I'm tempted to say ITALY. The field is governed by a fairly recent law (2008) which strongly promotes the adoption of a safety management system. Italy is one of the countries where it is the most popular of the safety management system. tools for every type of business, including the smallest are provided. In the most advanced are successfully applied it poor sectors, agriculture and construction, we are at the beginning. We have a lot of material, but it is almost all in Italian.

As I know Germany, Finland, French have very good systems, as well as the UK and the Netherlands.

Hello Kassu Jilcha 

please check the resources

Dear Mr. Jilcha

Unfortunately I have no adequate information about which countries have best practice in safety management, except Serbia (in term of road safety management system).

But for shared information I could suggest that the best strategies and/or techniques arise when each safety program could represent the effect of all related risk factor, risk trigger and their descriptive variables proportionally in each of their chosen model while it could be applied by using minimum resources. This basic principle might be useful for developing countries.

For example, in order to develop traffic accident risk management devices, the use of minimum stopping sight distance is crucial since the model could reflects the effect of human, vehicle, road and road environment factors simultaneously. The argumentation is simple, i.e. in order to avoid crash each driver need an adequate time and space to react and brake safely. Therefore the establishment of a suitable minimum stopping sight distance for each local condition is an urgent agenda as  the resources that is needed for it are relatively less.

Best regard,

Don

Dear Kassu Jilcha, 

It is nice to hear from you again. In Europe, the leading countries are probably:

- the United Kingdom (through HSE – www.hse.gov.uk)

- all the Northern countries, namely: Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Norway  (all these have an excellent reputation and a long history promoting H&S at workplace). 

You will find many methods and guidance on "good practice" published in English in the respective H&S official agencies. 

As mentioned by Paolo Bragatto, Italy (especially the INAIL) is also a good reference, but the main problem is the language barrier (almost everything is in Italian). 

Good luck with your research. 

Celeste Jacinto

In Spain any company or self-employed has magnificent models of management systems within his grasp.

The INSHT publishes technical notes (NTPs) and sectoral guides that complement legislation that is probably the most extensive and complex in Europe.

It is mandatory by law to have an H & S management system in companies, there is a detailed system of voluntary and mandatory audits and in addition companies are being certified with OHSAS 18001 but...

Does this make Spain in the country with greater guarantees of safety for workers?

No, as it happens in the rest of Europe does not guarantee anything, these are only documentary procedures that are not necessarily reflected in practice.

Reference links: (Free download)

English:

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (INSHT)

http://go.shr.lc/2fBS5oM

Spanish:

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (INSHT)

http://www.insht.es/

Technical guides, Basic guidelines and other technical documents related to the guides

http://go.shr.lc/2fBLUkC

Technical Notes on H & S Management Systems (NTP )

http://go.shr.lc/2fBOfMB

http://go.shr.lc/2fBMKOi

http://go.shr.lc/2fBLUkC

http://go.shr.lc/2fBOfMB

http://go.shr.lc/2fBMKOi

http://go.shr.lc/2fBS5oM

Thank you for your support

Definitely Reducing Risk Protecting People by HSE on the web

On 1 June 1974  Flixborough Disaster occurred.  By chance, legislation had been enacted, and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 came into being the same year, with a body called the Health & Safety Commission (HSC) coming into being on 31 July in order to carry out the requirements of the Act.

The Act itself was in fact revolutionary, but might have had less impact if it was not for Flixborough.  The HSC received both government and popular support, including adequate funding and powers for the inspectors who later enforced the legislation.  

There followed a Golden Age in which the health and safety of people at work made huge strides and probably became the best in the world.  As an example of what can be done, this is worth remembering. 

However, for the last decade, politicians have reverted to their standard position of penny-pinching public spending and the view that the safety of workers should not get in the way of profits.  Thus the funding and effectiveness of what is now the Health and Safety Executive has been drastically reduced.  Employers know that it is very unlikely they will get a  visit from the few remaining inspectors, and the great reduction in trade union membership (and legal restrictions on the unions) has removed worker power in this area.  (The trade unions had the right to be informed and have representatives involved in health and safety in the workplace.)  It is also likely that increased employment of foreigners on low wages has been associated with a deterioration of working conditions in those industries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flixborough_disaster

Good insight  Martin. Penny-pinching public spending, lack of resources for  OHS enforcement activities is a big drawback for the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health even here in Kenya.

Dear Kassu,

I typically try to consider countries from at least two continents when doing comparisons. I have used the USA's OSHA and the UK's HSE because of the easy access they both provide to comprehensive guidance via online resources. However, I also recognise excellent materials available out of Canada and Australia that could be useful to you. All of these countries (and more) have excellent systems for benchmarking in my opinion. I think Germany and some other European companies would be excellent as well, though I do not have detailed knowledge in these areas.

You could also look at guidelines and recommendations fro bodies like the ILO and EU-OSHA.

Regards,

Marcia

Thank you  all

Germany, USA and Canada.