What is a Safety Statement?
The Safety Statement is a written live management programme which details how the safety, health and welfare of the employees are to be managed. The main aim of the Safety Statement is to safeguard the safety and health of the employees while at work and the other people who might be visiting the workplace. The Safety Statement must be signed by senior management and brought to the attention of all staff and others - such as contract workers, delivery personnel or members of the public.
The Safety, Health & Welfare At Work Act, 2005, requires all employers to
Ø Identify all workplace hazards
Ø Carry out a risk assessment of all hazards
Ø Prepare a written Safety Statement
It is an offence for an employer not to have an effective Safety Statement. The HSA reported recently that only about 60% of workplaces actually had Safety Statements and, of those, less than 50% were found to be satisfactory by the Health & safety Inspectors. It is important to know that there is no such thing as a general safety statement. All workplaces operate differently, and they have different hazards associated with workplace activities. It is important that all companies develop their own individual Safety Statement by identifying their own specific workplace hazards and implement measures to reduce/eliminate workplace risks to the employees.
The Safety Statement is a living document and should be updated as the work environment and practices change.
Why write a Safety Statement?
The Safety Statement outlines the management’s commitment to the Health and Safety of the employees. The safety Statement is your personalised management programme to prevent accidents and ill-health in the workplace.
An effective Safety Statement will
Ø Identify workplace hazards and reduce and/or eliminate workplace risks;
Ø Control those risks that cannot be reduced to safe levels or eliminated;
Ø Prevent people from being injured or killed;
Ø Improve workforce morale and productivity;
Ø Reduce insurance and associated costs arising from poor management of safety, health and welfare;
How can Bright Safety and Training help you?
Bright Safety and Training can prepare your safety statement in consultation with you and your staff. We will conduct a risk assessment of your workplace and recommend control measures that you can implement to reduce/eliminate workplace accidents. We can also provide training in the implementation of your Safety Statement. This training will ensure that all employees are aware of the content of the Safety Statement.
Call Bright Safety and Training today for a Health and Safety consultation on 086-8255848 or 041-9883578