Workplace Safety And Health Policy And Objectives

Safety and health issues are critical to every workplace. Regrettably many companies realize the benefits of good safety and health practices only after an accident has taken place. The lessons learnt from such an oversight are often very distressing, painful and costly for any organization.

The Workplace Safety and Health Act came into force in March 2006. It requires all stakeholders to take reasonable practicable measures to provide a safe and healthy environment to all workers in a workplace. As a safety and health professional, each candidate is to take the lead in charting the company’s safety and health direction.

The project requires each candidate to submit a project report based on an organization in one of the following industry:

Petrochemical and Chemical Industry

Shipyard and ship building Industry

Manufacturing Industry

Construction Industry

Note: All candidates are to show authenticity of their report. Candidates of same organization may have some information and evidences similar. However the report will generally be different to showcase individual work.

Candidates are to submit their report using the given templates downloadable from MEL.

Task:

The project requires each candidate to submit a project report on establishing and reviewing WSH policy and objectives base on an organization of the chosen industry.

Project Report:

The research project requires each candidate to derive or collect from their workplace a portfolio of evidences on the following items:

Data and information collected through research on the internal and external factors that influence the organisation’s WSH policy. (PC1.1, UK2, 3)

Include the factors involved in the establishing of the WSH objectives. (PC2.2, UK9, 12)

Analysis on the factors that influence the organisation’s WSH policy. (PC1.2, UK1)

Develop WSH policy statements and objectives. (PC1.3, 2.2, UK9)

Recommend the proposed WSH policy and objectives for management approval after consultation with respective stakeholders. (PC1.5)

Identify and look into the relevant organisational structure/s essential in the alignment & implementation of the WSH policy. (PC2.1, UK11)

Organisational programme for stakeholder awareness and involvement. (PC2.3, UK6, 13, 20)

Ways to engage and motivate stakeholders in the change process within organisational structure and system. (UK14, 17)

Establish the strategies for implementing WSH policy. (UK15)

Advantages and benefits of having positive WSH culture in the implementation of WSH policy. (UK18)

Establish regular and effective review process of WSH policy and objectives. (PC3.1)

Determine the relevant information to be collected for reviewing. (PC2.4, 3.2, UK23, 24, 26)

Involve stakeholders in the assessment of necessary changes to existing policy and objectives. (PC1.4, 3.4 UK8, 25)

Establish the impact and the resources required for implementation, prior to finalizing the changes. (PC2.5, 3.5 UK27, 28)

Document and communicate to relevant stakeholders the changes in policy arising from review. (PC1.6, 3.6 UK16, 30)

PROJECT REPORT

COURSE

Specialist Diploma in Workplace Safety & Health Course Run 21

Competency Unit

Establish & Review WSH Policy & Objectives

WP-PR-501C-1

Submitted By

Name : Kim Huai Qing

Student Id : S99911930

NRIC : S8228427C

Contact no.: 97360442

Trainer/Assessor

Mr. Tan Aik Nan

DATE

04032011

Introduction

(Brief summary of company profile, background, main business, core values, etc.)

Get Help With Your Essay

If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help!
Find out more about our Essay Writing Service

Sanofi-aventis in Singapore

Sanofi-aventis ranks among the top pharmaceutical companies in Singapore. With the support of more than 200 professionals, we are committed to our mission to improve the health of patients in Singapore through quality medicine and educating healthcare workers, patients, and the general public.

Sanofi-aventis Singapore has over 70 products targeted at the seven major therapeutic areas under the Group. At sanofi-aventis Singapore, the key to our collective and individual success is very much driven by these core values:

Courage

Creativity

Integrity

Respect

Solidarity

Audacity

Performance

In fulfilling our mission, sanofi-aventis Singapore strives to be a performance-driven, innovative, and value-added organisation. Sanofi-aventis Singapore is also home to the regional head office, and a 35-strong Clinical Research Unit, which oversees more than 20 trials conducted in 150 centres across Southeast Asia.

