Governance & Compliance

Health and Safety Governance for Leaders

Directors and senior managers carry legal and moral responsibility for health and safety. This course covers health and safety governance: leadership duties, safety policy and objectives, risk oversight, safety performance indicators, incident investigation oversight, contractor safety and building a strong safety culture.

5 days Classroom or live online English

Smart Horizon Certified - Global Leadership Consultants

Take the course details with you.

Download the full standard outline: why attend, methodology, objectives, audience, competencies, the daily outline and current plans.

Download course PDF

Why attend

From knowledge to real-world impact.

Safety failures harm people and can lead to personal liability for leaders. You will learn how leaders oversee safety effectively.

Workplace challenges

Professional Problems This Course Is Designed to Solve

The programme explores practical approaches to the following challenges. Results depend on how the learning is applied in your organisation.

Difficulty translating subject knowledge into practical workplace decisions.
Inconsistent approaches to the activities covered in the course outline.
Lack of a structured plan for applying and reviewing new skills.

Course methodology

How you will learn.

Case studies of major incidents, leadership workshops, indicator design exercises and board simulations.

Course objectives

What you'll take away.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain leaders’ legal duties for health and safety
Set safety policy and objectives
Oversee major safety risks
Use leading and lagging safety indicators
Oversee incident investigations and learning
Lead a positive safety culture

Target audience

Who should attend.

This course is suitable for:

Directors and senior managers
Operations leaders
Health and safety managers
Board members
Facility and site managers

Target competencies

Capabilities you will build.

Participants will develop competencies in:

Safety leadership
Risk oversight
Indicator design
Incident learning
Culture building

Course outline

Your learning journey.

A focused, practical outline with time to explore, apply and reflect.

Day 1Leadership Duties

09:00–10:08Legal responsibilities
10:08–11:00Case studies
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Case studies (continued)
11:45–12:53Moral case
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 2Policy and Objectives

09:00–10:08Safety policy
10:08–11:00Objectives
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Objectives (continued)
11:45–12:53Resources
12:53–14:00Workshop

Day 3Risk Oversight

09:00–10:08Major hazards
10:08–11:00Assurance
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Assurance (continued)
11:45–12:53Contractors
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 4Performance and Incidents

09:00–10:08Leading and lagging indicators
10:08–11:00Investigations
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Investigations (continued)
11:45–12:53Learning
12:53–14:00Case study

Day 5Safety Culture

09:00–10:08Visible leadership
10:08–11:00Engagement
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Engagement (continued)
11:45–12:53Board action plan
12:53–14:00Discussion

The timings provided are estimates and may vary depending on the number of participants and the discussions taking place during the sessions. They are indicative only and do not constitute a binding commitment.

Dates & venues

Find a session that works for you.

Confirmed dates accept registration requests. Tentative dates are enquiry only.

Good to know

A few things to know.

How is the course delivered?

Our classroom programmes combine facilitated discussion, case studies, exercises and reflection. The precise format will be confirmed before enrolment.

Can you deliver this programme for our team?

Yes, you can enquire about a tailored programme. Share your goals, group size and preferred dates with our learning team.

Will I receive a certificate?

Participants who complete the programme receive a Smart Horizon UK certificate of attendance. Smart Horizon UK programmes are not externally accredited and do not award a professional qualification, licence or designation. Where a course title or outline refers to a professional certification (for example, AACE International's Certified Cost Professional), the programme supports learning and preparation only; the credential itself is awarded solely by the relevant professional body under its own application and examination requirements.

What should I confirm before booking travel?

Please confirm the session, exact venue, accessibility arrangements, fees and any visa requirements with the team before arranging travel. Tentative dates are not confirmed sessions.

Keep exploring

Your next horizon awaits.

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The full course agenda and dates are available above. Use the session links in Dates & venues to choose a session. Registration and quotation forms require JavaScript; you can also contact our learning team directly.