simple list of bullet points of what should be covered – without repeating the contents of a risk assessment.
Something in plain English that I can give to managers who are not safety professionals
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Nigel
This can be a thorny one at times. It is derived from S2 HASAWA and links back to Lord Roben's time in mining where the earliest case law on this topic exists. The concept is that we should be looking at the means by which safe working can be ensured for a particular task, operation or event, in a specific environment or location
The duty requires as relevant to the operation
a)the identification of any training, information and supervision requirements.
b)Assessment of hazards
c)Assessment of risk
d)Control documentation
e)Maintenance requirements for fixed or mobile plant and equipment involved
f)Testing of plant and equipment and certification
g)Specific PPE needs
h)Interfaces between operatives and equipment/plant
i)Monitoring of system performance
The notes in Redgrave indicate that there is case law which extends the duty to training the operatives when to stop and ask for help!
In construction terms it is a full Method Statement.
Hope this helps
Bob
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Posted By Maggie Atterbury
Hi Nigel
The old HSE leafletIND(G)76L - Safe Systems of Work, last printed in 1992, gave the definition "A safe system of work is a formal procedure which results from systematic examination of a task in order to identify all the hazards. It defines safe methods to ensure that hazards are eliminated or risks minimised".
It also gave "Five Steps to a Safe System of Work":
1 Assess the Task
2 Identify the Hazards
3 Define safe methods
4 Implement the system
5 Monitor the system
I hope that this helps
Maggie Atterbury
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Posted By Kieran J Duignan
Nigel
You can find a simple guide to a safe system of work in Schedule 1 to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, under the heading 'General principles of prevention'.
As the principles are based on ergonomic research, the basis is scientific rather than simply administrative or political.
To the extent that you enable your managers to implement these principles, you and they will be creating a safe system of work.
While it can be reasonably simple, as you know, it's not necessarily easy.
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Posted By David J Bristow
Nigel
Maggie hits the nail on the head - good one!
Regards
David B
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Posted By Nick Higginson
Nigel
I did a revision presentation on the old HSE leaflet on SSoW's.
You are welcome to have a copy if you want it.
Regards
Nick
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Posted By Nigel Hammond
Many thanks for your responses. I think this affirms my understanding that there is no clear dividing line between risk assessment, method statements and safe systems of work.
If a risk assessment was just a document assessing risk then it would be a separate thing. However, I've always provided risk assessment proforma with an action plan including; new precautions, ongoing measures, monitoring, training, emergency planning and review. So, would writing a seperate document called 'safe system of work' add anything useful?
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Posted By Kieran J Duignan
Nigel
Surely, the appropriate answer to your question 'would writing a seperate document called 'safe system of work' add anything useful?', depends on what you personally are trying to achieve?
If, as your initial question indicated, your concern is to motivate managers, and you are interested in something more than mere legal compliance, a separate document on 'Healthy system of work' can, and sometimes does, achieve the motivating effect and wakes up senior management.
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