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The purpose of carrying out monitoring and checking is to ensure that performance standards and /or specified objectives are met. Where they are not met, corrective action is taken to ensure that accidents or incidents do not occur as a result of the shortfall in standards. Employers have a legal duty to carry out monitoring as part of their health and safety arrangements.
Health and Safety monitoring can be split into two main areas, active and reactive. To ensure that monitoring is effective, it is essential that both types are used.
Monitoring is the term given to the 'measuring of performance standards' of the Health and Safety Management System which should be undertaken by a designated member of staff (e.g. a senior manager). The monitoring should ensure that policies and procedures are effective, are being implemented and cover the scope of the company's undertaking, i.e. ensuring risks are being controlled.
Checking is a practical form of monitoring where visual checks are carried out within the workplace e.g. to check that fire extinguishers are in place or to spot hazards.
The monitoring and checking system should not be used in isolation, but should complement the policies, procedures and arrangements relating to the premises, equipment and work activities as detailed in the Health and Safety Management System.
Active monitoring is designed to provide information about the company's health and safety performance before an accident, ill health or incident occurs. This is done by individuals within the company who have been allocated designated health and safety responsibilities, by answering a series of monitoring questions and/or completing checklists at agreed frequencies. (See below)
Where situations or activities are found which demonstrate shortcomings in the Management Control System, e.g. due to failure to implement or insufficient scope, prompt and effective action is required. This corrective action should not only consider steps necessary to remove the immediate likelihood of an accident or incident, but should also consist of measures to prevent such a situation recurring in the future.
Reactive monitoring provides information about health and safety performance after an accident, ill health or incident occurs. Reactive monitoring applies to records of accidents, ill health, and damage to plant and equipment and/or near miss incidents. The main purpose of reactive monitoring is to ensure that lessons are learnt and health and safety arrangements are reviewed and where necessary, changes are made and implemented to prevent a recurrence of the accident, ill health or damage and/or near miss incidents.
Monitoring should be carried out more frequently when new policies and procedures are introduced, to ensure that they are being followed and are effective. Where monitoring shows that policies and procedures are consistently and effectively implemented and few or no changes are taking place, then the monitoring can be carried out less frequently.
Other factors which influence the frequencies of monitoring and checking are:
Members of staff who are required to undertake monitoring and checking functions should be given training and support to enable them to carry out this function efficiently and effectively.
Monitoring and Checking Policy.
Monitoring and Checking Procedure.
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