Wsh Policy And Objectives At Azura
AZURA Chemical was established in 2009 and is situated in the Jurong Island, Singapore. It has a staff strength of 50 people. The company is a manufacturer of Ethoxylated Surfactants. Their main products are Ethoxylate Surface Active Agents; Polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters; Polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oils; Polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers.
The company core values are.
We believe and value open communication at every level in the organisation.
We encourage creativity and challenge the Status Quo.
We endeavor to respect every Individual by fostering a trusting environment and treating each person equal.
Internal Factors
The 3 Internal Factors are.
1. Current WSH Policy
2. Feedback from Internal Audit and Management review meeting.
3. Organisational WSH cultures.
The WSH policy statement was to drive the company mission and objectives toward achieving its Environmental, Safety, Health and social responsibility. The company administered the policy via its policy deployment process by scheduling monthly communication meeting with staff and the Managing Director of the company took the personal responsibility to communicate the company policy.
The Feedback from Internal Audit and Management review meeting was to put in place corrective and preventive actions plan and monitor the effectiveness of the current and new control measures put in place. It also act as a continuous improvement cycle to continually improve its Safety and Health objectives by review and making changes to its policy statement and objectives. They achieved this through their bi-yearly internal audit and 6 monthly management review meeting chair by their Managing Director. .
Organisational WSH cultures.
The company started the program to drive a culture shift by adopting a proactive instead of being reactive mindset in the areas of Safety and Health.
Previously, program was only put in place only after a near missed and an accident situation.
The procative program put in place are a weekly surveillance by management team walk-about. The senior management team basically walk through the factory and identify best practices, improvement areas and communicating with people on the shopfloor to better understand their concern in the areas of Health and Safety.
The feedback are discussed during their monthly management meeting and the result or actions plan are posted in the notice board as a form of communication with their employee.
External Factors
The 3 External Factors are.
Changes in Legal requirement.
Trend in industrial practices
United Nation / International labour Organisation directives.
1. Changes in Legal requirement.
With the changes made to the WSH (SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND AUDITING) REGULATIONS 2009,
PART III
SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Implementation of safety and health management system
8.-(1) It shall be the duty of the occupier of every workplace specified in the Second Schedule
to implement a safety and health management system for the purpose of ensuring the safety and
health of persons at work in the workplace.
Workplace safety and health audit
9.-(1) It shall be the duty of the occupier of any workplace specified in the Third Schedule to
appoint a workplace safety and health auditor to audit the safety and health management system
of the workplace at a frequency as specified in the Third Schedule.
In order to comply with the regulation, the company have to engaged an External consultant to establish and develop the SHMS system based on SS 506 Part 3 ( SHMS for chemical industries). Thereafter, the company has to engaged an MOM approved SHMS auditor to do an audit on the company system.
2. Trend in industrial practices.
Very Often, change in industrial practice or Best Practices influence the company WSH management system and control. Example are Technical Advisory from the WSHC which formulate and set-up new or updated Safety guideline for the general industry. The company will therefore need to update it management system, make changes to its internal procedures such as SWP and follow-up with the latest need for training to its employee.
3. United Nation / International labour Organisation directives.
The Globally Harmonized System (GHC) was initiated at the UN Conference on the Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
It aims, amongst other goals, to harmonize the classification and the hazard communication elements of chemicals (labeling and safety data sheets).
The direct impact on Industry, end user and the implementation time frame for Singapore supplier, manufacturer and end-user.
With the new directive, the company will need to implement new labeling format for all its Chemical Label to be pasted on all its container / drum before making delivery to all its customers by 2012. Changes will be made to its internal processes such as work and packaging procedures and changes to its OHS/WSH management system
Current Policy
OSH POLICY
Azura Chemical Pte Ltd is committed to complying with all applicable Environmental, Health and safety Act and practices, including the commitment to meet or exceed applicable legal and other requirements, to strive for continual improvement in our OSH management system, and to minimize/eliminate safety and Health hazards.
We will, therefore, manage our processes, our materials and our people in order to reduce Safety Hazards and Health impacts associated with our work.
