Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Supervision

Supervision does not seem to be a very 'trendy' subject at the moment, with far more interest being shown in self-managed teams and the like. However, supervision is an important management function when it comes to managing safety, and however teams are organised it needs to be carried out.

Supervision has a key role in:

* Ensuring people know and stick to safety rules;
* Ensuring people are competent to do their job and know their limitation;
* Ensuring teams have an appropriate competence mix (including when normal members are absent);
* Proving leadership in emergencies;
* Investigating incidents;
* Facilitating communication within and outside the team, including between team members and management.

Supervision is not an easy job, and many people are not suited to it. A good supervisor will know his/her team very well, including their capabilities and limits. He/she will allow them a certain degree of free reign, but know when intervention is required.

No comments: