Chapter 9.2

SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICER (SHO)

CHE 301 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

SAFETY AND HEALTH

COMMITTEE The Occupational Safety and Health (Safety and Health Committee)

Regulations 1996

– Made on 3 December 1996

– Stipulates provisions pertaining to the composition, selection and

appointment of committee members, the committee’s functions

and powers and other related issues

– Consists of Six main parts as follows:

1. PART I: Preliminary

2. PART II: Composition of the committee

3. PART III: Functions of the committee

4. PART IV: Meeting of the committee

5. PART V: Provisions of training and information

6. PART VI: Penalty

OBJECTIVES

The main objectives to the establishment of the committee

are:

1.To foster cooperation and consultation between

management and workers

2.To establish two way communication

3.To motivate and boost interest of all workers on issues

related to safety and health

FUNCTION OF THE SHC

The committee is entrusted to perform specific functions which are:

1.To assist in the development of safety and health rules and safe

systems of work

2.Review the effectiveness of the existing safety and health

programmes

3.Conduct studies on trends of accidents, near-misses, dangerous

occurrences, occupational poisoning and diseases

4.Report to the employer any unsafe or unhealthy

conditions/practices at the workplace with recommendations for

corrective actions

5.Review the safety and health policies at the workplace and make

recommendations to the employer for any revision of such policies

What the committee should look at and

why? Statistics of accidents,diseases, near misses and trends.

Periodic review of Risk Assessments, or after change in work process

Working practices: Is there a Safer way of doing the process?

Safety Training: Review of any safety training provided.

Accidents: Causes of accidents i.e.

unsafe act or omissions

unsafe conditions

unsafe act and conditions

CHECKLIST OF ISSUES Topics that may be encountered.

•Housekeeping: Daily cleaning concerns.

•Lighting: Is the lighting suitable and efficient?

•Guards: Are dangerous machines securely fenced?

•Fire: How often are drills carried out?

•Welfare: Washing/Cooking facilities.

•Recording Under RIDDOR are all accidents and

dangerous occurrences reported.

•Other issues may be Personal Protective Equipment, Manual

handling,Noise,First Aid and any information gained through the Committees

experiences in the Company.

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How effective can a Committee

be? This will depend on the way they function within the organisation and actually make

improvements to Health and Safety.

Encouraging proactive measures from all members of staff

Communication is essential so we all can move to the future.

Partnership its our morale duty to protect each other.

Participation, each member must take an active role in the committee

Dedication, we must put the commitment into our role as a committee member and

lead by example.

SHO 1997 REGULATIONS

The Occupational Safety and Health (Safety and Health Officer)

Regulations 1997

– came into force on 22 August 1997

– requires that certain industries to employ a competent safety

and health officer to resolve matters pertaining to the safety

and health at their workplace.

– Consist of Six Parts as follows:

1. PART I: Preliminary

2. PART II: Registration of a Safety and Health Officer

3. PART III: Notification of a Safety and Health Officer

4. PART IV: Duties of an Employer

5. PART V: Duties of Safety and Health Officers

6. PART VI: Miscellaneous

SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICER

A person is qualified to register as a SHO under the

following conditions (Regulation 6(1)):

a) Holds a diploma of Occupational Safety and Health or

equivalent approved by the Minister;

b) Complete a training course and passed the examination of

Occupational Safety and Health (from NIOSH) or equivalent

approved by the Minister and has minimum of 3 years

experience in occupational safety and health

c) Has been working in the area of occupational safety and health

at least for a period of 10 years; or

d) Holds any other qualification or have undergo training as

prescribed from time to time by the Minister

DUTIES OF SAFETY AND

HEALTH OFFICER The main role of a Safety Officer is to act as a focal point for all

occupational health and safety matters arising at the particular location.

Duties of safety officer:

• To assist the employer or Safety and Health Committee conduct OSH programmes;

• To be the Secretary to the Safety and Health Committee;

• To assist the Safety and Health Committee in any inspection;

• To collect, analyse and maintain statistic on any accident, dangerous occurrence, occupational disease

• To assist any officer in carrying out his duties under the Act or any Regulations made under the Act; and

• To carry out any other instructions by the employer or any person in charge of the place of work on matters pertaining to safety and health at the workplace

Carrying out the role involves:

• assisting with promoting occupational health and safety awareness;

• advising on occupational health and safety problems or obtaining advice on unfamiliar problems from Occupational Health and Safety or other sources;

• bringing to the attention of staff and students, occupational health and safety hazards associated with their work;

• bringing to the attention of the relevant department heads unresolved occupational health and safety problems;

• investigating and reporting on all incidents, injuries and occupational health problems and notifying Occupational Health and Safety of incidents and hazards in line with reporting requirements;

• liaison with Occupational Health and Safety including providing requested information to Occupational Health and Safety;

• co-operation and liaison with occupational health and safety representative(s) on occupational health and safety activities in their zone or department in line with the procedures detailed in the Appendix to the Occupational Health and Safety Policy; and

• dealing with health and safety issues in line with the procedures detailed in the Appendix to the Occupational Health and Safety Policy.

TRAINING

• Safety officers are required to attend a minimum of 2 days Occupational Health and Safety training per year in order to effectively fulfill their Occupational Health and Safety roles.

• Newly appointed safety officers are required to attend relevant Occupational Health and Safety training courses in the first 6 months of their appointment.