A number of conditions are an important prerequisite for the improvement of health and safety in a company. These include organisational conditions, human competencies and behaviour and the role of supportive structures.

Measures adapted to the workplace are the key to success when it comes to preventing industrial accidents. Health and safety require a strong commitment from company management together with real involvement on the part of the workforce.

The examples of good practices presented in this booklet show how the combination of analysis, monitoring, research and creativity can make all the difference in bringing about tailored solutions to improve industrial safety and health.

The analysis of these examples has enabled experts in the project to establish a number of elements and success factors as well as to formulate recommendations for the prevention of industrial accidents in small enterprises.

Risk evaluation

In order to find ways of preventing accidents, it is necessary to know the causes. Conducting risk evaluation and analysis in the workplace is essential. The enterprise must carefully examine everything that could be a source of risk, including, for instance, the introduction of new working methods. It would, of course, not be desirable for the latter to subsequently give rise to new risks.

All the enterprises carried out a risk analysis before implementing their good practices.

1. Work organization

Good work organisation is an important factor in improving industrial safety and health. Good organisational conditions indicate a real commitment on the part of the employers with regard to health and safety, including exemplary behaviour. Health and safety are part and parcel of the management of the company and the day-to-day business. The workers are deeply involved in the health and safety aspects of their jobs.

Furthermore, a structured approach to health and safety management facilitates evaluation of all the risks and ensures that work methods adhering to safety norms are introduced and applied. Periodic revision makes it possible to check whether these measures are still appropriate.

Management obligation

Company management must promote health and safety by:
- defining health and safety policy and objectives;
- providing the resources necessary to implement this policy,
- integrating health and safety into all operational levels under its responsibility,
- consulting the workers,
- monitoring and analysing the measures to verify the effectiveness of the policy and the system as a whole.

Involvement of workers

In all the case studies, the workers are generally (22 cases out of 24) involved in the process of elaborating and implementing the good practice to a considerable degree. They are the main players in developing the solution through consultation and risk assessment.

In some enterprises, the workers have themselves taken the initiative and cooperated with their employer in implementing the solution.

Consultation and involvement of the workforce appears to be crucial. Making use of their knowledge ensures that the risks are correctly identified and appropriate solutions implemented. The workers must be consulted on health and safety measures and when new technologies are introduced. Consultation helps to ensure that the workforce is involved in the procedures and improvements relating to industrial health and safety.

Sarl Mairel: "The foreman and the workers concerned worked together with the boss to develop the solution"

Innaca: "The good practice was conceived, elaborated and implemented by the workers, on their own initiative"

Enhancing awareness, information and prevention

In 17 of the 24 cases, there is evidence of explicit involvement on the part of management in integrating health and safety into the overall management of the company. Six other enterprises show average involvement by management. This means, among other things, that the employer informs his workers about risks and safe working methods and encourages them to develop more good practices. One of the enterprises has invested in industrial safety and health training for two of its workers.

Tintoreria Penalba: "The owner of the company is, as a matter of principle, constantly observing the situation so as to improve the health and safety conditions in the workplace and be more competitive on the market"

Nicomax: "If there is a lack of information and control, the risk of such an activity is that it can have serious knock-on effects"

2. Skills and human behaviour

Skills and human behaviour are two of the determining factors when it comes to the success of the enterprise. Nowadays, enterprises invest in communication, motivation, participation, cooperation and creativity.

Communication

20 of the 24 enterprises are using new or improved forms of communication and cooperation. Some enterprises have developed a proactive stance in the field of safety. More than just preventing industrial accidents, they also promote the concept of safety. These enterprises go beyond strict observance of the legislation governing safety.

Dinamic Laser: "This good practice is based to a great extent on the information provided by the workers about new risks that could arise from the company’s operations. Obviously, this good practice could not have been achieved without the cooperation of everyone in making the preventive measures an integral part of the company’s activities."

