Published on : 03 April 20204 min reading time

An essential element against risks in companies, the document is an essential step to identify and analyse potential problems, in order to set up preventive actions both on a technical and human level.

What is occupational risk assessment?

The Single Safety document is based on the identification of potential risks, to which the employees of a company are thus subject.

Once detected, preventive actions will thus be deployed, aiming at better internal communication but above all by giving a technical and organisational dimension, much more evolved.

The document is an absolutely essential step in strengthening safety at work.

The entire structure is built around a single document, made available to the occupational physician, staff representatives, employees, all social security bodies and members of the works council.

The information is totally transparent, with information circulating between the various persons concerned, with the aim of advancing preventive measures.

It is a collective act so that the results can be felt, with the full involvement of the personnel.

Why use an occupational risk assessment

The Single Safety Document is the responsibility of the employer, its primary mission is to guarantee the best possible safety for its employees, both physically and mentally.

By carrying out an accurate assessment of occupational risks, it will implement corrective actions so that the employee can work in better conditions, but also to contribute to the development of the company.

Contrary to certain preconceived ideas, the internal functioning of an establishment cannot be dissociated from the safety of the employees, the preventive approach aims at improvements on the economic and human level.

An employee who does not feel well at his workstation will naturally be much less productive.

If, on the contrary, he is accompanied by solutions for better prevention, he will feel more involved, thanks to the employer’s professional rigour.

This also avoids the accumulation of sick leave, which considerably slows down a company’s economy.

The Single Safety Document is an essential process to be implemented, establishing a classification of potential risks, from the most dangerous to the weakest.

Once defined, preventive action can then be taken.

An assessment according to the activity

For the drafting of the single document, it is important to show a very clearly defined willingness to engage the various parties concerned in the drafting of this document.

A very particular organization and an efficient communication will obviously be required for a total success.

In order to be very conscientious in the drafting of this document, it is necessary to choose very precise evaluation tools, there are moreover several adapted to the nature of the various activities, but also in relation to the size of the company.

The objective is to obtain an autonomous organization for the company manager, by perfectly controlling the risks linked to the company’s environment.

However, this approach should not be carried out in isolation; on the contrary, it must be accompanied by very precise supervision of the employees, who must feel involved.

This is why, for the drafting of this document, they will be directly consulted, as they are in the front line.

They will be able to carry out an effective identification, with various exchanges and privileged communication, during meetings specially dedicated to this purpose.

The ORAD is an indispensable step for the development of a company, it will lead to important strategic choices, putting forward the safety of each employee.

The prevention and protection activities for the personnel, must be assigned to competent people, directly appointed by the employer or by the works council.

Tailor-made solutions exist, in order to help small or medium sized companies, guiding them towards a very simple and very protocol use, on the establishment of the single document.

Much more than a simple administrative document, the company’s economy and especially the physical and psychological health of the employee are at stake.