CC1

3. Develop WSH policy statements and objectives

POLICY

When developing the WSH policy, it is important to know why there is a need to have it. The
following are the reason for developing the policy statements

a. A well defined policy, hacked by a sound program and necessary support like financial
support and other resources, will provide the means to establish commitment to achieving
WSH objectives throughout your entire management structure.

b. A WSH policy and program will ensure that your safety and health objectives are integrated
at every level of the company. In this way, the safety and health policy can function in the
same way as your other policies like production, quality and finance.

c. A sound policy and program will help to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses that have
costly consequences for employers. The most obvious are those cost related to
compensating and treating the injured or ill person. There are also host of hidden expenses
related to lost time, productivity and production. Others would include damage to material,
equipment and property. A sound policy and program would also help to avoid costly penalty
imposed by MOM.

d. A properly executed policy will help to ensure that resources for WSH are properly allocated
and accounted for. Duplication of effort and information can be avoided.

e. A sound policy and program will provide the basis for effective self regulation through
internal responsibility system where employers and workers must share the responsibility for
workplace safety and health. The concept of an internal responsibility system is based on the
principle that parties in the workplace are in the best position to identify safety and health
problems and to come up with solutions.

Understanding the need to have WSH policy, the next step is to know what is required to be in the
policy statement. A WSH policy is a statement of intent and a commitment to plan for coordinated
management action. Hence, the policy should provide a clear indication of the companys WSH
objectives. The objectives will provide direction for your health and safety program. The basis
requirement for developing policy shall include personal injury, occupational health, fire protection
and compliance with legislation. The policy should include some of the following;

a. A statement of your clear commitment to the establishment of a safe and healthy workplace
which would include the integration of health and safety activities organized by the company.

b. A Statement naming the senior person responsible for seeing that the policy is followed.

c. A statement that it is managements responsibility to take all reasonable precautions to

prevent illness and injury
 d. An assertion that all levels of management will be held accountable for their health and
safety responsibilities just like what they are accountable for any other management
function.

e. A statement that it is everyones responsibility to maintain a healthy and safe workplace.

f. An emphasis on the importance of consultation and cooperation between the managers and
workers for effective implementation of policy objectives

g. A reference to the safety and health program and its related procedures for implementing
your policy objectives

h. A statement of commitment to an on-going review and where required, it will be revised and
updated.

i. The policy should be dated and signed by the senior operating manager. A copy must be
posted at a location in your workplace where it will be easily seen by all employees.

j. It is important that the policy is clearly written and that it can be understood by all
employees. No matter how impressive the policy may sound, it is meaningless if it cannot be
understood.

(Please see Question 4 for the WSH policy that was developed having taken all above mentioned
pointers into considerations)

OBJECTIVES

No matter how well written or how well it was intended, the policy will be meaningless unless
objectives exist to put policy into effect. The WSH objectives should address the following needs for
it to be effective.

a. It must assign health and safety responsibilities

b. It must establish accountability

c. It must set standards

d. It must involved the workers in the program

e. It has the ability to identify, assess and control hazards

f. Provide training to increase competence.

g. Facilitate medical examination to collate results.

h. Audit the program to determine it effectiveness

WSHs objectives for the company are as follows;

S/N OBJECTIVES TARGET PERFORMACE CIRTERIA

1. Zero fatal a. Identify, assess and a. Risk register must be

accident control hazards in the
workplace for all
activities inclusive of
routine and non
routine activities. This
could required the
control measure for
prevent the SARS
b. SARS re-emerged in
the Asian region
required constant and
regular monitoring of
the everyone in the
workplace
update.
b. HIRA must include SARS as
one of the hazards
c. Control measures for SARS
must be documented and
communicated to all via
various communication
channels.
d. Temperature taking must
be implemented in the
workplace and control of
personnel movement to be
monitored for tracing
purpose.

2. Reduce at risk a. Identify at risks a. Workplace and personnel

behavior by 50% behavior at workplace. hygiene to be enforced.
Procedure for employees who
b. Conduct training to have fever must be
help reduce the at- implemented.
risks behavior
b. More frequent talk (at least
weekly) on at risks behavior to
the employees must be done.

3. Achieve no NC for a. Staff and workers a. Training to employees on the

external audit must know the WSH WSH Act and their requirement
requirement would increase competence.

b. Internal audit need to b. Management review must take

conduct at least preventive and proactive
quarterly. actions to rectify any NC or AFI
during the internal audit.
8. Ways to engage and motivate stakeholders in the change process within the organizational
structure and system.