Sanofi-aventis manufacturing plant

The sanofi-aventis manufacturing facility in Singapore, Aventis Pharma Manufacturing Pte Ltd, is one of the company’s primary manufacturing sites under the Group. It is responsible for the global supply of the pharmaceutical active ingredient Nedocromil Sodium, Sodium Cromoglicate and Enoxaparin Sodium used in key products of sanofi-aventis.

Our History

The US$70 million facility was built in the early ’90s by Fisons, a British-based pharmaceutical group, and started operations in 1993, manufacturing nedocromil sodium, the active ingredient of Tilade and Tilavist.

In October 1995, Fisons was acquired by Rhone-Poulenc Rorer of France. After the acquisition, the plant was identified as a strategic site and a further US$67 million was invested in 1998 to build a new plant dedicated to the production of Enoxaparin Sodium, and to expand the capacity of the Synthetic Chemical Plant to produce sodium cromoglicate.

In 2000, Rhone-Poulenc merged with Hoechst Group of Germany to form Aventis Pharma. The plant was officially renamed Aventis Pharma Manufacturing Pte Ltd in March, the same year.

From a small team of only 60 staff members in 1991, the number has now grown to more than 130.

Over the years, the plant has been successfully inspected by US FDA, Singapore HSA and France AFSSAPS, and its products are exported to manufacturing sites – primarily sanofi-aventis ones – located in Continental Europe, UK, USA and Japan.

Our Mission and Vision…

At sanofi-aventis Singapore, we strive to improve health of patients and residents in Singapore through the providence of quality medicine and medical education to healthcare workers and their patients. We are a performance-driven and dedicated team with a vision to:

Provide value-added services to healthcare providers and their patients

Improve the professionalism of employees through skills/knowledge training & development

Improve shareholders’ value by driving audacious sales & profit

Data and information collected through research on the internal and external factors that influence the organisation’s WSH policy. (PC1.1, UK2)

Include the factors involved in the establishing of the WSH objectives. (PC2.2, UK9, 12)

Analysis on the factors that influence the organisation’s WSH policy. (PC1.2, UK1)

Internal Factors

(- List at least 3 internal factors.

– Describe the purpose of each factor and explain how your company manages, administer, or cope with it.

– Provide evidence such as examples, attachments, appendices, data, or information for each factor with reference to your practice.)

1) New Directives from Corporate Group. (Appendix 1)

At Sanofi-Aventis Singapore, not only do we set our own targets and objectives in compliance with the local laws and legislation but also in line with corporate long term plan and targets.

For instance, recently our corporate group sends out a new directive on HSE Plan 2015, which requires the entire sites around the world to meet the target set by corporate on issues such as occupational health, accidents/incident, environmental conservation, etc by 2015. Hence, on local front, we are starting to adjust our targets and objectives incorporate with the corporate long term plan.

2) Change in company structure.

At Sanofi-Aventis Singapore, the Site Director is not fixed permanently. The life cycle of a Site Director within the Site is around 4 to 6 years. Hence, there will always be a likely minor change of system every 4 to 6 years on site. But the Site Director should not bring in a total new set of system for Health, Safety and Environment as this will cause major issues such as, changes in SOPs, safety practices, employees total inability to adapt to the changes, etc. All this might result in negative impact on the targets and objectives set within the site which will reflect badly on the HSE system.

Hence, usually when a new Site Director steps in, he will review the current HSE system and assess the site performance in safety, health and environment together with the HSE Manager. After assessing and interviewing with relevant personnel, he will make minor tweaks to improve the current HSE system to strive for continual improvement.

3) Feedback from audit results. (Appendix 2)

At Sanofi-Aventis, we have a constructive attitude of transparency and dialogue with regard to third parties with respect to its safety, health and environmental protection policy, its achievements and its commitment as stated in the policy. Hence, external audit by third party are carried out to find out whether that the site is in compliance with the local laws and legislation.

