4.4 Review of Health and Safety Performance

Why performance should be reviewed

A formal review of health and safety performance is essential. It shows whether the system is effective in managing risk and protecting people. The review is carried out to:

• demonstrate management's commitment to health and safety
• examine whether the health and safety policy reflects the organisation's current priorities, plans and targets
• check that the system suits the organisation, its operations, culture and risk profile
• examine whether risk management and other health and safety systems have reported effectively to management
• make sure the system is adequate in addressing the organisation's policy and objectives, and is therefore appropriate and sufficient
• report health and safety shortcomings and the effect of all relevant management decisions
• decide actions to address weaknesses, with a system to monitor their implementation
• consider immediate reviews in the light of major shortcomings or events
• make sure the system is effective, meaning it achieves the desired outcomes

What the review should consider

The key to a successful review is giving it the right inputs of information and data. Topics to consider include:

• the status of actions from previous management reviews
• changes in external and internal issues, including stakeholder expectations, legal requirements and risks
• whether the health and safety policy is still suitable and reflects current priorities, plans and targets
• the extent to which the policy and objectives have been met
• performance data on incidents, non-conformities, audits, compliance and worker participation
• trends in risks and opportunities
• whether resources (financial, personnel and material) are adequate to maintain the system
• the results of communication and consultation with stakeholders
• results of recent OHS audits, internal and external
• the organisation's own leading and lagging indicators (absence and sickness data, incidents, complaints, safety tours, sampling, inspections and survey results)
• the state of preparedness for emergencies, including reports on actual incidents and exercises
• the performance of contractors and of supplied goods and services
• the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of current hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control processes
• whether objectives have been met
• developments in law and best practice, including technological advances
• opportunities for continual improvement and risk management

Reporting on health and safety performance

The outcomes of the management review should be communicated, and where necessary consulted on, with relevant stakeholders inside and outside the organisation.

Outcomes and recommendations may need top management review and approval before they are released publicly or acted on. This depends on how sensitive the outcomes are and on the organisation's culture.

Some organisations must also report each year to shareholders on their health and safety performance in the annual company report.

Inside the organisation, those interested in OHS performance include the HR manager, the safety manager, the CEO, section heads and employee representatives.

Some incidents, such as disability, fatality, lost-time injury and the spread of disease, may have to be reported to legal bodies in the country concerned.

Summary notes for Element 4 · Cheat sheet · Glossary. A study aid, not published or endorsed by NEBOSH.