Stakeholders may include the following:

a. Employers

b. Senior management

c. Line and functional managers

d. Union

e. Contractors

f. WSH committee

g. Government agencies

h. Industries associations and groups

i. Professional bodies

To engage the stakeholders within the organization regards to the SARS issue, the following need to
be done.

a. Regular sessions with different levels of people to communicate the change process due to
the emergence of the SARS. Explain to them the need to protect ourselves and the cost to
the company if the change process is not followed.

b. WSH committee meeting can help to implement ideas and solutions to enhance the process
without compromise the safety of the employees.

c. Interested parties feedback sessions especially the partners and contractors. Explain to them
the importance of following the change process otherwise it would affect the rest of the
people in the organization. Certain control measures have to be reinforced and hence would
inconvenient them. Seek their understanding

d. One to one discussion if there is a requirement for it. There may be hard core case where To
make the process effective, motivation with rewards and recognition will make the
stakeholders more receptive to the change process. It can be done by showing more concern
and understanding to their flights. If it is alright to implement in phases to reduce sudden
impact, then efforts have to be taken to implement it in phases so that the acceptance level
will be higher. The end state is to reduce the impact of the stakeholder as little as reasonable
possible.
9. Establish the strategies for implementing WSH policy

To put the policy into effect, we need to make sure the following is carried out;

a. Policy is communicated to everyone in the workplace. Annual safety day is the platform. For
new entrant. Induction program would highlight the intent. Having the policy display at
prominent location would help to reinforce the message. WSH committee meeting can be
another platform for communication.

b. Responsibilities are clearly defined, assigned and understood. A well written policy would
cover every stakeholder and their responsibilities. To make it work, monthly and quarterly
session in the WSH committee to clarify the policy would enhance better understanding. The
monthly steering committee platform where the chairman can place it as part of the agenda
would help better understanding of their responsibilities.

c. Methods of accountability are established. Safety must be the responsibility of the leaders
and not the safety officer. If this is clear, everything would fall into place.

d. Proper procedures and program activities are established. Reporting procedure whether it is
an incidents or a near miss must be reported for purpose of learning. Activity must be
planned to better understand the importance of WSH in the workplace. Theme for each
quarter must be established so that the program can be conducted more meaningfully and
activities can be formulated.

e. Adequate financial and other resources are provided. A percentage of the budget has to be
allocated to WSH program for it to be effective. What is more importance is for the
stakeholder to believe what you said is what you mean. Otherwise nobody would take WSH
policy seriously.

12. Determine the relevant information to be collected for reviewing.

Previous management review records would be one of the platforms for determining whether the
policy requires further reviewing. In the case, SARS is part and parcel of health issue in the
workplace. Hence there may not be a requirement to review the policy.

WSH audit result would highlight the status of compliance. Policy setting by top management is one
of the checks where they would determine whether there is compliance. In this case the date and
signature of the top management is a common observation.

WSH performance as shown by performance indicators would help the stakeholders to realize their
performance so far. Efforts and resources must be reviewed to enhance success to their policy and
objectives. When SARS threat is present, resources have to be allocated to fight it like buying
equipment to fight it.
Change in the internal and external environment that might affect WSH policy. In this case, SARS is an
external threats. Hence a review of the policy to determine it feasibility may be required.

13. Involve stakeholders in the assessment of necessary changes to existing policy and objectives.

In view of the SARS threats, more procedures have to be established to deny the threats from
spreading. Hence there is a need to engage the stakeholders on the assessment of the changes.
Dialogue and feedback sessions with target group would have to be established to engage them to
the changes.

Providing free control measures to the stakeholders so as to alleviate their cost and concern. It would
help to motivate them to follow the changes. It would be a form of recognition to acknowledge that
help in always there to bring stakeholders on board for the changes.

At the same time provide platform for feedback so that stakeholders knew that concerns can be
resolved so that the impact on them could be reduced as low as possible. Examples like the cost of
buying the measuring fever can be borne by the company or certain percentage of deduction would
be given for compliance will help to lessen the impact.

14. Establish the impact and the resources required for implementation prior to finalizing the
changes

The impact.

Reduce risks. When SARS is identified as one of the hazards and the risks involved are high. Efforts to
establish the effective control measures have to be put in place to reduce the risks level.

Lower injury and illness rates. Illness rate may goes up and it would affects the effective operation of
the processes. Hence it would be better to implement the changes

Reduced costs. The cost of implement verse the cost of not implementing would give a clear
information for decision maker to decide. The effect of having SARS of any stakeholders would
impact the company in a big way.

Higher morale. Knowing the company is doing something for the welfare of the stakeholder reflect
the commitment of the top management where it is reflected in their policy. People will be happier if
they knew that their health and safety is well taken care of.

Human resources There is a need to identify who are required to implement the change. If there is
a need for someone to ensure that everyone comes to work without fever, we need to know have to
do the job.

Financial resources- Does the company has the budget to engage more people to enforce compliance
or have to depend on the leaders to do it within their capacity. In additional, are there sufficient
budget to buy necessary preventive equipment to ease implementation like fever measuring
equipment.

Internal and external resources- Company may have to seek help from Ministry of Health for more
cost effective equipment. In addition they may asked MOH for more education talk and training to
create awareness based on their expertise once the company has identified the available internal
resources.