Target audience

Those who have overall operational or strategic accountability for an organisation, responsible for determining and implementing effective safety and health management and monitoring its success.

Course prerequisites

Employed in a director’s role; owners of small and medium-sized enterprises; or executive/non-executive directors of larger organisations with governance structures. Delegates would benefit from the underpinning knowledge provided by our Managing Safely course.

Learning aims

To provide an understanding of the moral, legal and business case for proactive safety, health and risk management, and of strategic safety and health management and its integration into holistic business management systems and procedures.

Learning outcomes

The learner will be able to:

• describe the legal, moral and financial role of operational directors, owners of small businesses and senior executives, including their responsibilities, liabilities and accountabilities, both personal and organisational
• explain the importance of safety and health at top-management level and how integrating those objectives into other business management objectives can help to minimise risk, reduce losses and make better use of time and resources
• illustrate how to plan the direction for safety and health through developing and implementing a safety and health policy, and integrating it into business systems – explain the value of an adequately resourced and efficient safety and health management system, the value and benefits of training at all levels, and when to access competent advice
• outline the benefits of good safety and health management systems, the consequences of failing to manage effectively, and how to ensure internal controls are working – describe the importance of reviewing and continually improving management systems, especially following change or failure
• explain the positive impact and improvement that an organisation’s leaders can have on its performance through their attitude and support for improving its safety culture
• describe the importance of setting key performance indicators and targets, together with performance monitoring and review for continual improvement in safety and health management.