Although, the site has yet to engage a third party to audit the Health and Safety system, other external audit by third party that have been carried out annually include; ISO 14000 to ensure compliance with the environmental legislation; insurance audit by FM Global to ensure that sufficient preventive and protective measures has been carried out to reduce damages should a fire occurs; Fire Certification inspection by Lynwood Engineering to acts as a PE for the company in terms of preventive and protective measures carried out for fire emergency, emergency preparedness audit by SCDF to ensure Company Emergency Response Team is competent to carried out rescue operation during emergency, etc.

Action plans will be carried out for any findings and non-conformities by the auditors and the full report sent to corporate for verification.

External Factors

(- List at least 3 external factors.

– Describe the purpose of each factor and explain how your company manages, administer, or cope with it.

– Provide evidence such as examples, attachments, appendices, data, or documentation for each factor with reference to your practice.)

1) Change in legislation (Appendix 3)

At Sanofi-Aventis Singapore, we keep ourselves updated on the local legislation by subscribing to third party updating service, EQS Technologies, whereby an updated copy of the legal system will be sent to company on a quarterly basis.

From there, we will review what are the updated changes in the legislation that are applicable to the site and update the policy, SOPs, practices, etc. accordingly. For instance, the new regulation for confined space permit, we have done an update on the permit to include the confined space assessor which was originally not required under the old regulation.

2) Trends in the industrial WSH performance (Appendix 4)

The trends in WSH performance for various industrial groups (e.g. chemical, pharmaceutical, construction, shipyard, etc.) can be obtained via the annual reports of the companies, data or statistic from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The figures obtained can act as a benchmark for the company to gauge its safety and health performance and see how it has fared among other companies, both on an overall factories basis and/or on a same industrial group basis. From the comparison, the company will have a clearer view on where it stands in terms of its performance on workplace health and safety. Through this, the company can review their policy to make changes to their current objectives and targets so as to strive for continual improvement.

3) New target set by Government (Appendix 5)

Benchmark and target set by government will have an effect on the company health and safety management system. For instance, the Prime Minister has laid down a challenge on the factories to meet the target of 1.8 fatality rate by the Year 2018, which will also to extended more workplaces under the new regulation. When the news of this new target was announced, factories have gradually started to step up and tighten on their safety and health system within their workplaces so as to slowly work toward this target.

Develop WSH policy statements and objectives. (PC1.3, 2.2, UK9)

Recommend the proposed WSH policy and objectives for management approval after consultation with respective stakeholders. (PC1.5)

(- Develop or provide company current policy statements and objectives.

– Recommend some additions/changes to the policy and objectives.)

Current company policy (Appendix xxx)

Amended company policy (Additional changes highlighted in bold)

The Chemistry Site Singapore hereby adopts the following Corporate Sanofi-Avnetis HSE Policy:

The Health, Safety and Environment Policy is based on 9 guiding principles which define a framework of actions with respect to both our Group employees and external partners. It is applied to all of our activities.

The Health, Safety and Environment Policy is an integral part of the general policy of the Group.

The management and the employees of the group apply this policy at all levels. Each person is aware of their role and their personal responsibilities with regard to the prevention of accidents, risks to health or damage to the environment. The company as whole will continue to ensure the necessary protection and control measures are in place to protect the employees and visitors against potential hazards and risks.

In all places in which the group operates, it respects the applicable laws and regulations, applies expert recommendations and uses the best practices.

Sanofi-Aventis operates management systems relating to safety, health at work and protection of the environment adapted to each of its activities. These systems are assessed periodically, by measurement of the results obtained, by defining objectives for the progress and by implementing action plans called PASS with associated control systems. This process depends on basic understanding, learning from experience, working together and training. The objectives of the systems and action plans drawn out will be communicated to all employees to ensure they are aware of what their responsibilities and duties are.

Every development project and every product launch will be subjected to a safety, health and environmental risk assessment integrating all the scientific and technical knowledge of the Group. Such projects will be developed using the best available technology throughout a products life cycle.

