The terms ‘Health & Safety Policy’ and ‘Safety or SHE Management System’ are often confused and misunderstood, SO … what is the difference?

Health & Safety Policy

A document which sets out an organisation’s approach and commitment to health and safety. It should explain how you, as an employer, will manage health and safety in the business and details who does what and when.

Remember: Where you have 5 or more employees, your policy must be written down! And you must share the policy and any changes to it, with your employees.

Sense check: Even those with less than 5 employees must have arrangements in place for managing H&S – So without it written down, ask yourself;

• How would you demonstrate your arrangements if you were asked by a Client or the HSE?

• How do you communicate and demonstrate the importance of H&S to your workforce?

Safety, Health & Environmental (SHE) Management System

A formal framework or system developed to help those responsible, manage health and safety in a methodical and effective manner. The system will often contain a number of individual policies (this the WHAT), supported by the responsibilities section (the WHO) and the individual policy arrangements (the HOW) of managing health and safety.

There are recognised National and International standards such as ISO 45001, which may help your organisation to demonstrate health and safety standards, however in some respects they go beyond what the law requires and should be carefully considered before being adopted.

Remember: It is your decision whether you have a management system or not. Always ask yourself how you would demonstrate your arrangements.