Citation

Walker D, Tait R. Safety Sci. 2004; 42(1): 69-83.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The study investigates the effectiveness of an approach used in the UK, designed to help small enterprises set up and operate a simple health and safety management system. The approach is based on the introduction of a health and safety policy and risk assessment with the development of appropriate subsequent control measures. The effectiveness of the approach was assessed by follow up visits to 24 enterprises that had previously received help. The assessment consisted of interview, inspection of premises, document examination and assessment of training and maintenance standards. It was found that the approach was effective in almost all the cases in helping enterprise managers to produce adequate policy statements and risk assessments and to introduce an effective health and safety management system. However, many of the necessary arrangements had been in place prior to the intervention. It is suggested that the intervention may have been effective in bringing these diverse arrangements together and in augmenting them in order to produce a coherent management system. There is evidence that it has also developed the necessary knowledge and confidence in the enterprise manager to maintain and develop the system. The results are discussed in relation to similar European initiatives.