How do you prevent your RI&E from disappearing in the drawer?
Every organization has to deal with it: the RI&E. It is an obligation under the Working Conditions Act, but it is also an essential document for working safely. Unfortunately, in many companies, it remains a document that quickly disappears into a drawer. The intention is often good, but it sticks in execution and is always seen as a “must”.
Why is it that the RI&E remains a 'must'? And how do you ensure that your RI&E remains a living tool that really contributes to the safety, health and business continuity of your organization?
In our webinar 'Bringing your RI&E to life and keeping it alive“Remi Grugio (CAV Partners) and Mark from ISO2HANDLE shared their experiences. Practical tips were discussed and step-by-step instructions were given how you too can get a grip on the risks without your RI&E becoming a paper tiger.
Why RI&es often become a dusty document
An RI&E is still seen as an annoying obligation for many organizations. It is still that 'must' of the Occupational Health Service and it is' useful 'for an inspection. The RI&E often disappears back into a drawer after completion, along with all good intentions.
That really is such a shame. A good RI&E is a powerful management tool. It helps you identify risks before any incidents occur. An RI&E provides guidance, provides structure and provides insight into safety, health and sustainable working.
The big question remains, how do you bring your RI&E to life and more importantly, how do you keep it alive and active within your organization?
The purpose of the RI&E
An RI&E has several purposes. We would be happy to explain these to you in more detail.
Working safely and retiring in a healthy way
The core of an RI&E is actually quite simple: ensuring that everyone in your organization can work safely and retire healthily. It's not just about ticking off the dangers, but it's about creating a work environment where people feel good and safe. Any risks must remain manageable.
The legal basis: Working Conditions Act article 5
Every employer is required by the Working Conditions Act to carry out a Risk Inventory and Evaluation. Identify risks, evaluate them and then record them in a plan of action. An RI&E is not optional, but how and what determines whether it will be an effective tool.
The role of employer and prevention officer
An RI&E is a real collaborative document. The employer bears ultimate responsibility, the prevention officer supervises implementation and staff representation has the right of consent. By working well together within your organization, the RI&E becomes more complete and creates more capacity.
In other words, an RI&E is not just about paperwork, but about safety, well-being and continuity.
What is the added value of a well-executed RI&E?
A well-executed RI&E provides much more than just compliance. An RI&E provides the following:
- By having timely insight into the risks, you have lower absenteeism and fewer claims.
- Employees feel that their safety is being taken seriously, resulting in higher motivation and trust.
- Discussing risks is becoming normal, which ensures a positive safety and company culture.
- With modern health and safety software (such as ISO2HANDLE), you can see at a glance how your organization is doing.
Make sure your RI&E really comes to life within your organization, it makes safety visible and manageable.
Want to know more about how to do that exactly? In our webinar 'Bringing your RI&E to life and keeping it alive“Remi and Mark share practical examples of organizations that are already successfully using this. Watch our webinar here back.
Five steps for a practical RI&E approach
We would like to give you four more steps so that you too can tackle your RI&E.
Step 1. Inventory
Identify the dangers and risks within your organization and start in the workplace. Where could something possibly go wrong? This includes physical, psychosocial, ergonomic and organizational risks. By actively involving employees, you get a complete picture. Employees often know exactly where it is.
Step 2. Evaluate
Set your priorities with the Fine & Kinney Method. After all, not every risk is equally urgent. With a method such as Fine & Kinney, you determine a priority based on chance, exposure and effect. In this way, you only focus on the risks that really matter.
Step 3: Plan of action
Set up a good Action Plan. An Action Plan translates the risks present into concrete actions. Who does what, when and for what purpose? Make your Action Plan clear and measurable so that it remains executable.
Step 4. Execute
Translate your measures into workable processes. A measure on paper waits patiently; in practice, there is often no time. So make sure that your measures really land within your organization. Use toolboxes, work instructions, meetings, or digital workflows.
Step 5: Keeping your RI&E alive
Your RI&E isn't a one-off project, it's an ongoing process. With the PDCA (Plan → Do → Check → Act) cycle, you ensure that you always have control.
We'd love to explain the PDCA cycle to you:
- Plan: establishing your policies, goals, and actions.
- Do: implement the measures and record exactly what is happening.
- Check: verify that established measures are actually working (via Pagos or internal audits).
- Act: adjust where necessary and adjust the Action Plan.
Assessment by core experts
Get your RI&E tested, that gives you extra security and confidence. So be sure to let an HVK, occupational hygienist or company doctor take a look at your RI&E. They identify any blind spots and ensure that you comply with laws and regulations.
Pagos and periodic checks
Use the results from Pagos and workplace surveys as additional input for your RI&E to keep an RI&E a living document, up to date and relevant.
Keep track of legislative changes without a headache
With health and safety software such as ISO2HANDLE, you automatically keep track of changes in legislation and standards. You no longer have separate Excel files, but just one organized environment where everything can be found.
Common mistakes that you can prevent
Inside us webinar the most common pitfalls were also extensively discussed. We've put together a top four for you:
- Want to solve everything at once: start small, prioritize and work step by step.
- A RI&E that's too big or vague: keep your RI&E concrete. I'd rather have 10 well-executed actions than 100 paper plans.
- No support among employees: involve your employees right from the start, ask them for input and, above all, show them the results.
- Forget to update: an RI&E can age quickly. Connect it to your PDCA and provide annual updates.
Like Remi in the webinar al said: 'An RI&E is never finished, and that is exactly the intention. '
Start small, but start
The RI&E is really so much more than a legal obligation. An RI&E is a tool for strengthening safety, continuity and engagement within your organization. Provide a practical and cyclical approach. This is how you make your RI&E a powerful part of your business operations.
Use the right tools, engage the right people, and keep the whole process alive.
Want to know more about how to really keep your RI&E alive?
Watch our webinar completely free of charge 'Bringing your RI&E to life and keeping it alive“and get instant access to practical tips from our ISO2HANDLE experts Remi Grugio and Mark.
Click here to watch the webinar again.
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