Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Workers need protection as they go about their assignments at the workplace. Failure to pay attention to this need puts individuals’ lives at risk and displays negligence worthy of condemnation. It is common to hear workers complain of health problems even after many years that one can trace to when they were in a work environment. Naturally, a worker is exposed to various dangers at the workplace, which an organization would do well to take note of and make it such that the worker is exposed to the least risk as they do their duties.
The worker faces several hazards in the workplace. Proper job safety and prevention practices can reduce the risk of these problems (Medline Plus, n.d.). These are chemical, biological, physical, repetitive strain injuries, and psychological.
Chemical
There are chemical dangers that a worker might face at their place of work. Certain harmful chemicals spilling on the body may cause corrosion and even fatal harm; such compounds include chlorine or other concentrated substances. Therefore, a worker exposed to these types of chemicals at the workplace needs protection, lest they suffer severely from their effect on their bodies.
Biological
The workplace also includes different biological risks that the employer and worker need to consider seriously. Issues such as infections from molds, Hepatitis, and Tuberculosis should prompt everyone involved to protect themselves and others from the dangers posed by these elements. Additionally, the worker should note the risk of contracting AIDS and venereal diseases at the workplace. As such, they should seek ample protection and ensure that their behavior, other than the workplace environment, does not expose them to danger.
Physical
Some physical dangers include extreme heat or cold, noise, and radiation. Understanding the compounded effect of these factors on the health of an individual or even the exposure to them should move everyone responsible to shield the worker from the harm he faces. Thereby, management should take up the responsibility to ensure that work does not suffer halts or more importantly, individuals do not suffer bodily harm as they work.
Repetitive strain injuries
Repetitive strain injuries can be remedied by adhering to safety standards, which are recommended. Therefore, the management should set up the work environment in a way that attempts to eliminate the possibility of incurring continuous harm to the muscles and bodily makeup of the individual.
Psychological
Acknowledging that stress is a huge issue especially today should direct employers and their management to limit the tendency of workers suffering from stress. Introducing programs, therapists and creating an environment, which is affirming and tolerant, will reduce the prospects of stressful workers. Addressing stress at the workplace has a direct effect on the performance of the individuals. Therefore, setting u ways to eliminate stress among workers will have a direct effect on the performance that an organization posts.
Apart from health related risks, a worker also faces other dangers at the workplace. These include slips, falls; moving machines catching and trapping them, suffering strikes from objects/moving machines, explosions and fires, accidents, suffocation, and violence (OSHA, n.d.).
Slips, and Falls
Slips and falls can cause mild to serious injuries to workers. They can result from the negligence of their workplace managers and their employers. Poor safety measures can result into injuries when employees fall. Causes of these slips and falls, which are easily corrected, are not limited to wet surfaces and poor drainage. Naturally, it should be a concern for management to ensure that its employees work under great environments and that they are not exposed to threats such as slips that may result into more expenses in terms of treatment and damage in the long term. Additionally, leaving things such as wires lying around may cause and slips. As a safety measure, it should be important to ensure that items such as these are not left unattended as they may cause significant hurt. As another measure to guard against falling, it is important that the workers have safety gear. Equipment such as safety belts, guardrails and padded clothes are necessary for workers who are at a constant risk of falling. Thus, organizations should ensure that they meet the parameters needed to protect workers from the danger posed by slips and falls at the workplace.
Caught In or Struck By Moving Machinery/Objects
Moving parts of machines might hook onto resulting into the loss of limbs or even death. When a machine that lacks safety measures such as guards, locks or servicing catches a part of the body such as the hand it may cause significant hurt. Additionally, moving objects might injure a person if they do not have protective equipment such as helmets. Providing equipment precautions such as guardrails and rope and pulley supports when possible is helpful (Spiro, n.d.). Because of the outlined scenarios, an organization should ensure that the outlined areas are assessed ensuring that workers do not suffer harm. Machines should undergo constant evaluation to determine the dangers it may pose, and these dangers addressed such that workers do not suffer. Moreover, workers should have on protective clothing such as helmets in case moving machine parts or other objects hit them, injuring them.
