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Posted By Tracey C
Hi All
I wonder if somebody could point me in the right direction please. I am at present working on our health and safety handbook and not sure of the layout or how much information should be in it. Could anybody tell me where i can get some examples or information on how to set one out.
Many thanks in advance.
T
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Posted By Gary Woodfinden
I have emailed you directly, hope it helps
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Posted By Bob Youel
make your booklet a loose leaf booklet & keep away from dates & names [where possible] as changes are more easily accounted for
base the things to include upon your risk assessments as they will ID all significant areas
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Posted By Mark O'Connor
I am undergoing the same process at the moment any help would be much appreciated.
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Posted By andy bee
Hi there
going down the same route here, any chance of emailing me one to please
many thanks
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Posted By Tracey C
Many thanks for all advice.
Cheers
T
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Posted By Merv Newman
I think the target word here is "handbook" ; something that can be lifted and carried in one hand. ie it should not weigh more than 25kg.
* first page holds information which may be required in a hurry : emergency numbers, what to do in case of accident, leak and so on.
* then you get a half-page "message from the boss" on how seriously he/she takes employee health and safety and how much of his/her life he/she is devoting to it.
* then, unless it is in a separate document, the company H&S policy (the one written by the lawyers)
* next come the global rules, those which apply to all employees and visitors (no smoking in the toilets, no spitting on the boss's shadow etc)
* finally comes the practical content and here you can make it up as you go along (same as the rest of us) ; do you want separate sections for H, S and E ? Do you want to include detailed "how to" (or "how not to") procedures or do you just want to reference them and tell people where they can be found ? (remember, the more detail you put in the more kilogrammes you use up. And up go the printing costs)
* finish up with an index.
* make sure the handbook conforms to your company document control standards
Last word : qualityqualityquality
Merv
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Posted By Tracey C
Merv, you never fail to put a smile on my face. Brilliant!
Thank you
T
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Posted By Bob Youel
Can all people read etc?
One company I know of [Liverpool] did not realise that many of their employees could not read etc so all written materials produced were wasted when they went to court when one person had their big toe cut off
The person could sign to say that they had received, read and understood the documents, however that's all they could do - 'sign their name'
The company lost all court cases as judges said that understanding was needed and the company should have done reasonable things to confirm understanding - where all they had done was issue paperwork
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Posted By Tracey C
Oh Bob you have got me worried now! How did these people get a job if they could not complete the application form?
We are not just giving out our handbooks we are doing a complete safety roadshow around the country. We will be sectioning off what level of training and information will be given to each member of staff e.g. the housekeepers will not need to know as much as the deputy managers. We are trying to ensure everybody in the company is aware of their health and safety responsibilities. We are actually going to make them work with us and not just sit there falling asleep until we have finished, there will be some group work and a quiz. But hey i take your point some companies think that they can give out what they want and by getting the staff to sign something it takes the responsibility away from them.
Cheers
T
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Posted By Clare Gabriel
Tracey, there is no template. It very much depends on the complexity of your operation, the nature of your activities and what supporting documentation you have. Will it include 'HR' type information as well?
The HSE has some information on their website.
But be careful these publications can often grow arms and legs and become a butt covering exercise for the Company - because they have put it in the handbook it means the employee has it and cannot then take action. Ha!! Think again. The longer and more complex they are the less likely they are to be read. you need a combination of a concise to the point handbook and a good induction process, and those four important little words:
INFORMATION
INSTRUCTION
TRAINING and
SUPERVSION
Think about what is important - do not confuse it with the safety policy and associated procedures which is what often happens.
Try and think about generic information that they really need to know - what to do in the event of an emergency, how to report an accident and where to go, is PPE required on site - what indicates it is required, and of course the standard Sec 7 HSWA bit. Too much more and it becomes a white elephant.
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Posted By Tracey C
Hi All
I would just like to say a very big thank you to those of you that took the time to respond and especially to those that e-mailed me directly.
Fondest
Tx
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Posted By Andy Brazier
The Co-op bank have their health and safety handbook on the web at http://www.co-operativeb...8301022988&ssbinary=true
It looks pretty good to me.
I have a rule of thumb that says 20% of people will never read anything you give them. The remaining 80% will read the first page, 80% of them (64%) will read the second page etc. Two key messages from this. The first, if a document contains critical information you can't just give it out and assume they will read it. Second, make sure the first page has all the most important information, and is not 'wasted' with pointless introductions, legal statements, definitions etc.
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Posted By Merv Newman
Andy,
I haven't looked at the coop site but I agree with your propos that few people will get past the second page. (has anyone actually read ALL of their company's safety policy ? and understood it ?)
As you say, put the most important info on the first page. Then you are more or less obliged to put the word from god on the next page. Otherwise he/she gets a bit miffed.
Tracey,
two after-thoughts which are probably the same : KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) and don't write like the Guardian if you are talking to readers of the Sun.
But you might like to take a reserve on the page 3 type content. (do they still do that ? I haven't seen a copy for years)
Merv
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Posted By John Murgatroyd
Yes Merv, I have read the whole of my companies Safety Policy.
Rarely have I laughed so much.
It provides a wide variety of "get-outs" to cover practically all eventualities, and could be called "vanilla".
It was, of course, prepared by a professional H&S consultancy.
Oh, and when you have prepared your H&S policy loose-leaf handbook, take care to not number the pages. It makes future alterations (post accident) so much easier to do.
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Posted By Glyn Atkinson
How about a video as well as your proposed handbook for training purposes??
Even if you give people a handbook, this is not going to be normally read much, if at all, after any initial training (If you ensure that the induction process IS completed in all cases) by most of them, so the ongoing verbal re-affirming of all information in practical circumstances is a key to success.
The book should only be used as a reference not as the only training method.
Use a basic English format (take account of any foreign workers in your employ - translations required?)
Push the information across in a verbally based induction, check (privately - no discrimination) for literacy and numeracy for each individual if training in groups (- prior to the commencement of the session).
Have some form of feedback method - both practical by verbal replies, and written, for future auditing purposes - so that people can show understanding of what material is being given to them.
I've had nightmares establishing how much information is practically absorbed and then used in work circumstances in a workforce of around 1000 persons, that is 20% partially or fully illiterate.
Best of luck with your own version of an employee book.
If you still need any further help, please pm me through this Forum.
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