2.2 Key components of a health and safety policy

Written by Imran Qureshi (NEBOSH)

NEBOSH IGC · Health and safety management · 15 questions

Name: ____________________ Date: ____________

SMART objectives are:
- A Specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, time-bound
- B Simple, manageable, accurate, relevant, tested
- C Safe, monitored, assessed, recorded, tracked
- D Strategic, mandatory, approved, reviewed, targeted
Which clause of ISO 45001 deals with the occupational health and safety policy?
- A 4.1
- B 3.32
- C 5.2
- D 8.1.2
When should a health and safety policy be reviewed?
- A Only when an inspector asks
- B Only every ten years
- C After changes in technology, organisation or law, or when monitoring shows problems
- D Never, once it is signed
A health and safety policy statement is best described as:
- A A list of the organisation's injuries
- B A contract with a customer
- C A procedure for one machine
- D The organisation's written statement of intent that shows top management's commitment
Which of these usually appears in a policy statement?
- A The budget for each machine
- B A commitment to consult workers and to continually improve
- C The names of injured workers
- D A list of suppliers
In SMART objectives, the letter M stands for:
- A Mixed
- B Mandatory
- C Managed
- D Measurable
The T in SMART stands for:
- A Typical
- B Tested
- C Trained
- D Time-bound
Which is the best example of a SMART objective?
- A Try to have fewer accidents
- B Reduce manual handling injuries by 20 percent within 12 months
- C Be as safe as possible
- D Improve safety culture soon
The policy should be proportionate to:
- A The price of the products
- B The number of workers' relatives
- C The size and risks of the organisation
- D The number of customers only
In the policy, arrangements describe:
- A The workers' pay
- B What the organisation actually does to plan, control, consult and monitor
- C The structure of the building
- D Only the wishes of the directors
A health and safety policy should be reviewed:
- A Only when the directors change
- B After legal, technological or organisational change, or when monitoring shows it is not working
- C Every ten years
- D Never, once signed
Who has responsibilities that the policy should make clear?
- A Only visitors
- B Workers at every level
- C Only the safety officer
- D Only the directors
Why should objectives be quantifiable?
- A So that the policy can be shorter
- B So that progress can be measured
- C So that workers need no training
- D So that audits are unnecessary
Which of these shows that a policy is not working in practice?
- A Monitoring results are acted on
- B The signed policy says one thing but supervisors push production over safety
- C Objectives are reviewed every year
- D Workers are consulted on changes
The ISO 45001 clause that covers the occupational health and safety policy is:
- A Clause 3.32
- B Clause 12.1
- C Clause 5.2
- D Clause 8.1.2

Answer key

1. A, 2. C, 3. C, 4. D, 5. B, 6. D, 7. D, 8. B, 9. C, 10. B, 11. B, 12. B, 13. B, 14. B, 15. C

This is the meaning of SMART in the syllabus.
Clause 5.2 is the policy.
A policy must be kept current.
Its role is to show commitment and give direction.
Typical content includes commitments to legal compliance, hazard elimination, consultation and improvement.
A measurable objective can be checked to see if it has been met.
An objective needs a deadline.
It is specific, measurable and time-bound.
A small low-risk business needs a shorter, simpler policy than a large high-risk one.
The policy states intentions, and the arrangements are how they are carried out.
Policies must be kept current.
The policy sets out roles for everyone.
Measures allow the organisation to judge whether it has improved.
A gap between the written policy and behaviour is a warning sign.
Clause 8.1.2 covers the hierarchy of control and clause 3.32 defines audit.