Safety management systems - lessons learnt from Alton Towers
Safety management systems in place at work are not going to work if they are not regularly reviewed and effectively managed. Their success depends on the attitudes of those people in the organisation. This is sometimes known as the ‘safety culture’. The owners of the Theme Park, Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd found to this out to their cost. They were fined £5m and ordered to pay nearly £70k in costs to the Treasury. The tragic accident at the site last year on the ‘Smiler’ ride resulted in 16 people being injured. Two people also had to have amputations performed to irreparable limbs. In the case, HSE highlighted that it found nothing wrong with the track, the cars or the system that prevents the cars from hitting each other during the ride. However, the same cannot be said about a series of root causes. These included; ‘a lack of robust arrangements for making safety critical decisions, a lack of training in fixing faults that was not strong enough and errors by staff when working with people on the ride.’ So, although the actual ride safety checks appear to have been completed, it was the arrangements of who was responsible for certain safety critical elements where the problems laid. Procedures on how to perform routine tasks are critical to providing a safe working environment. In other words, safety management systems.
What can be done to provide a safe working environment?
The following should be done in order to provide a safe working environment:
- Risk assess the equipment to highlight potential problems.
- Develop controls to prevent the risks becoming hazards.
- Provide procedures for normal operations.
- Also provide procedures for maintenance operations.
- Emergency situations need procedures too.
- Provide checklists – to ensure all normal and emergency operations work effectively.
Give people certain responsibilities and ensure that they are competent to carry out those responsibilities. Competence includes;
- Suitable training
- Knowledge
- Experience
- In some circumstances obtaining qualifications for certain workplace requirements.
In conclusion, safety management systems should be reviewed often to ensure that current procedures and controls are effective and hazards are avoided. This information and documentation is vital to your operations and your safety management systems. A safety management system is not just a tick box exercise, it is your operational manual on how you manage safety and should be referred to often and reviewed regularly. If you require assistance with your health and safety management system, please contact us on 01455 850000 to discuss your requirements.
