OH&S Manager Example Questions

Solution Preview

1) The value of information to an organization is determined by the value of its contents to the organization. The value of information can be assessed objectively in order to determine its worth and utilize it in making informed risk based decisions on whether it would be beneficial to retain the information within the organization or not. If the information is useful and will help the organization perform certain tasks or if the organization constantly refers to this information and the auditor of an organization would wish to see the information, then the information is very valuable to the organization. In addition, if the information is can only be found within the organization and no where else and future generations would be interested in the information, or if there are legal reasons for the organization to keep the information then it is valuable to the organization. Valuable information to an organization gives it a competitive advantage against its rivals (JISC Infonet, 2011).

2) An example of strategy level OHS is OHS governance. This is a very important part of any corporate governance and often consists of systems, relationships, rules and high level processes by which OHS within an organization is directed and controlled. OHS governance often operates at the strategic level of any organization. The strategy level of an organization is mainly concerned with how they can establish a right framework to ensure the organizations compliance with standards and rules and how OHS risks can be integrated into the internal control structures of an organization. They also obtain sufficient information and knowledge to enable timely decision making and monitoring of OHS performance (Enhance solutions, 2010).

Tactical level OHS is mainly aimed to ensure safety in the organizations managers bid to achieve the overall company strategy. An example is providing a safe working environment for the employees. This helps improve the performance and motivation of the employee and hence help in meeting the company's strategy goals. Good OHS practices in the workplace ensure higher employee retention and improve corporate image (Safe work Australia, 2009). Operational level OHS practice ensures that an organization's activities are done in a safe and healthy manner, both to the employees and to the customers who will be purchasing the products. An example of operational level OHS is an internal OHS audit program. This program is often used by a company to assess the effectiveness of the activities and processes that are used to meet the OHS governance and legislatives, and other statutory requirements (Lane, 2010).

Programmed organizational OHS decision making is often made by low level managers who deal with well structured repetitive problems constantly. An example of programmed OHS level is standard operating procedures. In cases where operating systems and activities face compromises that may be a danger to the health of the employees, customers or the public, standard operating procedures can be applied in order to bring it back to normal. Non programmed OHS decision making are often done by the top level managers who have to deal with ill structured problems. An example of such a decision is whether to acquire another organization and whether the OHS policy within the newly acquired organization goes in line with the parent's organization. (Rao, 2010)

3) The main sources of information for an organization are internal and external sources of data. OHS examples for internal sources of data are incident reports, safety checklist, medication authority forms, safety training records and evacuation procedure floor plans. OHS examples for external sources includes national OHS strategy document, OHS legislations, OHS corporate governance, OHS policy document, Safety procedures guidelines for new equipments, OHS policy and the Architectural design of business premises to understand emergency and safety regions of the building ...