A safe system of work includes the procedures and processes you should have in place to first eliminate, then minimise the hazards and risks in your workplace operations.
As the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), it is your responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace, as far as is reasonably practicable, for your workers.
To meet your health and safety obligations you should continually review your workplace for hazards and ensure you are doing everything reasonably practicable to minimise risk in the workplace. A part of this review should include consultation with workers.
What is a safe system of work?
A safe system is a thorough process that methodically studies the requirements of work. Based on the findings, a system should be established to ensure that work is being conducted in a manner that is safe and involves no, or at least, as little risk as possible.
While a safe system of work can take many forms, it is best if it is expressed in a written document, such as a safety policy. This will ensure evidence that the business is complying with its obligations to review and consult with workers.
Further, business owners should ensure that employees are aware of their workplace health and safety obligations and be continuously reminded and updated about risks in the workplace. Such documentation can be tailored to best suit the business and employees.
Why is it important to involve workers in the development of a safe system of work?
The process of developing a safe system of work needs to be thorough, this includes factoring the use of equipment and substances.
As well as being a requirement under most workplace health and safety laws, involving workers in your process for developing a safe workplace will contribute in providing in-depth insight into the risks and hazards involved in the workplace. In order to create a comprehensive safe system of work, it is necessary to gain input from your workers – the people who directly encounter these potential hazards.
What is a safe work method statement?
A safe work method statement (SWMS) is a safety document that outlines a particular task in the workplace and details the steps involved in doing the task, the hazards that have been identified for each steps, the level of risk associated with each hazard, and what control measures are in place.
A SWMS is a requirement for workplaces that undertake high-risk work as defined by the relevant legislation. The SWMS is used as a tool for not only supervisors but all persons engaged on high-risk worksites.
The contents of a SWMS can vary drastically depending on the worksites. Each statement needs to be tailored for individual sites, identifying clearly the possible hazards and risks that are involved and an outline of the control measures in place for them.
Steps to developing a safe system
A safe system needs to be developed and reviewed regularly. Ideally, a safe system will be underpinned by a culture which continually seeks to improve workplace health and safety practices. The system evolves with the business – where new challenges that pose a risk are quickly addressed, and outdated aspects of the system are replaced.
Despite the evolving nature of safe systems, there are some fundamental steps to keep in mind.
Step 1: Revisit your employees’ roles
To develop a safe system, it is necessary to understand which areas and aspects of your business are prone to risks and hazards. Assessing the duties of different employees will provide you with a starting point. It will differentiate between roles that involve higher risks to those with lower risks. All risks should be assessed, however higher risks should take priority.
Step 2: Assess risks and hazards
Once you have identified a hazard in your workplace you will need to assess it thoroughly. This includes understanding why the hazard is present and if there is any way to avoid it altogether. Any factors contributing to the hazards and the level of risk should be identified in this stage. When reviewing hazards the business should consider how likely an incident such as an injury or illness may occurr compared to how severe the injury or illness may be.
Step 3: Developing safe methods and control measures
This step involves brainstorming measures to put in place in order to counteract the potential risks and hazards. These measures and methods need to be able to be implemented in the business and should seek to either eliminate or minimise risk as far as reasonably possible.
For some hazards there will be codes of practice, guidelines or other industry standards which may be applied. These codes, whilst not a legislative requirement, set out the minimums for what is expected to control hazards and risks in the workplace. Business owners should ensure they keep up to date with these requirements and any changes.
Implementing the safe system
Once the steps above have been executed, it is time to implement the system. No system is perfect, but it will keep getting better with time and experience. It is therefore crucial to monitor the safe system closely – especially immediately after implementation and during periods of change or injury.