Employee safety and health - BLOG4

 Employee safety and health,

                                                                    FIG - 1

Introduction

To increase profit margins most organizations usually try to reduce costs , they forget workers safety which makes or breaks their bottom lines. Without their workers, organizations cannot operate efficiently, and to ensure that everything is running smoothly, organizations have to continuously improve health and safety practices in their places. There are many organizations and workplaces where risks are part of the job life. For examples, in construction, mining, chemical, and transportation industries, workers are facing lot of safety risks with in their work and to safeguard them employers must provide appropriate safety equipment and training. In other words, safety benefits to the workplace as well as to the workers and as a result of that workplace will be more productive and efficient. As workers who follow health and safety correctly are more productive to the workplace and their lives too. Ultimate result  will experience as less  illness , less accident-related lost time and less disruption to work while saving money.

What is health and safety in the workplace?

1. It is morally right to ensure your workers return home safe and healthy at the end of every working day.

The concept is as straightforward and as easy as it sounds, even though enforcing it is a significant challenge for many companies. An employer that promotes health and safety in their premises means they focus on employee wellbeing and strive to reduce or eliminate injuries or illnesses at work. Even if there are challenging working conditions, the employer that focuses on workplace safety will provide ample protective materials to their employees in order to prevent any injuries or illnesses on the job. As can be understood, it is mostly the employer’s responsibility. But why is it so important, and what will happen if an employer doesn’t focus on workplace safety?

A safe work place is a happy and productive workplace, and ensuring the former can save huge amounts of redundant costs down the line as well as ensure employee loyalty, strengthened goodwill, improved operations, and more. Now that we’ve covered why workplace safety is crucial, let’s take a closer look at the six workplace hazards that can lead employee safety and cause injuries or illnesses.

Hazards that threaten workplace safety

FIG - 2         

Safety hazards- Due to issues such as exposed wires, slippery surfaces, etc. that create unsafe working conditions for all involved. Sometimes, these are used interchangeably with physical hazards. 

Physical hazards - Hazards that typically don’t require physical contact. Height, radiation, noise, pressure, darkness, etc. are just some examples.

Ergonomic hazards - Hazards due to poorly designed workstations, processes, or outdated machinery. These cause uncomfortable postures, and pain, and can cause illnesses such as back pain down the line.

Chemical hazards - Hazards are related to chemicals that can cause damage to workers such as irritation, burning, corrosion, and worse.

Biological hazards - Related to viruses, insects, animals, and bacteria that can cause illnesses or injuries down the line upon exposure. Sewage, vermin, poisonous plants, dangerous fluids, etc. are some examples that can be detrimental to workers.

Psychosocial hazards - Mental stress that hampers employee well-being, usually caused by unwanted workplace issues such as violence, harassment, etc

Ensure health and safety in the workplace with 8 practices as shown below,

                                                                FIG - 3

There are many solutions available that can improve workplace compliance, please refer to the figure bellow issued by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

                                                                        FIG - 4

 

Organizations can create and maintain a knowledge base that houses the OSHA compliance requirements and provides them with an overview. Employees can also share the best practices they feel are appropriate for their jobs – helping improve workplace safety. Moreover, employers can report incidents, accidents, or even near misses along with photos. 

Safety First conclusion,

If we can implement these work place safety hazards and are properly managed, organizations will have a more secure workplace for their employees. Therefore, it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that these hazards won’t cause any more trouble. Prevention is always better than cure even when it comes to safeguarding a workplace. 

 

References,

Available at: https://www.note-ems.com/fi/news/the-world-day-for-safety-and-health-at-work-4/[Accessed 27 April 2023]

Available at: https://www.cloudapper.com/workplace-safety/eight-practices-enhance-workplace-health-safety/[Accessed 27 April 2023]

Available at: https://www.startupguys.net/10-common-workplace-safety-hazards-every-small-business-must-not-ignore/[Accessed 27 April 2023]

Available at: https://www.lni.wa.gov/safety-health/preventing-injuries-illnesses/get-started-with-safety-health/[Accessed 27 April 2023]

Available at: https://iosh.com/news/why-health-and-safety-is-important/[Accessed 27 April 2023]

FIG-1         Work safety.

FIG-2         Safety hazard risk matrix.

FIG-3         Health and safety practices.

FIG-4         OSHS standards for industrial companies.