Downloading or otherwise acquiring a health and safety policy is no assurance that you have an “effective” health and safety system.

To embed effective health and safety systems and procedures into your organisation, it’s critical to take into account the people you are working with. For example, literacy issues, custom and practice, and how people define risk will all have a bearing on the design of your H&S systems.

You need to be aware that your clients will be looking for more than a manual in the cupboard. They share the same risk as you, so will want comfort that your systems are effective in keeping people safe.

There are key elements that need to be included in an effective H&S system in order to keep your people safe and comply with the upcoming Health & Safety at Work Act.

Your own value system also plays an important part in crafting an effective H&S system that becomes part of the fabric of your business. Are you demonstrating healthy and safe behaviours? Or do you have a “she’ll be right”, “they’ll take care of themselves” attitude?

The intent of the new Act is that everyone is entitled to be notified of, and to have opportunities to notify others of potential hazards and risks to their health, safety and welfare.

Do your H&S systems meet these requirements?

Talk to Major Consulting Group Ltd on 0800 44 00 70 about how we can design and implement a H&S system that will protect you, your people and your business.

This article was first published on LinkedIn in February 2016.