Medicare provides a vast portfolio of Health and Safety Consultancy Services to businesses.
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Consultancy services to private companies and Government / Parastatal Corporations regarding compliance with local EU regulations relating to Premises/Workplace Safety and Work Equipment and Practises; Setting up and maintaining an Internal EHS Auditing system.
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Implementation and maintenance of the EHS system to ISO14001, BS8800 and OHSAS18001 standards.
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Protection, enhancement and marketing of corporate reputation in matters related to H & S.
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Auditing, costing and implementation of standardization projects to turnkey specifications (cf Audits section below)
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Provision of onsite support services eg. nursing / firstaid clinics, oncall medical practitioners at workplaces.
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Conduction of Health Screening programs: eyesight, audiometry, toxic substance / radiation exposure, full physicals including radiology and blood profiling.
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Conduction of Environment Impact Assessments and report compilation.
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Waste Management: ensuring compliance to all regulatory and company requirements.
Health & Safety Management System Audit
Medicare's Health & Safety Audit is modelled on the structure adopted by the British Safety Council's Five Star OHS Management system audit. Our auditor will conduct a detailed examination of client premises, identifying all areas of potential risk and loss. This will include a "hazard hunt" of all operational procedures to identify activities which are likely to injure employees.
Workplace injury data is also scrutinized in this respect. The analysis is conducted with the EU six-pack of OHS Directives as a benchmark, and will incorporate a risk assessment of critical issues including
- Exposure to hazardous substances
- Noise
- Industrial Hygiene
- Lifting and Manual Handling
- Repetitive Tasks
- Fire Management and Electrical Safety
- Machinery Safeguarding
The auditor will cross check the client's operative systems vertically through the whole of the business operation of the company, thus evaluating the effectiveness of those systems in the workplace. Medicare's H&S auditor will have a broad business background which allows him to have insight into the client's business objectives as well as having the necessary skills in health, safety, environment and quality.
The entire auditing process in conducted in close liaison with the company's designated Health & Safety Coordinator. If such a role has not yet been identified internally, recommendations will be provided on a selection process and terms of reference.
A comprehensive report will be issued highlighting operative procedures which are at risk, and a safety plan to help the client institute the corrective measures required. Counselling of top management is conducted to emphasize the advantages of reduced cost base and insurance premiums, and increased productivity and profitability that result from an empowered workforce.
Lastly, while it is recommended that the H&S Audit be conducted annually, the Medicare Consultant will establish a framework and protocol for internal ongoing OHS audit within the company.
Health & Safety Management System Audit
Our recommendation is the establishment of an Environmental Management System within the client to ISO 14001 specifications. The ISO 14001 standard specifies requirements for establishing an environmental policy, determining the environmental aspects and impacts of company products and activities, planning environmental objectives and measurable targets, implementation and operation of corrective programs and management review.
With most companies looking to ISO 9000 for Quality Management system principles, auditing a client to ISO 14001 specifications is the logical next step, given the considerable similarity between quality and environmental auditing and the considerable product marketing benefits to be accrued on international markets.
A full-scale Environmental Audit of the company will constitute a comprehensive analysis of the following aspects of Environmental Management:
- AIR: discharge points, emissions, processes, permits
- WATER AND EFFLUENT MONITORING: discharge points, parameters and accuracy of collection, despatch & analysis, use of effluent treatment technology (filtration, BOD reduction, chemical treatment, sedimentation)
- HAZARDOUS & SPECIAL WASTE: handling, labelling, recycling / reclamation, stack monitoring, stack height determination
- NOISE: level monitoring, compliance with BS 4142
- LAND: assessment and prevention of damage
- USE OF ABATEMENT TECHNOLOGIES
- EMERGENCY / CONTIGENCY PLANNING: prevention and handling of spills, accidents and incidents, corrective actions
The data collected will be collated and presented in the form of an audit report. This will then be followed up by a detailed intervention recommendation program. This will incorporate:
- Setting up of an environment management manual: This document establishes the definitive company policy with respect to environment. Signed by the company's chief executive, it will be a declaration of corporate vision for, and commitment to, environment protection practices. It is imperative that details of the manual are handed down to company staff at all levels, through supervisors, line managers, etc.
- Organizational procedures: These will explain activities and responsibilities of the different departments, within a management context, relating to, for instance, communications, training needs, operational instructions, contracting activities, corrective action, record-handling and internal audit
- Hands-on upgrading of technology: The Medicare audit report will indicate what technology needs to be replaced or upgraded, and will provide recommendations on alternatives available to the company, as well as overseeing the process of upgrading through optional spot controls and onsite scouting
- Technical recommendations for a implementation of a waste minimization plan and use of abatement and effluent treatment technology. Again the client may opt to have the implementation of these recommendations overseen by Medicare's technical staff.