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Posted By Paul T9
A bit of friendly advice on this one would be appreciated. I act as the Company Health and Safety Representative (Non Union) on a small department (25 employees) within a larger organisation. In charge of this department is a team of One Senior manager and two other managers (there are logistical reasons for this). Now I have been the rep. for quite some time now (over four years) and have constantly run head first into a wall in regards to health and safety (not unusual I guess). Most of the issues have been about the management of health and safety or to be honest the lack of it. Managers failing to act on anything (i.e. employees not wearing appropriate PPE, general housekeeping, failure to carry out risk assessments). This is not readily visible to the company as the nature of the department is very insular, so passing audits are not a problem seeing as all the written risk assessments are in place (compiled by me).
I have raised my concerns to the department manager and the Company Site Manager (even resigning from the position to underline the point but taking it back on as no one else would do it!) but still this has had no effect. So at the next meeting I intend to answer an issue raised at the last meeting caused by the same management’s lack of action, by stating the results of an internal questionnaire that I have put to my fellow employees.
The questionnaire asks for the employees opinion first on what they think of my performance as Health and Safety Rep. (Can’t rule out I may be the problem) and then that of the General Health and Safety on the department. The main question is on the performance of the department management’s in regards to health and safety and if the management is approachable on health and safety issues. Last question is should a new rep. be nominated. The Union Representative is collecting the returns and will compile the results for me.
That’s the background so now my concern (I’m not worried about upsetting my management as that is unfortunately common practice for me and the big black monolith (2001) on our department is a Domino by Bird and Loftus) do I on receipt of the results make the department management aware of the results, or just raise it to the committee and let them find out that way? Or any other advice would be welcome.
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Posted By garyh
I gather that you have put together the questionaire yourself, with the best of intentions.
It is very difficult to do this without prejudicing the outcome - you can get the answers you want by asking the right questions! I am not suggesting that you would do this deliberately, but sub conciously this might happen.
I am unsure of the purpose of this? Without being clever in my experience you should never set out to do this without a clear idea of it's purpose and what you intend to do with
the outcome.
You should also be aware that Safety questionnaires often produce negative responses even in well managed organisations - the chance of an anonymous whinge can be irresistible!
I would put my concerns in a written report, using the Moral, Legal, Financial aspects, backed with specific data. Recommend actions and timescales; again be specific about what your report is setting out to achieve. Send it to your manager, his or her manager, MD.
As a last resort only, if there is "serious and imminent danger" you could anonymously complain to HSE (send them the report?)
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Posted By Descarte
I also dont know if there would be a use in going the questionnaire route as previously stated.
I would also re-interate the last point made above too, if you feel there is a risk to yourself, or people working around you due to the low percived management of H+S and one of your friends or coleagues could be injured, you could anonymously complain to HSE.
Though the buck lands at the management, everyone has a responsabilty for H+S, if your friendly advice cannot persuade them to take it seriously maybe the HSE can.
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Posted By Bob Shillabeer
You stated that a Union representative is in place, so why has the Union not tried to appoint a H&S Rep, they have much stronger power to act on H&S with a much stronger back up if it is needed? As has been pointed out go to the local enforcement body to see if they can bring pressure to bear. Don't forget to keep records of anything you raise with management, just in case.
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Posted By Paul T9
So not a good idea!
Sorry, probably shell shocked after fallout from last meeting, as was told by department management that something could not be done and all avenues had been taken so had to raise it as an issue to the committee. Only to upset a senior manager as a simple solution was available and had to answer for my actions.
I have tried the written report on another issue which at first seemed to work and then just went away!
The union rep is quite happy to let me get on with it.
Still I might bite the bullet and produce the report, it will come in handy for my Unit D Nebosh assignment after all.
Thank you all and I am dropping the questionnaire idea.
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Posted By Ron Hunter
Don't drop it entirely Paul!
You'll see various threads on this Forum discussing H&S "Climate Surveys" and question sets etc.
I would suggest that you float the idea at Group and Company H&S Forum, get some 'buy-in' and ownership of the question set and ensure that all the Managers and Supervisors answer the same questions.
Whilst these surveys should be confidential, you'll have to find some way of discriminating between employee/employer returns (different colour paper perhaps). A comparison of these two groups attitudes and beliefs could be most revealing and provide something to build on to improve that H&S Culture?
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