Innaca: "Communication, cooperation, proactive behaviour. The prevention of risks has been implemented in the enterprise together with the quality control systems, calling for the participation of the entire workforce in taking the initiative at all levels"

Training

In more than half of the enterprises, the solution (good practice) has led to training activities mainly geared towards correct use of the new technique or new method.

Dinamic Laser: "Training and information are the cornerstones for achieving this good practice"

Boscolo: "It is crucial to train the entire workforce in order to implement and apply good practices. The training must take place within the enterprise and all the workers must see it as an element essential to the growth of the enterprise itself"

Nicomax: "We have organised and continue to organise training courses to enable the workers to take care of their safety and health at work"

3. Role of the supporting organisations and external services

Small enterprises focus essentially on their core activities. There are generally no specific internal resources available for other aspects such as health and safety. The knowledge required has to come from outside the enterprise. The expertise is available through external structures: sectoral organisations, trade associations, insurance companies, inspections, etc.

Direct contacts with the enterprises have a strong impact on the development of a company safety and health policy.

In 16 of the 24 enterprises, the risks were identified with the help of an outside body. In most cases, these are trade associations as well as consultants, inspection services, insurance companies and external prevention services, often combined.

The outside bodies supporting risk assessment were in most cases involved in the practical development of safety and health measures. However, some small enterprises have developed measures without any outside help.

In the instance where a mechanical or technical solution was introduced into the company in order to reduce the risk, it was an external organisation that checked the installation.

4. Quantitative and qualitative case evaluations

Worker satisfaction

In 17 of the 24 cases, the workers expressed their satisfaction following the introduction of the good practice.

Tintoreria Penalba:
"The workers have taken note of the constant efforts undertaken by the company to improve safety and health conditions in the workplace, which has resulted in a reduction of the likelihood of incidents and accidents. The workers have shown their gratitude in numerous instances since the cost of new practices presupposes a significant increase in the budget item for the prevention of industrial accident risks"

Customer satisfaction

The enterprises reacted differently to this issue. Some of them reported increased customer satisfaction while others are aware that the new measures are not always directly obvious to customers because the latter are not involved in the company’s day-to-day work.

Institut Saint-Laurent: "Less sick leave and more efficiency. The customers appreciate these new practices through the dynamism and efficiency of their beautician"

Tintoreria Penalba: "Customers have expressed their satisfaction regarding the reduction of contamination in the workplace with, as an immediate consequence, a reduction in the smell of solvent in the company"

Sarl Mairel: "The packing according to zones is very much appreciated by the customers and other firms involved on the building site. The impact on recognition of the company’s professionalism is very substantial"

Nicomax: "The company’s main customer is a domestic appliance manufacturer that is very well known in Europe. If the good practices implemented had not been successful, we could have been facing a relocation of operations"

Economic success

9 of the 24 enterprises reported an average contribution, while 7 enterprises announced a higher contribution and 2 indicated a poor contribution. Only a small number of enterprises were able to make a quantitative evaluation.

The other enterprises estimated that the introduction of the good practice had helped give the company a more efficient image.

Tintoreria Penalba: "Thanks to the improvement in the quality of its service, the firm witnessed a higher volume of orders, which translated into an increase in turnover accompanied by greater competitiveness and also enhanced the company’s reputation on the market"

Beauty Care Centre: "The efficiency results in higher returns, plus improved credibility and a reputation of reliability"

Sarl Mairel: "In terms of corporate image as well as improving the organisation of the site and the working conditions of the employees."

Boscolo: "Even if the implementation of good practice norms has not been a major factor in the success of the enterprise, it has, on the other hand, led to significant savings if we consider the direct or indirect consequences of accidents when the good practices were not implemented. We only have to think about the losses caused by workers being on sick leave, the increase in insurance premiums (INAIL), the inevitable interruption of work on the building site, the investigations carried out by the relevant control bodies and the consequences of the case concerned."