One of the essentials of effective Quality, Health & Safety management is good communication and information dissemination to the Contractor Community.
Benefits of close co operation
A genuine partnership between Wellwise Group, it's Clients and the Contracting community is critical to creating an effective quality and safety culture within our organisation. An organisation committed to consultation and involvement is likely to see a downturn in injuries and working days lost, as well as productivity and a more motivated work force.
There are a number of reasons for this. Often Contractors know best about what health and safety issues affect them in the workplace and how best to deal with them, and therefore they may be in a position to help us develop safe and practical systems of work.
By empowering Contractors and getting them involved in safety decision-making, Wellwise Group demonstrates that it shows that we take Contractor health, safety and well being seriously. This in turn encourages Contractors to raise concerns and offer solutions. The knock on effect is influencing health and safety through positive actions.
So, in summary, effective consultation on health and safety can result in:-
- Healthier and safer workplace - because Contractor input is valuable to identify hazards, assess risks and develop ways to control or remove risks;
- Better decisions about health and safety – because they are based on the input and experience of a range of people within the organization, who have extensive knowledge of their own job and the business.
- Stronger commitment to implementing decisions or actions – because Contractors have been involved in reaching these decisions
- Greater co-operation and trust – because Wellwise Group, its Clients and Contractors talk to each other, listen to each other and gain a better understanding of each other’s views
- Greater awareness of workplace risks among all Contractors leading to better risk controls and,
- Multi level Problem solving
In addition to health and safety benefits, the business benefits of improved involvement include:-
- Fewer working days lost due to reduction in risk and accidents
- Increased job satisfaction, resulting in improved retention of skilled workers
- Improvements in overall efficiency, quality and productivity
Key barriers to participation
Despite the ethical and economic benefits of closer engagement with the workforce there is still a barrier to this actually happening. HSE researchers have identified the main causes:-
- Difficulty in understanding safety Legislation, regulations and requirements – many perceive the whole subject to be frighteningly complex;
- Cost concerns – there is a tendency, especially with small businesses to see health and safety as a barrier to quick and efficient working.
- Organisational culture – contractors may be reluctant to raise health and safety concerns through fear of losing their jobs or being NRB’d (Not required back). In a macho culture some may perceive an interest in health and safety to be “soft” or “weak".
- Attitude – some people may be reluctant to take advice on their behaviour or fail to realize when their own practices could be improved.
The Wellwise Group have several tools in place to aid effective consultation:- a) Risk Identification System. An accident/incident/near miss reporting system where the sharing of information can help reduce further occurrences. These are posted on our website for reference.
b) Safety Alerts – Industry Safety alerts are also posted on our website for information
c) No blame culture – Wellwise Group Contractors should always feel they can report any safety incident they see or are involved in offshore. We are always in support of justifiable cases.