Occupational Health and Safety Made Easy

Health & Safety Compliance Made Easy

Companies that need to comply with health and safety legislation need to bear in mind that although it sounds daunting and expensive, it could end up saving you and your company a lot more in the end. Non-compliance to the health and safety act could have far reaching consequences that many companies aren't even aware of.

An easy way of ensuring compliance would be to make use of a company who specializes in the health and safety field as they can not only ensure compliance but also offer advice and answer questions that may arise.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act 85 of 1993) is governed by Legislation and acts as a guideline to ensure that minimum requirements are met.

It consists of the OHS Act as well as Regulations to ensure that all requirements are met and that companies know what is expected of them.

Ultimately, employers carry all responsibility in ensuring compliance with the OHS Act and should incidents / accidents occur, it would be the employer who takes responsibility; unless the employer is able to prove otherwise. At the end of the day, the OHS Act is there to protect the well-being of employees due to the fact that past experience has shown many employers not taking the health & safety concerns of employees seriously enough. Health and safety for a company consists mainly of two parts, the first one being the health and safety administration and the second part being the physical part which will include safety audits, person-job assessments, toolbox talks, etc.

If you own a company but are not sure if you need to comply, or even if you are unsure of the first step to take in ensuring compliance, contact a company specializing in the health & safety field, they will be able to guide you and ensure that you are helped onto the right track.

For more information, assistance or contact details visit us at www.safetyconsulting.co.za.

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Evolution of Environmental, Health and Safety Compliance and Operational Risk Management Software

Since the late 1980's environmental, health and safety professionals have used a variety of software tools in hope of performing their programs' performance. In this article, the author discusses "The Evolution of Environmental, Health and Safety Compliance and Operational Risk Management Software".

So what exactly is EHS Compliance and Operational Risk Management Software? Well, that can mean many things to many different people and companies. For some companies that are somewhat in the reactive mode - it may mean just tracking occupational injuries, accidents, and claims. For others, for those companies that are slightly more proactive - it may mean audit finding tracking, corrective action tracking, and leading indicator tracking. And for the more advance companies it can mean tracking sustainability efforts, and greenhouse gas reduction efforts. It also can mean authoring and managing material safety data sheets, air emissions reporting, hazardous wastes management generation tracking, industrial hygiene data management, and many other environmental, health and safety program elements. Part of the challenge today, is that there are many systems that are trying to do EVERYTHING - thus making it difficult for companies to get their arms around such a system.

So, let's step back for a moment and discuss the history of environmental, health and safety compliance software, and operational risk management software. Back in the mid-1980's, the majority of EH&S tasks were done by paper, and completion of paper-based forms. EHS professionals were largely the people with the thick binders on their shelves containing all the company EHS rules and programs. At that time, at least at the entry level, personal computers in the workplace were rare. Then as we approached the 1990's a few computers starting appearing around the office, but were pretty much exclusively limited to senior level personnel. Personally, I still recall, looking out my office door, and seeing our library of federal and local regulations that covered the entire wall in one of our common areas. Then in the late 1980's, our first safety management software system appear. It was a DOS based system used for reporting occupational injuries, accidents, and other claims. It was basically, a workers' compensation and liability claims management system. So, it was really an operational risk management software tool. Still at that point, data entry into the system was primarily done by the administrative assistants, and the EH&S management would receive a printed report once per month. As more and more people in the office begin to have dedicated computers, everyone started to get creative in using them to manage various issues, including EHS. I believe the first EHS software tool that I every developed was a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet used to track employee training.

Then in 1990, the next environmental, health and safety management software tool that I recall using was a system called CMS, which stood for Compliance Management System, and as the name refers to, it was primarily a PC-based system to manage EHS compliance tasks and requirements. It was ugly, but it actually worked quite well. The one challenge however, was in those days, implementation was difficult. A team of people would come out for a week or more, review every permit, every requirement and input them by hand into the environmental, health and safety software system.

