Key actions in reviewing performance effectively
Leaders
- Consider the review findings. If improvement is needed act now, rather than reacting to an incident in the future
- Make sure that the review is carried out according to the plans, and that a report is issued to senior leaders at least annually
- Ensure the scope of the review will give assurance that risks are as low as reasonably practicable This means balancing the level of risk against the measures needed to control the real risk in terms of money, time or trouble. However, you do not need to take action if it would be grossly disproportionate to the level of risk. , and that your organisation is complying with health and safety law
Managers
What are the objectives of the review?
- Making judgements about the adequacy of health and safety performance
- Assurance that the system for managing health and safety is working
- Ensuring you are complying with the law
- Setting standards
- Improving performance
- Responding to change
- Learning from experience
Who will carry out the review?
- Someone independent, perhaps from another business area, could add value to the process
- Active monitoring (before things go wrong)
- Reactive monitoring (after things go wrong)
- Accident/incident/near-miss data
- Training records
- Inspection reports
- Investigation reports
- Risk assessments
- New guidance
- Issues raised by workers or their representatives
- Checks required by law, eg on lifting equipment and pressure systems
How often will you need to carry out a review?
- This will depend on your risk profile
Think about the supply chain
- How could the actions or health and safety performance of suppliers or contractors affect your organisation?
Consider incidents that have occurred in similar organisations
- Could they be repeated in your organisation?
Report the review findings
- It is crucial that you report any findings to everyone within the organisation
Ensure remedial actions have been carried out
- You also need to make sure that the measures work
Worker consultation and involvement
- Discuss plans for review with workers or their representatives
- Use information from safety representative’s inspections to feed into review
- Discuss the findings from your review with workers or their representatives - you will have more success in securing improvements if your workers are fully involved
Competence
- Ensure that those carrying out the review have the necessary training, experience and good judgement to achieve competence in this task
- See the guidance on Measuring and reviewing performance or use a trade association to assist with planning and benchmarking where you are now. Talk to similar organisations to compare performance and management practices
- If risks are complex and could have serious consequences, consider getting specialist advice, or supporting one of your own workers by providing additional training
- Check that training needs identified by the review have been addressed
