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Risk Managment definition
Risk management is about taking pracical steps to prtect people from real harm and suffering. This must be approved by the boards of directors of the company and outlined in a document. “Health and Safety Management Plan”
Health and Safety Managemet Plan
Defines how risks associated with work will be identified, analysed and managed. This plan includes:
– Company identification information
– Company’s organization estructure
– Organisation of the production
– Company’s prevention orgnisation
– Policy, objectives and preventive targets
Risk Assesment
A risk assessment is a thorough look at the workplace to identify things, situations or processes that may cause harm, particulary to people. When the identification is made, it has to be evluated how likely and severe the risk is, and then decide what mesures should be taken to effectively prevent or control the harm from happening.
Assessments should be done by a competent team. Staff should always be involved, including supervisors and workers. Risk assessment is the process where the employer:
– Identify hazards and gather them up on a check-list.
– Analise and evaluate the risk associated with that hazard.
Risk Management Organisation within a Business
The regulation of risk managment services (RD 604/2006) establishes that the employer can chose among different risk management organisation modalities:
EMPLOYER RETAINS OWNERSHIP
This modality can be adopted when:
– Companies have a maximum of 10 workers (25 if the company has only one workplace) and whenever the activity is carried out by the company is low hazard.
– The employer works regulary in the worlplace and has suitable training capabilities.
APPOINTMENT OF THE EMPLOYEE/S
The employer may appoint one or severl workers whenever:
– The workers possess training capabilities according to the tasks they must carry out.
– The company is no obligated to create its “In-House Risk Management Service”.
– The employer does not retain ownership of the risk management organisation.
IN-HOUSE PREVENTION SERVICE
This modality must be chosen under certain conditions:
– The business must have more than 500 employees.
– Businesses with between 250 and 500 employees which perform activities with a special danger.
This modality must be carried out by trained workers and with the necessary resources. An annual report and scheduling of activities must be drawn uo and at the disposal of the competent authorities.
EXTERNAL RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICE
A specialsed enterprise provides this service externally. A good example are the “mutual insurance companies”. The enterprise providing the external risk management must be acredited by the labour administration.
There is an obligation for a company to contract this service:
– When the internal designation on one or two health and safety delegates is not enough to carry out the risk management activity needed.
– When the company is not obligated to create its own in-house risk management service.
Companies that do not hire an external risk management service for all their activities must have their risk management system audited every 5 years or whenever the labour authority requires it. The most common resource for both micro-enterpirses and small enterprises is an external risk management service, while in-house risk management services are much more common among larger companies.
JOINT RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICE
A joint risk management service can be adopted when:
– Different businesses belong to the same industry.
– The businesses pperform their activities in the same uilding or a specific geographic area.
There must be a consultation with the workers representatives of every bussiness cocerned.
Workers Representatives in Health and Safety (H&S) at work
According to the law 31/1995 – employee representatives for H&S matters fall into one of two categories: prevention delegates and/or H&S committee members.
HEALTH AND SAFETY DELEGATES
H&S delegates are designed by and among personnel representatives. The number of H&S delegates in a company depends on the numer of employees.
The key roles of the H&S are:
– Colaborate with the management board to improve risk management in the comoany.
– Promote cooperating amongst workers to apply H&S regulations.
– Represent the workers for all decisions regarding article 33 of the LRPL.
– Control and survey the fulfillment of H&S regulations.
The guarantees of the H&S delegates are:
– If a serious infingement had been commited regarding to a H&S delegate, the workers council and the rest of the delegates have the right to be heard.
– Time devoted to information and training in H&S is always considered as part of the working day.
HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITEE
With regards to the H&S Commitee, the law states that this body must exist in all companies or workplaces with 50 or more employees. This H&S commitee is a joint body composed equaly by workers H&S representatives (delegates) and employers.
The resposibilities of the H&S Commitee are:
– Participate in the elavoration, implementation and evaluation of risk management plans.
– Promote iniciatives regarding measures for effective response and suggest the improvement of existing deficiencies.
Self-Protection Plan
It’s a system of control and security management to prevent and control the risks over persons and goods.
I’ts mandatory by law for:
– Education facilities, health centres, care facilities (nursing homes, disabled housing…)
– Manufacturing industries, storage and distribution centres
– Transport and energy companies
– Public shows and amusement parks
This plan shall be a periodically updated document to adapt to changes through three main action guides:
– Evaluation of risk situations
– Make an inventory of the existing resources
– Establish the route action to be taken
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
A wide variety of emergencies, man-made and natural, may require a qorkplace to be evacuated. These emergencies include – fires, explosions, eathquackes, hurricanes…An emergency action plan (EAP) is a writen document which purpose is to facilitate and organise employer and employee actions during workplace emergencies. It is compulsory for all businesses. It must include:
– Identification and classification of emergencies
– Protocols for emergency action
– Identification of emergency response teams
EVACUATION PLAN
Emergency evacuation plan is a part of the emergency action plan. An emergency is the rapid and immediate movement of people away from the threat or hazard. Evacuation drills must be carried aout at least once every twelve months.
Labour Risk Management Agencies
The National Institute for Safety and Hygiene at Work
Its guiding mission is to analyse and search the work conditions, promoting and supporting good work conditions. It collaborates and transmits information to the European Union institutions.