Three Aspects Of Safety Management Which Every Business Should Introduce

Equipment safety in the workplace is absolutely critical, and never before have equipment management and safety management been given as much attention as today. In part this is due to the increasingly litigation oriented way in which society looks to attribute blame. But viewing this positively, it is clear to see that the end result is that the workplace today is safer, and the hazards either eliminated entirely or managed effectively and safely.

But one of the issues still arising within industry and business is that the equipment management system used is fragmented, with very few overall policies or procedures to ensure that tasks, equipment, operations or procedures are checked and monitored for safety and security from beginning to end. The result of this fragmented workplace safety system is that too much faith is placed in the operation as a whole, and it only takes a small, easily overlooked aspect to cause a major accident or injury.

For this reason it is worthwhile re-evaluating the safety systems employed in your business or industry, asking critical questions regarding the effectiveness and thoroughness of the safety management system which is used. If this relies upon handwritten lists, scrappy notes, posters which have been up for so long they have become faded and covered with memos, or even simply verbal instructions and confirmations, then it is almost certainly time to introduce a new safety management system, to ensure the safety of employees first and foremost, but of secondary consideration is the fact that insurance premiums are often reduced for businesses which do employ a recognised, thorough and consistent workplace safety system.

There are three aspects of effective safety systems, and these include:

- The use of lists or checklists to ensure that procedures are adhered to and do not omit key aspects of any safety checks or procedures which should be applied
- The application of high visibility safety tags or labels to make clear whether equipment is safe and ready for use, or whether it has failed safety checks and should be avoided.
- Methods to ensure that safety notices, warning labels, security tags and other security signs are fixed firmly, cannot be removed easily and are virtually tamper proof to prevent accidental or deliberate removal.

But perhaps one thing stands out from all of these, or rather, should encompass them all, and that is consistency. This is the key to a successful safety management system; if the systems are not consistent, then there is confusion as to which system should be applied to which equipment, when checks should be carried out and whether equipment is safe to use. Any inconsistency will, inevitably, lead to a failure of equipment, a failure to erect or setup the equipment correctly, and ultimately, injury or worse.

There are several recommended equipment management systems available, with the 'Good to Go' system one of the more popular available. This incorporates flexibility, durability, and consistency as well as offering both high visibility and the ability to make sure that notices, labels and warnings are tamper proof. One of the huge benefits with such a system is its ease of use, and this is another issue relating to any safety management system you choose to use which should be given consideration.

If a safety system is too difficult to use, or to implement, too hard to understand or too confusing in the messages or procedures required, then it will be ignored, or used incorrectly. A problem or hazard which is ignored is just as dangerous as a misunderstood message or procedure, and so when reviewing possible equipment safety systems, make sure that whichever one you choose offers ease of use and flexibility, as well as the other aspects listed above.

Once you have identified a suitable safety management system, make sure that all employees and personnel are fully aware of its requirements and any relevant procedures, and offer training where necessary. Hopefully, if you have used a simple and straightforward equipment safety system this shouldn't be a problem, but making sure that it is implemented consistently will be the next challenge in the battle for industrial safety and safety in the workplace.