As relating to fire explosion, both workers and management should take up the responsibility to be careful and to ensure that measures are in place to protect their workplace and themselves. Therefore, it is important to label different items properly carefully and handling easily combustible materials with caution. Following these two practices can prevent many workplace fires. In case a fire occurs, an organization should have an outlined protocol to follow. It is important to have emergency exits and design buildings in such a way that people could easily evacuate them without hindrance. Fire alarms and alert systems should be in place to warn buildings’ inhabitants of the impending danger. Additionally, it will be important to train workers in administering first aid to others in case of suffocation and minor injuries that take place in the case of a fire will be important. Moreover, it is necessary for an organization to have items such as fire extinguishers, which are crucial in the event of a fire; additionally, the organization should have the contacts of the fire department at the ready in the possibility that their services are required.
Workers might experience accidents at the workplace. Accidents may come about because of unsafe/underserviced cars and equipment or little to no training offered to the vehicle/machine operators. Unsafe equipment or cars might harm passengers or workers since they may break down and thereby put the lives of people in danger. The same might apply to underserviced machinery, which may malfunction and in the process risk the lives of individuals close or in them. These realities should prompt those operating the machinery or cars to double check the safety of using them and insist on regular checkups lest they fail at the worst of times. Additionally, those operating the machines should receive accurate instruction on how to use them. Misinformation in the use of the equipment might be fatal; as they will not know how to respond to danger or their actions, they might endanger lives. Similarly, management should ensure that those operating vehicles or machines undergo proper training before they are declared fit to drive or work with certain machinery. Training will equip the people responsible with the knowledge of how to operate the machines at their responsibility best and how to respond in the event of a danger. It falls on both the machine operators and management to minimize accidents and to uphold high standards of safety lest lives are lost or worse damage takes place at the expense of an organization or a person’s life.
Confined spaces can be a significant health hazard to a worker. Certain work places have environments where workers are squeezed into spaces that make it difficult to work or be comfortable. Such cases should not happen, as these conditions are inappropriate and detrimental to the safety of a person. Such confined spaces include some factories, mining holes and sewerage digesters. These constricted places pose dangers such as the lack of oxygen and consequent loss of consciousness, the presence of certain gases may cause fires, which will be difficult to escape given the way the workers are limited in movement, poisonous fumes that may choke the workers. Moreover, these areas may exhibit extreme conditions from subzero temperatures to exceedingly high temperatures. In these dangerous places, the workers face the prospect of being buried alive. As some of these areas are unstable, they may cave under pressure burying those within. Noting such issues should cause organizations and those responsible for the welfare of workers to be intentional in seeking the safety of workers and exposing them to humane and safe environments where they are not mortally vulnerable.
Violence is another risk that faces workers at the workplace. Violence may come in many forms at the workplace apart from physically. Emotional blackmail and abuse may also warrant as violence. Violence has an effect on the workers at the work place such that they cannot perform as well as they should. Therefore, it is the duty of the management to ensure that parameters are in place to discourage and address instances of violence. Additionally, an organization should ensure that the authorities are informed in cases of violence. Fulfilling responsibility in this area will avert many cases of violence especially since reports claim that homicides are the second leading cause of workplace fatalities (OSHA, n.d.). Workplace violence involves verbal assault and sexual harassment, which has come to the forefront of society especially with hashtags such as #metoo. In setting rules that govern violence, an organization will be protecting its workers while also protecting its reputation as concerned with the wellbeing of its workers.
(https://www.collegesa.edu.za/blog/the-importance-of-occupational-health-and-safety/)
The Importance of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in the Workplace
Paying attention to occupational health and safety in the work place naturally improves the performance of the employees. Improved performance means that the organization enjoys more productivity. As such, the negligence of the centrality of occupational health and safety will harm productivity as many factors derail the effectiveness of the workers. Issues to do with morale and dedication will suffer when the employees feel that their employers show no concern for their health or safety. In this way, the responsibility of the organization to pursue ideal conditions relating to safety and health for the sake of the employees and thereby increase the chance of registering good results in terms of productivity.