Sanofi-Aventis takes care to economies on natural resources, to minimize the residual impact of the atmospheric emissions, of effluents or of waste in all its industrial activities in order to preserve the natural environment.

With regard to its supplier, contractors or sub-contractors, Sanofi-Aventis aims to promote the application of the rules of safety and protection of the environment, and considers the adoption of these rules as a criterion to be applied to suppliers, contractors or sub-contractors. Vice-versa, Sanofi-Aventis will also aims to comply with clients, suppliers, contractors or sub-contractors workplace and health policy.

Sanofi-Aventis has a constructive attitude of transparency and dialogue with regard to third parties with respect to its safety, health and environmental protection policy, its achievements and its commitment.

Sanofi-Aventis will review the policy periodically to ensure the targets and objectives set remain relevant to the Group mission and vision so as to strive for continuous improvement.

Identify and look into the relevant organisational structure/s essential in the alignment & implementation of the WSH policy. (PC2.1, UK11)

(- Discuss the company WSH organization structure and how it is managed. You can highlight the role of the WSH personnels, the processes and the procedures of WSH operations in the company.

– Provide a WSH organization chart that shows the company’s WSH structure.)

Company Health, Safety and Environmental structure.

At Sanofi-Aventis, the Site Director is the main person responsible for the site. The HSE Manager will report to the Site Director on the safety, health, and environment and security issues on a periodically period. Under the HSE manager, he is assisted by a HSE Officer, who is in turn assisted by two HSE technicians. The site security issues are being monitored by the in-house and contractual security officers who report directly to the HSE Manger and/or the HSE Officer.

Site Director

HSE Manager

In-house Security Officers

HSE Officer

HSE Technician

Senior HSE Technician

Roles

Responsibilities

Site Director

The site Director has the overall responsibility of the effective implementation of the HSE Policy.

In compliance with the law, the Site Director shall:

Ensure the workplace’s entrances and exits and any equipment, machinery, plant, article r substance are accessible, safe and risky-free.

Ensure the safety and health of his employees and personnel who may be indirectly affected in the workplace.

In particular, the Site Director is responsible for:

Setting the Company’s HSE Policy and Strategy, in compliance with regulatory and corporate requirements.

Providing facilities which are safe to people who use them.

Ensuring that HSE activities are regularly reviewed, including HSE measures, instructions and training of all employees on site.

Ensuring compliance with legislation relating to health, safety and the environment.

Ensuring HSE performance is being monitored and that appropriate actions are taken as necessary to provide a safe working environment.

All emergencies on-site are safely and effectively handled with minimum disruption/damage to people, property, process and/or the environment.

Ensuring that the HSE policy, objectives and goals are communicated to all staffs and made available to all those who requested them.

Ensure that special emphasis is placed on waste minimization, recycling and energy conservation; as these form key elements in the continual environment improvement targets.

The Site Director may delegate certain activities within the policy, but he will be responsible for ensuring that a clear line of delegated authority exists.

HSE Manager

Formulate policies, procedures, programmes, rules and practices, including health and safety strategies in the implementation of health and safety at the workplace, in compliance with regulatory and corporate requirements.

Establishing programmes for detecting, correcting, or controlling hazardous conditions, toxic environments, and health hazards.

Establishing safety procedures for the purchase and installation of new equipment and the purchase, use and storage of hazardous materials.

Maintaining an accident/incident recording procedure to measure the organization’s safety performance and encourage the reporting of near-misses.

Staying abreast of, and advising management on current laws, codes and standards relating to health and safety in the workplace.

Conducting investigations of accidents, near misses, and preparing reports with recommended corrective actions.

Conducting safety training and training need analysis for all levels of management, new and current employees; emphasizing the importance of continual training.

Maintaining liaisons with governmental bodies and local organizations and taking an active role in the activities of the regulatory bodies.