We pledges to implement and operate the SHMS Management System to further enhance safety and health performance. Our main objectives are to:
Establishing current and long-term goals to provide the necessary guidelines for continuous improvement of occupational safety and health.
Publishing HSE objectives, activities and performance data as part of our OHS Risk Communication efforts.
Working toward ZERO Accident Rate.
Improving the overall working condition in Safety and Health.
This policy will be communicated to all parties interested in the performance of our OSH management system.
Signed: Azio Suzuki Date: 1 Feb 2009
Managing Director
After reviewing the current policy, it will be beneficial for the company to demonstrate its commitment to the objectives i.e. How are they going to achieve them?
We therefore will make some recommended by adding a “commitment to achieve the objectives”
The additions are:
We will meet theses commitment by :
To establish current and long-term goals to provide the necessary guidelines for continuous improvement of occupational safety and health.
To publish Occupational, Safety and Health (OSH) objectives, activities and performance data as part of our OHS hazard and risk communication efforts.
To provide our employee with the appropriate education and relevant training they need to better understand their OHS roles and responsibilities.
To hold every employee responsible for their own action that otherwise will impact the life of others, the overall health, safety and the environment we operate in.
To take and make every effort and to work toward ZERO Accident Rate.
To commit and Improve the overall working condition in Safety and Health.
Identify and look into the relevant organisational structure/s essential in the alignment & implementation of the WSH policy. (PC2.1, UK11)
The company WSH come under the responsibility of the EHS Director and he report to the Corporate EHS Director and dotted line to the Managing Director. Under the leadership of the EHS director, the Safety and Health steering committee provide the guidance to overall deployment. The WSH officer get the directive from the steering committee and act as the liaison officer for all HSE.OHS matters and program.
The WSH structure consist of 6 main function i.e. EHS Director, Human Resources, WSH officer, Facilities, Manufacturing and the Safety Committee / EHS .
EHS Director.
The EHS director works with the corporate EHS in setting all OHS policy, Safety and Health deployment , drive and monitor and review all the OHS performance indicators.
WSH Officer.
The officer works under the supervision and directive of the EHS director to implement, monitor and follow-up on all OHS matters and update key safety performance indicators monthly.
He also chair the monthly safety inspection and meeting. He also provide expert advise to the director and staff. He works closely with the HR training department in formulating training programs. Together with the HR training executive, they perform and conduct Job safety and training needs analysis.
Human Resources ( Training and Admin support)
The HR department is assigned the role to support the WSH programs and arrange for external training need and also conducting in-house safety awareness induction program for all new employee. It also provides the administrative support, maintain documentation and manage the training programs for the company.
The HR officer also work closely with the finance department to ensure funds are made available to implement and promote the WSH training.
Manufacturing and Operations
Work closely with WSH officer to conduct regular safety and health inspection and to identify any hazards in the workplace.
Is also responsible to conduct and review all Risk Assessment for all the activities under their control. Responsible to establish Safe Work procedures (SWP) and enforce/monitor all Permit to work (PTW) system.
He also support the company plant-wide SHMS management system and to ensure conformity to the policy ad procedures.
Participate and support training requirement and planned program.
Facilities.
The facilities department manages all facilities support and equipment maintenance program to ensure machines and equipment are safe to operate.
It also support and monitor all the fire fighting equipment and to ensure the equipment are maintained and comply with the relevant bodies such as SCDF.
Assist the manufacturing department in evaluating purchase of new machineries and equipment in meeting safety and Health requirement before they are brought into the factory.
Conduct and review all RA within the scope of facilities activities.
Monitor and update any process change to comply with Health and safety requirement.
Safety Committee ( Chairman and committee members)
The committee under the leadership of the chairman and the guidance of the WSH officers perform and carried out all the objectives set by the Steering committee and perform daily, weekly and monthly WSH activities. Activities such as weekly or monthly Safety inspection, participate in the monthly Safety meeting. The WSH chairman sits in the Steering committee meeting to provide feedback, participating in formulating policy and objective and coordination work.
