Study No.1  [See demonstration site - Health & Safety Workstation, 'Handbook' & 'Courses'] Background: A large chemical laboratory is reviewing its safety policy / procedures as there has been some internal restructuring. Operational procedures within different parts of the organisation vary widely but an over-arching policy must be put in place along with suitable protocols for ensuring policy implementation. Copies of the existing safety handbook will soon be exhausted. The organisation already has a local area network. Option 1: Review existing practices and determine policy based on 'best practice'. Circulate new copies of an updated hardcopy safety handbook to all staff and log acknowledgement of reading. All internal safety testing / risk assessment procedures to remain manually based with hardcopy logs of activity being maintained. Advantages: No real changes for existing staff to deal with. Disadvantages: Costs associated with generation / circulation of safety handbook and manual logging of activities within the organisation. . Space required for archive material. Diversity of activities within the organisation make the compilation of a comprehensive (but concise) safety handbook very difficult. Safety systems based on hardcopy records can be difficult to audit / interrogate. Option 2: Introduce an on-line system for safety management which will provide direct access to safety handbook information (searchable). Introduce testing systems that are automated, with data from testing being downloaded into central computerised inventory. On-line facilities to be available to query inventory, and to provide access to databases of chemical hazards for risk assessment procedures. Advantages: Costs associated with generation / circulation of safety handbook information are much reduced, as are the costs of logging and storing testing / assessment data. Audit material much easier to interrogate. General safety procedures are much less time-consuming and therefore much less onerous for staff. Risk assessments much easier to complete with access to on-line hazard sheets. Disadvantages: Costs associated with introduction of automated testing equipment. Staff training implications need to be addressed. On-line material needs to be managed and maintained, staff support may therefore need to be reorganised. [See demonstration - Health & Safety Workstation, 'Handbook' & 'Courses'] Outcome: Option 2 selected with considerable savings resulting in terms of the safety handbook. Testing and assessment procedures reorganised and duties reassigned to wider group of staff - it is no longer necessary to have staff dealing exclusively with testing activities. Comprehensive sets of assessments are now centrally available and this makes the assessment process much more efficient, and working environments safer.