The Heath and Safety Executive (HSE) has completely refreshed and enhanced ‘Managing for Health and Safety’ guidance (also known as HSG65) to help make it easier for larger organisations and businesses to understand how to manage health and safety.
The new guidance moves away from using the POPMAR (Policy, Organising, Planning, Measuring performance, Auditing and Review) model of managing health and safety to a ‘Plan, Do, Check, Act’ approach.
The HSE says that the move towards ‘Plan, Do, Check, Act’ achieves a better balance between the systems and behavioural aspects of management. It also treats health and safety management as an integral part of good management generally, rather than as a stand-alone system.
A new edition of this popular guide will be published to reflect this change.
While the new edition is being produced, you can find the refreshed guidance at Managing for health and safety
This section of the HSE website provides overarching guidance on health and safety management that can be applied to any large or complex organisation. It explains the Plan, Do, Check, Act approach.
Andrew Cottam, HSE’s lead author of ‘Managing for Health and Safety’ explained:
"Each level of guidance on our website offers appropriately targeted information, focussed on making compliance as straightforward as possible.
Following the guidance is not compulsory, unless specifically stated, and businesses are free to take other action, but if they do follow the guidance they will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance."The revamped guidance aims to help business leaders, owners, directors, trustees and line-managers and is split into four key sections:
- Core elements of managing for health and safety
- Are you doing what you need to?
- Delivering effective arrangements
- Resources
The HSE says that the improved information will also be of value to workers and their representatives and the third section will be of great help to those responsible for putting in place or overseeing their organisation’s arrangements for health and safety including health and safety practitioners and training providers.
The Managing for Health and Safety website is part of a suite of free guidance for businesses of all types and sizes. It is accompanied by Health and Safety Made Simple and Health and Safety Toolbox, which are primarily aimed at supporting the needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). ‘Managing for Health and Safety’ provides targeted material suitable for larger organisations, although there is some information relevant to others.
Source: HSE
The original and second edition of HSG65 is still available to download from the E-Library Database
