At Mabey Hire Services Ltd we operate, and are registered to, OHSAS 18001:2007 by an independent, third party, certification body (NQA) thereby demonstrating a commitment to implement, maintain and improve the way in which the Company manages the health and safety system. This is incorporated within our Integrated Management System (IMS) along with the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard.
OHSAS 18001 requires an organisation to formally document the areas that are covered by their OH&S policy and to keep evidence that it is operating according to the requirements of the standard.
OHSAS 18001 is split into several areas, some key ones amongst them are:
- Documented OHS management system
- Responsibility, authority and communication
- Organisation chart and specific responsibilities
- Hazard identification and control
- Competence, awareness and training
- Communication, participation and consultation
- Operational controls
- Measurement (checking), analysis and improvement
- Emergency preparedness and response
An increasing number of customers are requiring the Company to demonstrate it is being managed effectively and responsibly and that they can provide a reliable service without excessive downtime caused by work-related accidents and incidents. By complying with, and being certified to, the OHSAS 18001 management system, Mabey Hire Services can prove it conforms to the specification and provide evidence to support it.
Successful implementation of the OHSAS 18001 standard provides the following benefits:
- Potential reduction in the number of accidents
- Potential reduction in downtime and associated costs
- Demonstration of legal and regulatory compliance
- Demonstration to stakeholders of your commitment to health and safety
- Demonstration of an innovative and forward thinking approach
- Increased access to new customers and business partners
- Better management of health and safety risks, now and in the future
- Potential reduced public liability insurance costs
Research carried out by a health and safety specialist tutor at BSI confirmed that significant improvement has been made by British industries through implementation of the OHSAS 18001 standard. Specific areas of improvement were seen in terms of reduced accident rates and improved reporting of accidents and non-injury incidents (near misses).
Perceived drawbacks in working to the standard are an increase in the costs of health and safety management, more bureaucracy, and the time it takes up in the performance measuring, monitoring and improvement of the system. In fact, a well thought out H & S management system can reduce bureaucracy and save money.
Overall, investment in health and safety is inevitable, as little improvement can be achieved without investment in time, competencies, and required equipment. The adage, prevention is better than the cure, can be used in OHSAS 18001 to support the idea that it is better to invest in health and safety management to prevent an accident or incident now rather wait for something to happen, potentially incurring both human and financial costs. The reputation of the Company would also be tarnished, possibly discouraging customers both old and new.
People ask whether the OHSAS 18001 standard is a good thing or a bad thing for the Company. The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks and if only one injury, whether major or not, is prevented then surely that is a good thing for the Company, it's employees and it's customers.
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