Emergency Director ( SMC)
The Site Main Coordinator (SMC) acts as the Emergency Director in an emergency situation. His role is to coordinate with the Site Incident Coordinator (SIC), the emergency team members and the SCDF.
Site Incident Coordinator (SIC)
The SIC role is to manage and coordinate the emergency response team in Fire fighting, mitigating a chemical spill and rescue operations, the First aid team, Evacuation and fire warden teams and communicate and updating the SMC on the emergency situation and status on a regular basis.
Emergency Response Team.
The emergency response team members are responsible for to any emergency situation such as chemical spill, fire /explosion. They have been trained to mitigate, perform rescue if situation permit and to contain any emergency situation when it arise.
Environment Hazardous Substance Committee.
The committee members are responsible for managing, evaluating and management control of all the hazardous chemicals bought into the premise and storage. They are also responsible in drafting SWP for safe handling of chemical and storage based on SDS documents and industry best practices, CP and standards. They are also responsible to manage environmental issue such as emission, waste disposal and any environmental impact study.
They act as an advisor to the ESH director, steering committee, WSH offices and employee for all Environmental, safety and Health such as policy, control, training and procedures
Organisational programme for stakeholder awareness and involvement. (PC2.3, UK6, 13, 20)
Ways to engage and motivate stakeholders in the change process within organisational structure and system. (UK14, 17)
Establish the strategies for implementing WSH policy. (UK15)
14. Establish the impact and the resources required for implementation, prior to finalizing the changes. (PC2.5, 3.5, UK27, 28)
Types of Programmes
Description of Programmes
Implementation of Programmes
Short &Long Term Impacts
1. Near Missed / Incident campaign
The objective was to raise the safety awareness level of all employees and to encourage employee to feedback safety hazards while at work.
With the campaign, the company hopes to move away from the RE-ACTIVE mindset ( Act only when an incident occurs) to a PROACTIVE attitude by getting every employee to be proactive and be aware of their working environment and be safe at work.
A “Near Missed Safety” campaign to be launched by the Managing Director for a period of 3 months to get employee to be participative in identified hazard in the workplace.
Forms (Feedback card) were printed and place at 8 different locations for employee to write their feedback.
The WSHO was appointed to collect back all the feedback cards and review them for actions, award score and compile a weekly summary.
The summary of the results were posted in the communication board to reflect the number of submission, individual and department scores.
Awards were presented by the MD at the end of every month. It was awarded to individual and department for Best Individual and Best supporting department with the most submission.
Financial Budget for the Reward; 3 months period was.
Individual $100
Department : Trophy.
Awareness Level.
Lost in work productivity as staff will be away and higher cost due to overtime to cover loss hours.
The short term impacts were that the safety awareness level was raised at every level in the organization, Rank and file. Getting people to act on the hazard immediately rather than later.
People: Mindset changes.
Reduction in Accident rate
The long term impact is the positive culture mindset change based on Proactive rather than Reactive.
Safety Hazard identification and risk control consideration can be built into every activities and planning / thinking process rather than fixing the problem after the implementation stage.
Types of Programmes
Description of Programmes
Implementation of Programmes
Short &Long Term Impacts
2. Safety Training Programme.
The safety program focus on the Hazard identified during the Risk Assessment (RA).
There are:
Material Handling such a forklift and pallet truck.
Pen knife safety.
Understand SDS with regards to PPE and risk control such as chemical spill and on the proper use chemical spill kit.
Manual handling. Proper lifting technique.
The safety committee members appointed to take charge of safety training were involved in preparing the training material with the help of the WSH officer and training consultant.
The training were schedules monthly for all the relevant staff involved in the activities identified.
The training was conducted by the WSH officer.
Staff has to take a short assessment on 20 questions and pass the test.
Employee attending the session was required to sign in the training log.
A refresher course was also planned (within 1 month) for those who did not manage to pass the prescribe assessment test.
Short Term impact.
Lost in work productivity as staff will be away and higher cost due to overtime to cover loss hours.
The staff safety awareness level with regards to potential Hazard in their own workplace was raised and they will able to communicate with their colleague and supervisor.