Accompanying relevant management personnel during plant inspections and audits; and reviewing reports; analyzing trends for repetitive problems and analyzing their root causes; with line management initiating action for necessary corrections.

Establishing objectives and targets fir HSE performance and communicating them with all levels of management.

Responsible for formulating, planning monitoring and reviewing the various activities in the Environmental Programme.

Ensure compliance with the local and international laws and corporate requirements.

Ensure that development in environmental legislation and regulations environmental issues, concerns and understanding relevant to the organization are monitored, evaluated and appropriately brought into the environmental management system via the Health, Safety and Environment Committee.

Responsible for identifying the environment training needs for individuals who are required to monitor and execute the various programmes that is established; and liaises with the Human Resource Manager in identifying the environmental training needs for the site.

Provide programmes to maintain and/or increase environmental awareness amongst staffs.

Responsible for ensuring that there are adequate written procedures and rules available on-site for all operations and activities where it has an impact on the environment.

Responsible for ensuring adequate investigation into the causes of environment incidents/accidents, whether actual or potential, and the introduction of remedial actions to prevent recurrence where it has an impact on the environment.

Together with Department managers, set annual objectives and goals for environmental performance, including the accomplishment of specific activities designed to enhance environmental performance.

Maintain records of any environmental impact and maintain a register of activities having a significant impact on the environment. The register shall be adequately reviewed and maintained, and shall be made available for inspection and audit.

Ensure that all departments are made aware if the policy and understand their obligations for its implementation. This can be performed through line mismanagement.

HSE Officer

HSE Technician

To operate and perform technical work of the WWTP systems and equipment.

To perform sampling and analysis of wastewater and ensure that all wastewater discharged are within regulatory consent limits.

Responsible for the technical operation of the fire protection system, inspection of emergency response equipment and maintain accurate records of all equipment, security passes, etc.

Assist in the handling of emergency/evacuation situations.

Ensure that all signage, emergency site plans, emergency floor plans and relevant checklists are updated and kept current at all times. Attend to any alarm activations when on duty and investigate the cause of the alarms.

Report any unusual events or matters of safety or security interest to the HSE Manager and/or HSE Officer and record such activities.

Observe the security code of conduct and to ensure that instructions, whether verbal or written, are carried out satisfactorily and ensure that all communications concerning security are kept confidential.

Carry out checks on contractors and employees to ensure that company’s rules, regulations and legislative requirements are followed.

Take appropriate action on any violation of safety rules and report to the HSE Manager and/or HSE Officer for his immediate attention.

Ensure compliance to all HSE and Quality Policies and defined procedures.

Security Officer

To conduct safety inspections on plant, equipment and materials and submit relevant reports to the HSE Manager and/or HSE Officer.

To conduct safety briefings for incoming contractors and document the briefings. To inspect contractor’s equipment before their entry into the Plant.

Assist the HSE Manager in organising security duties at the company’s entrance and to perform such duties with a view to ensure that security procedures pertaining to movement of materials, finished goods, personnel and vehicles are strictly adhered to and enforced in a safe and responsible manner.

Check and inform the HSE Manager and/or HSE Officer any unusual deviations in the patrolling log.

Conduct systematic patrolling of the company premises and to prevent unauthorised entry.

Conduct six-monthly inventory check on first aid stores and guardhouse inventories.

Handle emergency/evacuation situations, where real or otherwise, and ensure that such situations are documented.

Report any unusual events or matters of safety or security interest to the HSE Manager and/or HSE Officer and record such activities.

Observe the security code of conduct and to ensure that instructions, whether verbal or written, are carried out satisfactorily and ensure that all communications concerning security are kept confidential.

Carry out checks on contractors and employees to ensure that company’s rules, regulations and legislative requirements are followed.

Take appropriate action on any violation of safety rules and report to the HSE Manager and/or HSE Officer for his immediate attention.

Ensure compliance to all HSE and Quality Policies and defined procedures.

