Introduction to Fire Safety Management

11 Monitoring,
While there is no specifi c format or guidelines for establishing
a ‘fi re safety management system’ detailed within
fi re safety legislation or offi cial fi re safety guidance,
there are a variety of management systems that may be
adopted as has previously been discussed (Chapter 1).
Regardless of the management system used, the measurement
of performance forms a key component part of
any such system if safety is to be effectively managed.
HSE’s Successful Health and Safety Management
(HSG65) guidance document separates the measurement
of performance into distinctly different areas – those
of reactive monitoring and those of proactive monitoring;
this is the same in BS 8800 ‘Occupational health
and safety management systems – guide’. Each of these
differing areas will be discussed within the chapter, particularly
in relation to fi re safety management. It should be
noted that although focusing on fi re, in this instance this
process may be equally applied to the measurement of
safety performance as a whole.
This chapter discusses the following key
elements:
➤ The benefi ts of monitoring and measuring
➤ Active safety monitoring procedures
➤ Conducting workplace inspections
➤ Auditing fi re safety management systems
➤ Reviewing performance
➤ Reactive monitoring.
268
auditing
and reviewing fi re
safety systems
Simplistically put ‘that which cannot be measured
cannot be managed’ as without a knowledge of the
strengths and weaknesses of the management system it
is not possible to identify any opportunities to improve,
or threats that may come about from failing to manage.
The purpose of monitoring and measuring safety
performance is to provide an organisation with information
on the current status of its policies, procedures,
etc., and its progress to its end goal. Besides the legal
requirement for reporting certain outcomes (RIDDOR)
to the enforcing authorities the RRFSO and MHSW
Regulations also require an employer to make arrangements
for monitoring and reviewing its preventive and
protective measures.
When measuring safety performance, successful
organisations use a combination of both proactive and
reactive monitoring techniques.
Auditing
Policy
Organising
Planning and
implementing
Measuring
performance
Reviewing
performance
Figure 11.1 Successful management structure and process
from HSG65