The long term impact are :
Reduction in Accident rate as staff will be more competent.
Boost staff morale.
Staff are more responsible toward taking ownership when safety is a concerns,
They are able to identify safety hazard and contribute ideas on safety mitigation and hazard elimination.
3. Safety awareness exhibition.
The objective to schedule a safety and Health exhibition was to raise the awareness of the industries safety trends and development.
The exhibits on displayed gave the employee an visual view of the various safety hazard and the types of control measures available.
The WSHO and the safety committee training team member make arrangement to have Workplace Safety Council and National Fire and Civil Emergency Preparedness Council (NFEC) organization to showcase their Fire, Safety and Health program.
The fee for the external provider was set at $500 for the entire exhibition week.
Short-term impact.
Time away from productive work.
Employee is aware of what some of the external organisation are dong to promote “Safety At Work”.
Long Term impact.
Boost Morale and Reduction is the incident rate.
Staff will be able to continually understand and see safety is part of their activities at work and at Home.
4. Permit to Work System. PTW
The objective in implementing the PTW system was to manage and control risk. The PTW system applied to the following activities.
1, Hot work.
2. Work at Height.
3. Confined Space.
4. Lock Out Tag Out LOTO
The WSHO is responsible to authorize with the approval of the Senior manager in all activities listed in the PTW system
The programs are mandatory under the WSH regulations.
WSH (Confined Spaces) Regulations 2009.
WSH (General Provisions) Regulations 16 – 2006.
WSH ( SHMS Auditing) – 2009
Short-term impact.
Work Productivity will be affected as procedures need to be adhered to before works are permitted.
Long Term impact.
Most of the incident related to Hot-Work, Work at Height, Confined space will be reduced or eliminated due to effective control measured put in place.
Advantages and benefits of having positive WSH culture in the implementation of WSH policy. (UK18)
The benefits of driving towards a positives culture, i.e. attitude and mindset changes are:
Raising the level of Safety awareness and becoming increasing informed.
Taking personal responsibility and accountability in safety when at work.
Take proactive step in hazard identification and suggest action to eliminate or minimise the risk exposure.
People tend to think or see Safety as the sole responsibility of the Safety officers or the Safety and Health Manager. They are added to supervise and enforced Safety and Health rules. It’s their roles to ensure Safety at the workplace.
With a culture shift and a positive mindset, Safety is “EVERYONE” responsibility. Safety is “MY” responsibility. As an employee, I have to think Safety at all time when performing my task.
When employee takes responsibility for his work safety, he will be committed to ensure he does not endanger himself and others while at work.
Establish regular and effective review process of WSH policy and objectives. (PC3.1)
The main purpose of any review is to align, update and ensure all the information is still relevance.
The process involving going through the company current OHS policy, set objectives, corrective and preventive actions identified and put in place. Secondly it is for the purpose of continuous improvement in safety and health matters.
This is necessary due to the facts the environment we work in are changing all the time. Action or plan can be ineffective due to changes in the process, equipment, technology or Legal legislation / requirement or other requirements such as code of practice and standards.
By adopting a PDCA ( Plan, Do, Check, Act) model, we repeat the cycle and continually working towards sustainable improvement at all time. The periodic Management review can be schedule either quarterly or after an internal audit.
The frequency of the review are as follows:
Safety Performance Indicators. Monthly Review
No of Reported Near Missed / Incident. eg :Loss Time Incident rate (LTIR).
OHS Policy Review. (Management Review Meeting) Bi-Yearly ( Every 6 months)
Safety Gap Status Review: Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA). Every 3 months.
Determine the relevant information to be collected for reviewing. (PC2.4, 3.2, UK23, 24, 26)
13. Involve stakeholders in the assessment of necessary changes to existing policy and objectives. (PC1.4, 3.4 UK8, 25)
Name of Information / Assessment
Description
Freqency/Duration of review
Person in-charge
1. WSH Inspection Report.
To identify any safety gap or safety violation during the walk-about by the appointed Safety committee members on a monthly schedule.
