Editorial
Active Leadership
November 2012
Sheila Pantry OBE
All over the world companies of all types have made considerable improvements in occupational safety and health (OSH) over the past decades. Such improvements are due, in part, to the acknowledgement by managers that taking an active leadership role in safety and health is not only important for legal or ethical reasons, but also for sound business ones.
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has just launched a Healthy Workplaces Campaign to run 2012-13.
The overall campaign focuses on how companies, workers, their representatives and other stakeholders can work together to improve safety and health. The Agency has produced a practical guide - Management leadership in occupational safety and health - that is aimed at managers who wish to show leadership in safety and health. It highlights the ongoing need to improve safety and health and the role managers should play if they wish to be in the vanguard.
A thriving business community creates jobs and wealth and good management of health and safety in the workplace is key to this. Safe working conditions are an essential element for the quality production of goods and provision of services.
The success of a company depends on taking calculated risks.
Prevention is the most effective approach to mitigate against these risks. It allows a company to limit uncertainties. In evaluating the risks and taking appropriate prevention measures, companies can improve their productivity and therefore also their profit margins.
Another new EU-OSHA report looks at the corporate leadership factors on which success depends. It reviews the existing literature on OSH leadership and analyses the results of 16 case studies from companies across the EU identifying success factors and examples of good OSH leadership, such as innovative approaches and the role of stakeholders.
Download the report: Leadership and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH): An Expert analysis
Working together for risk prevention: www.healthy-workplaces.eu/en
There is a vast array of full text and bibliographic management leadership information available in the electronic collection of databases in OSH UPDATE www.oshupdate.com
If budget constraints do not allow you to buy all the journals, newsletters and documents that contain the latest information or you do not have the time to search for the latest information, legislation and standards then try the very affordable and reliable and easy to use services OSH UPDATE and FIREINF from Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd.
Information Seekers will find a wealth of authoritative and validated advice from around the world in these well established electronic services. Best practices, case studies, journal articles, conference proceedings, research reports, legislation, standards are all in OSH UPDATE and FIREINF as either full text documents or bibliographic records.
Ask for a 15 DAY FREE NO OBLIGATION TRIALS contact: Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd | e-mail: sp@sheilapantry.com | or fill in the Interest form www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html
OSHWORLD www.oshworld.com - your portal to some of the best OSH web sites in the world
You can use OSHWORLD as your portal to many hundreds of validated and authoritative web sites which you can find in the Country and Subject links we offer. New subject topics are constantly brought together on web sites, e.g. nanotechnology, driving as a job and smoke free workplaces.
Look further into the portal OSHWORLD www.oshworld.com and view the latest additions. In these days of tighter budgets perhaps training may be put on the "back-burner" - but think again how you can keep up with the latest techniques and training opportunities. As 2012 advances and despite the recession an increasing number of conferences, seminars and training courses are being listed in the Diary of Events and you will find these being held in many places in the world and on a wide range of subjects.
This month's FOCUS on the new Atlas of health and climate launches new collaboration between public health and meteorological communities gives details of this new global initiative.
It is always good to review health, safety, chemical, fire and environment procedures on a regular basis. It is also important that the practices and systems in the workplace are constantly reviewed and if necessary, improved. This review may also indicate training requirements and updates and re-thinking how systems and services can be improved. This is where the free-of charge OSHWORLD can help you find the right course, seminar or conference.
Remember that even if you cannot attend these many events, speakers and organisers are often willing to share their knowledge. Look at the details - where possible, we add in the web sites of these events so you can request further information. And do let me know if you are organising any OSHE events so that I can add them to the Diary send to sp@sheilapantry.com
Globally there is a continual stream of new advice and guidance - new document titles, news items, new products so remember to look at the News to find the latest information from a number of authoritative sources such as the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the UK Health and Safety Executive, SafeWork Australia and US NIOSH.
Remember to look at the Products and Services on this OSHWORLD web site and see what is new and updated.
Also look at our www.shebuyersguide.com that give you access to many organisations, their products and services. You may also wish to add your company's information to the listing for free!
You can sign up for the RSS feed that alerts you each time there is a update in OSHWORLD!
OSH UPDATE was described recently as a "brilliant site"!
Don't work harder - work smarter! Be ahead of the game.
Are you hoping to have a zero accident, incident-free and healthy record this year in your workplace? Some would argue that this is not possible! But keep on trying!
And do continue to make plans for your campaigns for the rest of 2012 and beyond!