Have you been given a timescale for this?
Developing an existing management system into something ready for accreditation will depend on many factors. I'd want to know how ready the business was before attempting to put a timescale onto accredited implementation, so a gap analysis would be my first stop. You don't know what you don't know.
I'm guessing you won't be allocated the funds to have somebody come in to do that for you based on your comments though.
I'd suggest having a look at the HSE's pages and leaflets on management systems first to help with your gap analysis. Have a look at existing documentation and make sure it captures the minimum required by law first and foremost.
Have a look at the plan do check act methodology in the HSE's leaflet indg275 -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg275.pdf. It will give you an idea of elements to focus on and see if you have something in place already, i.e. within the 'check' element - investigating accidents, root cause analysis, corrective actions, follow-up reviews. If you only have an informal process in place and it's not documented, then it will need to be formalised, communicated and reviewed periodically. The process / procedures don't need to be complex in the slightest, in fact, the simpler the better.
If you break things up into chunks instead of tackling too much at one time, you will find yourself building a formalised management system and be on your way to accreditation.
Here's a place to start -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/health.htm
HSG(65) -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg65.pdf
Our downloads -
https://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/
I have set out our downloads loosely based on 18001. There's enough in the downloads to implement a basic HSE management system. For me, basic is good. Management systems created to look nice and capture anything and everything are a waste of time in my opinion. It might look pretty, but is it user friendly and functional where it matters?
I hope that helps a bit. It can be daunting at first, but small steps and taking the time needed to do it justice to protect people is what employees deserve.