Then around 1993, I recall my first experience with the world wide web - I clearly remember that I was in the office of the IT manager who's office was next to mine, and using Mosaic we pulled up the Center for Disease Controls' website. I remember thinking to myself - this is cool - this is really cool. At that time, little did we know, what were where about to experience over the next decade.

After that event, I remember that information technology the environmental, health and safety field just exploded, and in March of 1993, I attended the Global Environmental Management Initiative meeting in Pentagon City, near the Washington, D.C. area. During that meeting, there was a presentation about integrating right-to-know information at Dupont. It was basically centered around managing material safety data sheets. During that same time frame, I recall seeing a presentation by Bill Sugar on Anheuser-Busch's Environmental Management System, which was originally written in Lotus Notes. It had it's shortcomings, but with the leadership of Bill Sugar and his team of environmental, health and safety professionals they took EHS management to a whole new level. We then began to see environmental, health and safety software move from compliance-focused, and regulatory reporting focused to more of a total quality management approach. With the emergence of ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001 managing data began more important. In addition, with increase demand for corporate transparency, the need for rapid access to environmental, health and safety data became even more important.

So, that's some of the early history of environmental, health and safety software. And were do we stand today? Well, that vast majority of environmental, health and safety management systems are web-based. Everyone has an email, everyone has access to a computer, and almost every environmental, health and safety professional has a mobile phone. Today's smartphones have more computing power than those computers back in the late 1980s. Most major corporations collect and report all kinds of environmental, health and safety data. The majority of this data is readily available to the public.

So what challenges do we face today? First off, reducing complexity. Environmental, health and safety software providers have to realize that not every company is going to have a full-time administrator to run these complicated systems. More features, doesn't necessarily mean better. Forget "kitchen sinkness" or "feature creep" which is where software developers think they have to add every single possible feature to the system. In most cases it only increases the complexity of the program without adding additional benefit. If you think about it, the one reason text messaging and Twitter is so popular is that if you can't say it in 140 characters then you're saying too much. Second, there's too many companies offering EHS software solutions out there, there has to be, and will be some industry consolidation.

So, what's in store for the future of environmental, health and safety software? Well, EHS mobile apps will become more important. The use of RFID tags in combination with your mobile phone will become prevalent. While it is difficult to predict what new technologies will develop over the next several years, I do promise you that it will be an exciting time for all EH&S professionals.

Dean Calhoun, is the President of Affygility Solutions. Mr. Calhoun has been an environmental, health and safety professional for over 26 years. Mr. Calhoun has a Masters degree in Environmental Policy and Management, and a Masters Degree in Technology Management from the University of Denver. Affygility provides environmental, health and safety software, potent compound safety, industrial hygiene, and containment validation services to the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device industry. You can learn more about Affygility Solutions and mobile EHS apps by going to: http://affygility.com/affytrac/environmental-health-safety-mobile-application.html

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Use Fire Consultants To Help Ensure You Comply With Safety Regulations

The assistance of a fire consultant will help a business meet the requirements of the Fire Safety Order of 2006. Businesses are legally responsible for the safety of employees and the public through minimising fire risks. By hiring fire consultants a business will be able to meet the guidelines of the Fire Safety Order more easily and fully.

In 2006 the Fire Safety Order came into effect, updating and combining a large number of older requirements into one primary initiative. The order requires every UK business to meet many measures to ensure the safety of employees and customers. These measures require a great deal of work and preparation by the business owner, among them are; reducing the risk of fire on the premises and the risk of the spread of fire, providing a means of escape in case of fire, an effective plan to fight fires on the premises, detection and warning methods, prevention and lowering risk of fire, including proper machinery use and chemical storage.

With these many measures it might be difficult for the average business to meet every requirement established by the Order. Fortunately, the law makes it clear that any Responsible Person is able to take over these responsibilities. Many business owners are turning toward fire consultants to handle the sometimes confusing and lengthy process of fire inspection and fire plan development.

