Some people say health and safety is about common sense. But common sense can vary from person to person. Simply, safety is about preservation of life. Preservation of life, especially your own, is a basic human instinct that we all share. That instinct is based on us carrying out subconcious risk assessments all the time.
In everyday life, humans have been learning how to reduce the risks from the hazards around us since evolution began. Most individuals are generally ‘competent’ in keeping themselves from harm in everyday life as we have learned our lessons over the years (either the easy way or the hard way). Most of the time we are only a risk to ourselves. However, in a work environment which can change from day to day, individuals may not always be fully competent in assessing the hazards that they are exposed to.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of owners, directors and other stakeholders to ensure health and safety is appropriately managed within their organisation. Health and safety law applies to all businesses. As an employer, a self-employed person, supplier or contractor you have responsibilities and duties for the health and safety of your business. Health and safety laws are there to protect you, your workers and the public from dangers associated with what you do.
Clients, designers, contractors and suppliers all have a duty of care to ensure the safe delivery of their productions from start to finish. The planning, coordination and management of safety is an integral part to every successful production or event. Engaging stakeholders in safety management at the earliest stage in the planning process enhances the production quality and safety performance standards.
Clients appointing organisations, suppliers or individuals to work on a project must take reasonable steps to satisfy themselves that those appointed have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to undertake their roles. Appointed contractors and suppliers should also have the organisational capability to carry out the work in a way which secures health and safety.
Organisational capability means the policies and systems an organisation has in place to set acceptable health and safety standards which comply with the law. Organisations should also have the resources and people to ensure those standards are delivered.
Why engage an external consultant to advise on your safety management?
It is an workers responsibility to carry our their job in a manner that does not put themselves and others at risk of harm. Safety requirements should be communicated effectively to the workforce, contractors and stakeholders through appropriate levels of information, instruction and supervision, the employer and their managers are responsible for preparing and delivering safe systems of work and a competent workforce.
Adhering to good practice improves the safety standards of an organisation and enhances the quality of productions in which they are involved. Often, the person responsible for planning and managing the safe working practices of their team onsite is the same person responsible for delivering part or all of a production for the end client.
For project managers there is a potential conflict between the responsibility towards the end client to deliver a job to tight deadlines and the responsibility to an employer to competently manage the safety of the job too. Often, when it comes to the crunch, safety standards slip at the expense of getting the job done and this is when accidents can and do happen.
Working with an external consultant gives business owners, managers and stakeholders the peace of mind that the aims of their safety policies are being prepared, communicated, enforced and audited competently by someone whose role is independant of their business objectives and the goals of the creative production process.