Organisational programme for stakeholder awareness and involvement. (PC2.3, UK6, 13, 20)

Ways to engage and motivate stakeholders in the change process within organisational structure and system. (UK14, 17)

Establish the strategies for implementing WSH policy. (UK15)

14. Establish the impact and the resources required for implementation, prior to finalizing the changes. (PC2.5, 3.5, UK27, 28)

Types of Programmes

Description of Programmes

Implementation of Programmes

Short &Long Term Impacts

(List at least FOURWSH programmes.

Eg. Feedback sessions, campaigns, reward and recognition programmes)

(Describe about the programme. Such as:

Objectives of programme

Purpose

If the programme is mandatory, highlight the section of the legislation that states it.

The resources require eg. Financial, Manpower, External)

(- Describe how the programme is implemented in your company.

– Who is/are overseeing the implementation?

– Provide evidence such as examples, attachments, appendices, data, or documentation.)

(Describe the short &long term impact to the company after implementing the programmes.)

Scrubber monitoring program and emission limit (Appendix xxx)

The purpose of the scrubber monitoring program is to monitor the efficiency of the scrubber system in the production plants to ensure that the limits specified under the National Environmental Agency (NEA) and/or the design limit of the scrubber, whichever is more stringent, is not exceeded.

Scrubber monitoring is done to comply with Environmental Protection and Management Act (Cap. 94A)

Finance resource- A budget is needed for the monitoring program by external vendor.

Manpower resources: Require the chemical technician to carry out the routine testing and sampling.

The Production Shift Supervisors are responsible for the operation of the scrubber system. The Production Plant Engineers are tasked with the implementation of the program.

The efficiency of the scrubber system in removing a specific substance form the extracted air shall be verified monthly by the production plant crew through the measurement of its emissions at peak discharge from the process.

The peak discharge of a process is determined from the system design and operation.

A program for monitoring by external vendor shall be established annually.

Compliance with the limits by NEA or system design shall be confined to the scrubber discharge. Emissions form other sources may be included where monitoring is practicable.

Short term impact – Company may be forced to pay a levy or fine if the emission limit is over. This will also result in releasing of additional pollutant into the environment resulting in adverse impact on the air quality.

Long term impact – Long term monitoring of the scrubber system is beneficial to the company as it allow the company to draw up a trend line in terms of its emission during the process. This will allow the company to put in additional protective and preventive measures to lower the emission.

HSE review Meeting

The objective of the HSE review meeting is to determine whether the HSE management system is still suitable, adequate and effective in the light of management systems audit results, changing circumstances and commitment to continual improvement and corporate objectives.

The purpose of the HSE review meeting is to review the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) management system to determine its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness in accordance to corporate guidelines, regulatory requirements and to ISO 14000 standards.

The review shall be conducted by the management team consisting of the direct reports to the Site Director. The review shall be chaired by the Site Director. The review meeting is carried out on a quarterly basis.

The scope of the management review shall cover the whole organization and all of the activities, products and services carried out by or on behalf of the company which include:

1. Achievement against the Objectives and Targets and waste minimization programs.

2. Impact of new significant environmental aspects.

3. Impact of new legal and other requirements.

4. Effectiveness of HSE training, awareness and competence.

5. Effectiveness of internal and external communication.

6. Need for changes to document control, record keeping and procedural documents.

7. Effectiveness of operational controls in view of results of trends, environmental performance indices, number of incidences, complaints, etc.

8. Results of HSE audits.

The observation, conclusion and recommendations of the review shall be documented for necessary action. Results will be reported to the HSE committee and made available to all staff to ensure their awareness to changes in the HSE management system.

Short term impact – Beneficial to the employees in a way that the management is very concern and serious toward the health and safety system.

Long term impact – It help to improve the HSE system as well as the workplace health and safety of the employee.

PASS Plan (Appendix xxx)

The PASS Plan, a corporate initiative, is a method to develop a site HSE action plan by involving the whole s