Safety statement
Safety Statement is to provide functional requirements that define how, when, and where public safety practitioners communicate. The statement provides a shared vision and an architectural framework for future interoperable public safety communications. DHS describes the Statement of Requirements as a living document that will define future communications services as they change or become new requirements for public safety agencies in carrying out their missions[1].
The Safety Statements Requirements
The statement is to provide functional requirements that define how, when and where public safety practitioners communicate. There are several requirements of the Safety Statement[2]:
- The Safety Statement must specify how to ensure and manage employees' safety, health and well-being in the workplace.
- This document should be understandable for all employees, i.e. it must be in the appropriate form and language. This provision is intended to persuade employers to thoroughly check their workforce and to decide whether a Safety Statement should be available in at least one language.
- The Safety Statement must have a copy which must be accessible to anyone in the workplace to which it relates, or close to it at work. This provision ensures that, if necessary, this document can be used.
- The employer must choose one or more persons who will be responsible for performing the functions assigned by the employer to prevent risks to health, safety and well-being in the workplace.
Content of Safety Statement
The Safety Statement should include information about plans, procedures and measures to be taken when a serious and immediate threat appears. It must also contain names and job positions of people who take responsibility for certain safety tasks[3]. Also included in Safety Statement should be[4]:
- All information regarding the protection of workers' health and safety
- All safety training devices
- Good cooperation of employees in this respect
- Statutory safety requirements that must be met
- Measures that must be taken in relation to specific hazards arising from the rooms in which the works are to be carried out
- Written risk assessment, which does not need to depend on the main statement
- Funds and resources that have already been provided
Preparing a Safety Statement
In preparing the Safety Statement, it should be remembered that is used by many people engaged in a variety of disciplines. The System Safety Statement should be developed progressively in close coordination with all other technical aspects. Here is a guide on how to prepare a Safety Statement[5]:
- Hazards identification
- Risk assessment related to previously identified threats
- Identifying the causes of accidents that occur most often
- Set resources and control measures that must be met to minimize risk to an acceptable level
- Establishing principles for supervision and training to protect health and safety, and meetings for employees regarding safety and health issues
- Often checking compliance with the statement and be sure that security controls have been applied
- Explain to all employees what are their first aid obligations
Footnotes
| Safety statement — recommended articles |
| Information security policy — Validation master plan — Commitment letter — Conditions of employment — Scope of activities — Workplace safety — Compliance test — Internal audit — Quality manager |
References
- Barlow S., (2018), Appendix to Health & SafetyPolicy, Primary Academy.
- Clarke J., (2002), A Guide to Good Employment Practice in the Community and Voluntary Sector by Jane Clarke, Language Press, London.
- Homeland security federal leadership and intergovernmental cooperation Required, (2010), DIANE Publishing, Washington.
- Moffatt J., (2011), Employment Law, Oxford University Press, New York.
- Road safety management capacity review, (2018), Loughborough University, London.
Author: Aneta Szewczyk
