When
the work group have had a presentation on The Principles of Prevention,
be it in video or slide format, they can turn their attention to looking
at the hazards and risks and the hardware and software as it pertains
to their own work group. Ideally this should be led by the manager/supervisor
with consideration given to getting the safety representative on board.
We have used this format extensively and we have seen that it gets
the people involved and committed to changing the software (their
attitudes and working practices) which is the lower cost option and
can achieve results on a wider base and in a shorter time scale. The
flip charts which were "prepared earlier" can then be put
up, but experience shows us that the people in the work group can
generally cover all if not a few additional angles. An opportunity
will be given for discussion and those who attended will have their
attendance recorded.
This presentation
is designed to help engender a positive proactive preventative workplace
culture. We believe that everyone working in industry nowadays has
to have an understanding of the concept of hazard and risk and how
it is affected by hardware (premises, plant and equipment) and software
(people, their attitudes and working practices)
As a second
phase, it is important that Occupational Health staff and the relevant
managers / supervisors sit down together and look at what the hazards
are in any given work group. They evaluate the risks and address
the issues of "hardware and software". With this in mind,
they put together a series of flip charts which are prepared in
advance.
