Managing health and safety issues in the workplace cannot be achieved unless the essential elements mentioned in this section are put in place, and the progress and efficiency of them are properly monitored

• A health and safety policy that has been developed to suit the unique circumstances of the particular organisation.
• There is an understanding of legal and moral responsibilities and how these affect directors, managers and ordinary employees.
• There is a logical and practical method of delegating authority to competent persons for the purposes of implementing the health and safety policy.
• There is a culture and organisational philosophy that regards health and safety as of the greatest importance and provides the necessary resources.
• There are effective management techniques for ensuring policy implementation.
• There is measurement of actual performance identifying deficiencies in policy.

Reasons for developing an effective safety management structure include:

• control of costs by avoiding losses
• meeting statutory duties and avoiding criminal liability
• minimisation of potential for civil claims for damages
• preserving public image and employee morale.

Any person with a responsibility for assisting the employer to meet his health and safety duties must be "competent". Competence is not precisely defined but is a combination of knowledge, training, experience and other qualities necessary to enable the task to be performed effectively.