To follow-up on corrective and preventive actions identified and timely close-out all identified hazard.
WSH (Workplace Safety and Health Committees) Regulations 2008
Monthly
WSHO / Safety Chairman.
2. OHS Safety Performance Indicators.
The safety performance indicator established for the years such as:
No of accident / Near missed /
Total Loss time. ( LT )
Loss Time Incident Rate ( LTIR )
Severity Rate. ( SR )
Every 3 months.
EHS Manager
Name of Information / Assessment
Description
Freqency/Duration of review
Person in-charge
3. Risk Assessment
To conduct Risk Assessment prior to commencing of any work activities in the workplace. The risk assessment includes 3 critical areas such: Hazard Identification, Risk Evaluation and Risk Control. Any High risk identified must be reduced to “Low” or “Medium” before work can start. If risk cannot be reduce to an acceptable level, SWP must be put in place to minimize the risk level.
Reference : WSH (Risk Management) Regulations 2006
Every 3 years.
Or
When there are changes to the process or an incident has occurred.
WSHO / Department Manager/
Top Management
4. Quarterly Safety Management Review Report.
The quarterly summary of the Safety Inspection report.
The purpose of the summary report was for management to review safety gaps identified, status of the corrective and preventative actions Plan. (i.e. closed or pending action)
To review resources and budget to fix safety gaps identified during the monthly safety inspection.
Quaterly
EHS Manager.
5. Safety and Health Management System. SHMS Audit report
The SHMS internal and external reports are used for the purpose of continuous improvement activities.
To determine whether the company current OHS policy and objectives need to be aligned with the organisation Safety and Health Management System (SHMS).
The external auditor reports are use by the company for the purpose of identifying safety lapses and system weakness. During the OHS/WSH policy review meeting, management must take into consideration the Auditor comments and recommendation in order to ensure the policy can be response to the changes needed to improve.
Every 6 months
EHS Manager and SHMS Management Representive (MR)
15. Document and communicate to relevant stakeholders the changes in policy arising from review. (PC1.6, 3.6, UK16, 30)
Documentation
Record keeping, communication are necessary for the purpose of compliance to WSH Act such as
WSH
1 WSH (Incident Reporting) Regulations 2006
2 WSH (Risk Management) Regulations 2006
3 WSH (Workplace Safety and Health Committees) Regulations 2008
4 WSH (Safety and Health Management System and Auditing) Regulations 2009
Occupational Health
1 WSH (First-Aid) Regulations 2006
2 Factories (Medical Examinations) Regulations 1999
3 Factories (Noise) Regulations 1997.
The other purposes of record keeping and communication are for monitoring and surveillance of ill health due to exposure to hazard. Any employee identified during the surveillance will be put through counseling such as suspected or confirmed NID case. For employee working in an environment where the identified hazard was radiation will be assigned other duties when the permissible exposure limit; PEL has been exceeded.
The 5 WSH documentation are:
Monthly Safety Inspection Report and Monthly Safety meeting minutes.
Safety and Health Training Records.
Risk Assessment Activities Inventory list and Risk Assessment (RA)
Health Surveillance and Monitoring. ( Cyanide exposure, X-ray, Audiometric-NID )
Noise monitoring record ( Internal and Boundary Noise)
Communications
The 3 main type of communication that are employed by the company are:
Safety Notice Board.
Quarter Safety News Letter.
Video display.
The Safety Notice Board.
The boards are used to communicate, safety inspection report, Safety meeting minutes, WSH bulletins from WSH council, MOM News alert and Safety and Health performance indicators such as No of Incident case, Loss Time Accident Case, Severity and Frequency rate.
2. Quarterly News Letter.
The New letter serves as a communication channel to :
showcase interview with Safety personnel,
Safety ideas,
safety program update,
Safety performance among various manufacturing sites worldwide.
Corporate EHS news and directives.
3. Video Display.
The Video Display are installed at the reception and Staff canteen areas for the purpose of communicating Safety and Health update and news to internal (staff) and external (visitor, suppliers) personnel . It also displayed the company Safety policy statements and commitment and monthly Safety Videos.