Hi Roberts,

Co Coordinator - a stammer or a two person role? :-)

First question is always - do you need any training - are you competent to do the job. If so, you start from the policy and build up the management system.

Sounds like you already are starting from scratch.... I would suggest risk assessments are a priority - they will inform the training needs and statistics. The policy may need to be reviewed as well.

I'd also suggest some floor walking - if they haven't had someone in post for some time, the chances are you'll find some fairly bad practices on the floor - these will give you a list of priorities for tackling through RA.

Hope this helps a little.

Another useful line of action is to approach the most senior member of staff who appears to be ready to listen and explain the problem.

You might then be able to persuade him/her to go on a one-day course for directors.

This can then result in them deciding that others need to share their new-found understanding of their legal position!

I've been in a similar situation. I agree that risk assessments are important but I don't think you should just dive into doing them. People aren't used to having an H&S Coordinator and your role will not be clear to them (and maybe isn't even to you) and they must know little or nothing about risk assessment. So the two things to do first: find out what the main issues are (by discusssing with people at all levels as well as accident records and general observation), and (concurrently) get in with the influential people and sell them the idea of risk assessment. Then you can work out how to set about the risk assessment programme - starting with who is going to do them. If there isn't a safety committee then setting one up could be a big help.

Hi Robert,

Brings back memories!

Be careful that you don't become the 'H&S Island' and anything H&S 'belongs to you.' Establish some in-house training, this will give you an insight into workforce / management understanding of H&S and would provide you with opportunity to enlighten them as necessary.

Remember also to be Firm, Fair and Friendly!

Good luck
Simon

Start with Fire Safety?

Whilst I accept the need to eventually establish some formal, but dynamic and relevant, systems I would nonetheless:

Forget the paper just now. Walk,look, listen, question.
Are they regularly killing or seriously injuring employees?
What sort of "accidents" do shop-floor staff remember? How many of those can you find in the accident records?
Is there anything that really frightens you when walking around?
Is there any process that you don't understand?
Tackle what becomes obvious from that start, then start on the HSG65 stuff and risk assessments if it still feels the right thing to do.

Remember, if they are not actually killing people or having serious accidents every day then they are doing a lot of good stuff, they probably just don't make the H&S connection. You need to help them capture that and develop it into more formalised, recorded procedure and practice.
Rushing to impose "formal risk based safety" with reams of records and demands to train people in just about everything that they have been doing for the past 20 years can, and usually does, easily result in a far worse situation than might exist today.

The reality is that many companies only have basic stuff and most of the rest includes more lip service than belief or achievement. (oh dear is that a generalism?)

I would also ask the senior managers where they want to position the company on H&S. Bare minimum to meet the law, best practice, industry leaders, "am I really bothered" and so on. That will help you to match your recommendations to their objectives.

Good luck.

p48