WHS for Health and Safety Committees – NSW Edition
Lesson 4 – Topic 3: Safety (WHS) Programs
Definition WHS Programs: A set of activities designed to address an identified safety hazard. For example, manual handling, hazardous chemicals, confined spaces, contractor management, legal compliance etc.
ELEMENTS OF A SAFETY PROGRAM
Step 1 – Developing program content
At this stage, the Safety Committee can help identify what activities are needed to address and manage the chosen program topic. For example, if manaual handling was chosen, some activities that could make up the program could include:
- Conducting manual handling assessments
- Analysis of manual handling incidents
- Manual handling training
- Identification of manual handling equipment
- Setting objectives and targets
- Identify legal requirements and codes of practice etc.
Step 2 – Implementation
Identify responsibilities, accountabilities, resources required, budgets and time frames
Step 3 – Monitoring
What, when and how to monitor the various program activities, including identifying what activities should be adjusted as needed
Step 4 – Evaluation
Was it effective, will we continue to run it with or without changes or are we going to do something different.