An HSE handbook should contain

All companies are required by law to work systematically with HSE

All businesses are obliged to systematically implement measures to promote improvements in HSE (Health, Safety and Environment). The requirements for systematic documentation of HSE measures are strict, so it's important to be on the right side of the law.

An active HSE handbook (read: a handbook that is actively used to work systematically with HSE) can help you gain full control of your HSE work.

 

Duty of internal control

The duty to exercise and introduce internal control rests with the responsible party in the company, by "responsible party" is meant the company's management/owner. Who this is may vary depending on how the business is organized, but every business is obliged to exercise and implement internal control.

Some points that need to be documented according to the documentation requirements:

1. Set targets for health, safety and environment (HSE)
2. Implement procedures to detect and prevent violations of requirements set out in HSE legislation
3. Written overview of how tasks, responsibilities and authority for HSE work are distributed
4. Systematically monitor and review internal controls to ensure that they are functioning as intended
5. Identify hazards and problems, and based on this, each business must carry out a risk assessment and prepare plans and measures to reduce risk conditions

6 points you must have in an HSE manual

#1 Template for action plans

A action plan is a written document that can be the result of a completed survey or risk assessment.

The Working Environment Act and the HSE regulations require the company to map hazards and problems and, on this basis, assess risk, as well as prepare associated plans and measures to reduce risk conditions.

In other words, the requirement for systematic HSE work presupposes that the company prepares a action plan with measures to be implemented.

Look for a supplier that provides a template for the action plan. The action plan should provide a good overview of what should be improved and what should be prioritized first.The requirement for systematic HSE work assumes that the company prepares an action plan with measures to be implemented.

A completed action plan satisfies the requirement for a written overview of how tasks, responsibilities and authority for HSE work are distributed. It should also state when and how working environment surveys are to be carried out.

#2 Nonconformities and whistleblowing

Employees have the right to report reprehensible conditions in the workplace, and if there are more than 5 employees in the workplace, the employer is obliged to have a procedure for internal whistleblowing.

The rights are intended to strengthen employees' real freedom of expression. Such a procedure should be easily accessible to all employees.

The HSE handbook should therefore be a natural place to write down this procedure. As a minimum, it should include: encouragement to report reprehensible conditions, procedures for reporting and procedures for receiving, processing and following up.

The procedure for censurable conditions shall at least include: encouragement to report censurable conditions, the procedure for reporting and the procedure for receiving, processing and follow-up.

The psychosocial working environment is about how we feel at work overall. The term is used as a collective term for conditions related to the work situation and working conditions.

However, the Working Environment Act distinguishes between psychosocial working environment and organizational working environment. Where psychosocial working environment refers to interpersonal factors in the workplace and organizational working conditions refer to the general requirements companies must relate to.

#3 Fire safety in the workplace

In addition to general fire safety in buildings, striving for a good fire philosophy in the workplace requires a joint effort from both managers and employees. This requires a joint effort from everyone in the workplace.

Among other things, a fire instruction will be drawn up describing how to act in the event of a fire.

For each workplace, written instructions must be drawn up containing the rules to be followed to ensure the safety and health of employees in the event of a fire.

The instructions must also include information on the use of escape and rescue equipment as well as first aid equipment and the measures to be taken in the event of an emergency at or near the workplace.

For each workplace, written instructions must be drawn up containing the rules to be followed to ensure the safety and health of employees in the event of a fire.

This will help to create safety in the workplace. Fire safety and fire instructions should therefore be a necessary chapter in the HSE handbook.

#4 Overview and training of HSE routines

Proper HSE training helps to prevent accidents, injuries and illness. It is therefore important that everyone in the workplace receives adequate HSE competence in a safe and healthy manner. A plan for HSE training is an important part of an HSE handbook.

It is advantageous for employees and managers to have an overview and control of who should have what type of expertise in the company and thus require training.

The internal control regulations state that there must be written descriptions of how the HSE procedures are reviewed to ensure that they function as intended.

In early 2016, Sintef published a report showing that more than NOK 8 billion is paid out by society and businesses due to work-related sick leave. Much of this could have been avoided through better training and review of HSE routines.

A report on building and construction activities from 2018 written by the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority shows that in 2017 a total of eight people died in building and construction activities. 1,000 employees.

It also emerges that young workers in the industry (construction) have the highest frequency of non-fatal injuries.

The report also shows that there are many causes of accidents and that it is a combination of both direct and underlying factors that cause accidents.

It also emerges from the report that there is still a need to work continuously at all levels to prevent health problems and accidents.

#5 Roles and responsibilities in HSE work

According to the law, the person responsible for the business must ensure that systematic HSE work is introduced and practiced, but this must be done in cooperation with employees and their representatives.

In other words, management/owners have the main responsibility, but employees must actively participate in the implementation of measures.

This means that everyone in the workplace must know at all times what measures, routines, HSE goals, instructions and procedures they must adhere to.

It should be written who is the company's representative for the employees and who is the link between the employees and management (union representative and safety representative).

#6 Automatic update in case of changes in legislation

There are many laws and regulations to deal with in systematic HSE work. That's why it's a good idea to look for a manual that is automatically updated when laws and regulations change.

It is therefore important that your handbook is always updated according to the latest laws and rules set by the legislation.

Therefore, look for a supplier of health, safety and environment manuals that updates the regulations automatically. You will then be notified that parts of the manual have been updated and read what changes have been made and which laws have been updated.

Some digital manuals available on the market also have templates and suggestions based on best practices in health, safety and environment. If you are going to buy a digital handbook, we recommend that you buy a handbook with ready-made templates and that is easy to tailor to your business.

That way, you'll be notified when changes are made, so you can easily follow and manage the regulations in a sensible way without spending too much time on it.

 

8 benefits of having a good HSE handbook

These points will add value to your business through:

1. Reduced risk of accidents and injuries
2. Procedures for improving the working environment
3. Greater certainty to comply with environmental legislation
4. Better routines for systematic documentation of HSE
5. Clearer overview of tasks, responsibilities and work routines
6. Targeted work towards ISO 14001 certification and environmental certificate
7. Ensures that the company has clear HSE goals and a clearer structure in the HSE work
8. The systematic HSE work gathered in one place that is accessible to both managers and employees