Health and Safety OHSAS 18001

According to the HSE, staff working for businesses in plastic sector incur a range of accidents involving manual handling, slips and trips, accidents with machinery, and being struck by an object, including knives. Common health issues arising in the industry include occupational asthma, dermatitis, and hearing loss through noise. Responsible businesses are now using the international standard BS OHSAS 18001:2007 to provide a framework for an effective health and safety management system. The standard works on the same principle as the ISO standards, and can now be aligned more effectively with them.

Incorporate existing systems: Companies in the plastics industry which hold the BS OHSAS 18001 Standard are proclaiming that they have taken all reasonable measures to minimise risks, prevent accidents, and protect the health of their employees. As each organisation is different, so each will have different health and safety issues. Existing systems are incorporated, and participation, consultation, and investigation processes are included.

Practical: Sensible risk management should be about practical steps to protect people from real harm and suffering - not bureaucratic back covering. Implementing BS OHSAS 18001 will help you put in place preventative measures to protect your employees, providing a balance between absolute safety, and lack of management focus on workplace risks and hazards. There is an in-built procedure for managing change, so that systems are not outdated, attracting additional risks.

Cost savings: It actually costs a business less to implement an effective health and safety management system, than it does to ignore the issue and take the consequences. By anticipating, reducing and eliminating the likelihood of minor incidents, disruptions, and delays, a business can make substantial savings. Long-term disability is not only distressing in human terms, it can amount to a major cost. BS OHSAS 18001 significantly reduces the likelihood of such events, and provides a framework for legal responsibilities. Furthermore, insurance companies recognize the Standard as a means of reducing risk, and offer more attractive premiums.

Recognized and valued: Prospective customers and supply chains acknowledge and value more highly companies which hold this standard, and for many tenders it is a requirement. Our plastics customers report that by being able to tick the box which says the company holds BS OHSAS18001, they save considerable time in completing tenders, as the Standard says it all.

Integration with other standards: When a business already has ISO9001 in place, achieving BS OHSAS 18001 becomes much simpler. With an estimated million ISO 9001 certificates now issued in 170 countries, the ISO 9001 standards have been written to enable the company to relate them to other management systems relevant to the plastics sector.

New Health and Safety Standard available for purchase

BS EN 201:2009

Plastics and Rubber Machines, Injection Moulding Machines; Safety Requirement

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This content has been kindly provided by Business Support Network Member IMS