A well trained fire consultant can be an effective tool in meeting all of the Fire Safety Order measures. A business without the essential tools, knowledge, and time to take proper precautions and develop a seamless fire plan is encouraged to hire a fire consultant to assist and train employees. Doing this is not only advantageous in a safety sense but will also save you time and money preparing documents, reading regulations, and training employees.

Because of their high level of experience, fire consultants are able to quickly find potential fire dangers, taking all precautionary steps, leaving the lowest possible risk of fire. Safety consultants are also able to effectively devise fire plans aimed at fighting fires that are manageable and swift evacuation of the building when they are not. They are able to develop manuals and reference guides, train employees to lookout for potential fire dangers, professionally update and check fire alarms and sprinkler systems.

Using an experienced expert is a good idea for any business that is unsure of the current regulations or is unable to dedicate the time and resources necessary to meet the Fire Safety Order requirements. It is also a way to guarantee the highest quality of safety for your employees and customers. Hiring a fire safety consultant relieves one from reading all those pesky fire manuals, filling out an endless number of forms, and risking all of the common mistakes many people make.

A fire consultant will achieve the highest level of safety and prevention in the most efficient manner. The high regard for prevention and containment will ensure your business will last for many more years to come. The evacuation plan will ensure the safety and well-being of employees and customers, in case tragedy strikes. Avoid those forms, lengthy documents, complex precautionary measures, and innovated fire plans by hiring fire consultants who are professionally trained in these matters.

Read recommendations on some of the most reputable fire consultants UK now. K Garrow has managed large public buildings for the last twenty years and has extensive experience of workplace safety issues. His website offers free advice on a range of subjects, including fire risk assessment, staff training, PAT testing, emergency lighting and safety signs.

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Fire Warden Training for Fire Safety Professionals

Unlike regular safety training, which trains building inhabitants or workplace employees to curtail the risk of and be safe in a fire situation, Fire Warden Training imparts a specific set of duties to a selected building user or worker to liaise with authorities and emergency services during and after a situation.

A warden is responsible for successful management post outbreaks and seeing victims to safety. He has to communicate with officers and make sure everyone is out of the building when a breaks out and ensure that building inhabitants trained in safety and reduction processes, the escape or evacuation drill, and the use of safety equipments. A warden will also be present during any electrical inspection, installation, maintenance or repair of electrical wiring or devices in a building or workplace.

Panic and confusion is inevitable during a outbreak in a building. He is there to guide the building inhabitants to safety during a. A warden is basically someone who helps avoid confusion during evacuation or administering equipments to help people get the maximum benefit out of the building's safety program. Warden Training helps streamline the processes of prevention, reduction, and management of outbreaks.

How Warden Training Helps?

Becoming a warden is more about courage than about skill. Being a warden means putting others before oneself. A warden should be ready to put his life at risk to save those he is responsible for and not back in the face of adversities. Warden Training is highly specialized training and wardens will have to go through a strict regimen, clear written and physical examinations to qualify for the job.

Those enrolling for a safety program trained in the following areas:

The general causes and methods of prevention.

Identification of potential risk - areas in the building or workplace Knowledge of processes by which can be controlled.

Methods of extinguishing devices or processes

Leadership training; how to lead from the front, prevent panic situations, aid evacuation, guide and instruct men to administer extinguishing equipments

Evacuation of physically handicapped victims and children and infants

Evacuation of victims who have fainted from smoke exhaustion or taken shelter in not easily accessible areas like the attic or basement

Decision- making and quick thinking in a difficult situation

Of course, Warden Training is one thing and its execution in the field, another. If you have enrolled in a safety program, you must be sure you are up for the challenges that real situations can throw at you. Although the training boosts your confidence, courage is what you must find in your heart.

For more information on health and safety training, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the fire training!

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