Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Introduction to Health and Safety at Work
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up to prevent recurrence. To become a good observer, 
they must improve their observation skills and must 
learn how to observe effectively. Effective observation 
includes the following key points:
➤
be 
selective
➤
know what to look for
➤
practice
➤
keep an open mind
➤
guard against habit and familiarity
➤
do not be satisfi ed with general impressions
➤
record observations systematically.
Observation techniques
In addition, to become a good observer, a person must:
➤
stop for 10 to 30 seconds before entering a new 
area to ascertain where employees are working
➤
be alert for unsafe practices that are corrected as 
soon as you enter an area
➤
observe activity – do not avoid the action
➤
remember ABBI – look Above, Below, Behind, Inside
➤
develop a questioning attitude to determine what 
injuries might occur if the unexpected happened 
and how the job might be accomplished more 
safely. Ask ‘why?’ and ‘what could happen if …?’
➤
use all senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch
➤
maintain a balanced approach. Observe all phases 
of the job
➤
be 
inquisitive
➤
observe for ideas – not just to determine problems
➤
recognize good performance.
Daily/weekly/monthly safety inspections
These will be aimed at checking conditions in a speci-
fi ed area against a fi xed checklist drawn up by local 
management. It will cover specifi c items, such as the 
guards at particular machines, whether access/agreed 
routes are clear, whether fi re extinguishers are in place, 
etc. The checks should be carried out by staff of the 
department who should sign off the checklist. It should 
not last more than half an hour, perhaps less. This is not 
a specifi c hazard spotting operation, but there should be 
a space on the checklist for the inspectors to note down 
any particular problems encountered.