Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Introduction to Health and Safety at Work
104
➤
is the management of health and safety effi cient?
➤
is an effective health and safety management sys-
tem in place across all parts of the organization?
➤
is the culture supportive of health and safety, par-
ticularly in the face of competing demands?
These questions should be asked at all management 
levels throughout the organization. The aim of monitor-
ing should be to provide a complete picture of an organ-
ization’s health and safety performance.
7.3.3 Decision 
making
The measurement information helps in deciding:
➤
where the organization is in relation to where it 
wants to be
➤
what progress is necessary and reasonable in the 
circumstances
➤
how that progress might be achieved against par-
ticular restraints (e.g. resources or time)
➤
priorities – what should be done fi rst and what is 
most important
➤
effective use of resources.
7.3.4 Addressing different information needs
Information from the performance measurement is 
needed by a variety of people. These will include direct-
ors, senior managers, line managers, supervisors, health 
and safety professionals and employees/safety repre-
sentatives. They each need information appropriate to 
their position and responsibilities within the health and 
safety management system.
For example, what the chief executive offi cer of a 
large organization needs to know from the performance 
measurement system will differ in detail and nature from 
the information needs of the manager of a particular 
location.
A coordinated approach is required so that individ-
ual measuring activities fi t within the general perform-
ance measurement framework.
Although the primary focus for performance measure-
ment is to meet the internal needs of an organization, 
there is an increasing need to demonstrate to external 
stakeholders (regulators, insurance companies, sharehold-
ers, suppliers, contractors, members of the public, etc.) 
that arrangements to control health and safety risks are in 
place, operating correctly and effectively.