Development of an assessment tool to facilitate OHS management based upon the safe place, safe person, safe systems framework

A model of OHS management was developed using the safe place, safe person and safe systems framework. This model concentrates on OHS being a collective responsibility, and incorporates three different perspectives-an operational level (safe place), ail individual level (safe person) and a managerial level (safe systems). This paper describes the qualitative methodology used in the development of the assessment tool, including the lessons learnt from the pilot study and preliminary results. This research also promotes the use of a new style of reporting that identifies areas of strengths as well as vulnerabilities, and uses discreet, non-emotive, neutral language to encourage an objective, constructive approach to the way forward. The preliminary results from the pilot study and peer review using the Nominal Group Technique were very encouraging Suggesting that this technique would be useful in directing a targeted approach to systematic OHS management, and that the safe place, safe person, safe system framework was suitable to be taken to the next stage of wider case study application.