IOSH Safety for Executives and Directors

This course is intended for people with strategic responsibility for determining and implementing effective health and safety management within an organisation.

After successfully completing the course the delegate will be better able to:

• Describe the legal, moral and financial role of operational directors, owners of small businesses and senior executives, including their responsibilities, liabilities and accountabilities, both personal and organisational
• Explain the importance of safety and health at top-management level and how integrating those objectives into other business management objectives can help to minimise risk, reduce losses and make better use of time and resources
• Illustrate how to plan the direction for safety and health through developing and implementing a safety and health policy, and integrating it into business systems
• Explain the value of an adequately resourced and efficient safety and health management system, the value and benefits of training at all levels, and when to access competent advice
• Outline the benefits of good safety and health management systems, the consequences of failure to manage effectively, and how to ensure internal controls are working

Module 1 – The Moral, Legal and Financial Case

• Moral, financial and reputational arguments that go with the role.
• The responsibility to ensure that the impact of any changes, weaknesses or failures in the system are reported in the correct way.
• The legal requirements for the business and for the individual, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 and the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.
• The costs of failure to the business and its reputation.

Module 2 – Plan

• How the safety and health policy should reflect the current priorities, plans and targets of the organisation (and changes to legislation or other external factors), and be updated and reviewed on a regular basis.
• How organisational risks are identified and managed, and risk assessments carried out.
• How emergency planning is carried out to ensure business continuity, and the consequence of any emergencies has been assessed.
• The resources needed to ensure safety and health arrangements are available and used.
• The requirements to consult with employees or their safety representatives, and ensure they are involved in decisions that affect their safety and health.

Module 3 – Do

• The effect of communication by top management on the workplace and the importance of an effective system for doing so.
• Engaging the workforce in committing to promoting and achieving a health and safe workplace, and the importance of upward communication.
• The importance of providing high-quality training, and benefits of accessing and following professional advice.
• Developing standards for procuring goods and services to minimise risks.

Module 4 – Check

• How the methods of auditing and monitoring ensure organisational controls are working and effective.
• The importance of reporting both proactive and reactive data and overall performance, including system failures and external changes; the importance of specific and routine reports.
• Where to obtain information on external changes that may have an impact on the organisation.
• Ensuring key outcomes include reviewing the effectiveness of the policy, identifying any shortcomings and addressing weaknesses.

Module 5 – Act

• The importance of strong and visible leadership, and active commitment from top management; how they should lead by example, set the standards culture and values, and champion safety and health for the company.
• Organisational commitment to good corporate social responsibility.
• The benefit of celebrating good performance.
• The requirements for good corporate governance and annual reporting, and the effect that board decisions have on the business, for employees, investors and other stakeholders.
• The importance of continuous improvement in line with organisational priorities.

Certification On successful completion of a short answer test the delegate will receive an IOSH accredited certificate.