MANAGEMENT, MONITORING AND AUDITING PROJECT SAFETY

 Projects that are high-risk, large, complex or of long duration may require a significant amount of safety resources dedicated to the project.  The following items can help to ensure that the company’s standards of safety are maintained and that safety systems remain effective.

Management:

The management of safety in major projects requires:

• Clear lines of responsibility
• The setting of priorities and goals
• Commitment to provide facilities and equipment required for safety
• Provision for training where needs are identified
• Documentation that tasks have been identified and assessed for risk of personal injury
• Written Safe Work Plans for all tasks involving significant risk
• Signed agreements between management and staff to work to the project safety plan
• Monitoring and auditing systems communicated to all levels of employees
• Provision for employee feedback and whistleblowing

Monitoring:

The monitoring of safety in major projects requires:

• Documentation of the management system
• Documentation of Safety Plans, Safe Work Procedures and/or other systems in use at the project
• Documentation of management follow-up to ensure documentation is utilized
• Records of incidents, injuries, illness, fatigue and near misses
• Documentation of actions taken as a result of follow-up and accident reporting
• Assessment of safety attitudes amongst employees
• Documentation of training undertaken
• Maintenance and repair of equipment

Auditing:

The auditing of safety at a major project requires:

• Checking that the above documentation is in place
• Ensuring that training is adequate
• Assessing management and worker commitment to safety by interviews
• Comparing expressed commitment with observations