If an environment is safe and determined as healthy, it will reduce chances of truancy and subpar performances. In such an environment, a worker feels motivated to give their best as they feel comfortable and do not have to worry at being in any imminent danger. Psychologically, the worker is undistracted and thereby gives his sole focus to what his seniors need. If this were different, the worker is prone to give excuses repeatedly as to why they cannot avail themselves or work hard at their tasks. In improving the safety and health conditions of a workplace, the management will directly affect the attitude of the worker who will find no reason to be lethargic at their workplace. In remedying possible causes of harm, the management influences attitudes and thereafter performance.
A work environment becomes safer, more welcoming and up to professional standards when it meets occupational health and safety standards. In establishing safety features management shields its workers from possible danger, which the workers occasionally encounter at the workplace. A safe work environment prevents workers from contracting diseases or injuries that might alter their lives and even endanger their chances of employment. Additionally, meeting safety and health standards renders a workplace professional and modern. The reputation that comes with adhering to safety standards has a positive effect on the organization, which will not have it dealing with lawsuits and suffer distraction from whatever they want to achieve. Additionally, this approach will make it easier to attract investment and go a long way in outdoing existing competition.
An OHS program makes employees happier. They are made happy since they see that the organization along with their employers show concern for their wellbeing (College SA, n.d.). In understanding that the organization does not only chase after profit but also cares about the plight of their employees, it will be natural for the employees to feel appreciated and happy to work in such an environment. Being happy means that the employees have a high morale, a high morale translates into a drive to be more dedicated in their work. Consequently, the company benefits since the work output is high and so is its quality. Therefore, the company benefits from the pleased workers who exert themselves to ensure that they repay the good faith that the employers have shown. In this way, paying attention to OHS has a direct effect on the profit that an organization makes.
Enforcing OHS will save an organization’s funds. Instead of spending a lot of money on victims’ treatment, the company can channel the funds into another avenue, which can generate more profit. Therefore, in failing to prepare OHS measures and programs at the workplace, a company risks using a lot of money thereafter. Apart from treatment, victims will also make insurance claims, which cost money; additionally, lawyer fees needed in case of lawsuits will cost a company even further. In establishing OHS programs, a company averts the future possibility of losing money in case they are sued or have to pay for the treatment of people injured at work.
Enforcing OHS measures shows that management has a regard for their employees. Judging the importance of workers to an organization, it should be the responsibility of the organization to ensure that the workers are in the best state possible. Enforcing programs such as the workplace health programs, which are coordinated strategies that include programs, policies, benefits, and environmental supports to keep all employees healthy, and safe, can meet this need.
Neglecting workers and leaving them to work in unsafe conditions shows not just a disregard for human life but also a callousness that indicates that a company is more focused in making money than the wellbeing of the workers. Acknowledging that the organization cannot register profits without the input of the employees should make those responsible ensure that the needful safety measures in a work setting are in place for the good of the workers.
Furthermore, enforcing OHS measures will guarantee the retaining of customers and the appeal to newer customers. Given that adherence to OHS shows a regard for high standards and a concern for humanity, customers will see this aspect of an organization as attractive and worthy of commendation. A bad reputation damages the performance of a company as is seen with how a company’s stocks drop in the event of a scandal or discovery of ill doing. Therefore, in maintain a reputation that a company cares for the safety of its employees, the company will earn itself a widespread reputation as an institution which upholds values which are scarce among many other companies. Retaining customers and attracting new prospects means that the organization will continually progress and make even more profits while caring for its employees.
At the onset and in the continual fulfilment of OHS standards, the company might incur high costs; however, this will pale in comparison from the results that come with having a well-functioning OHS system within a company. From attracting investors, saving money in terms of lawyer fees and insurance claims, appealing to new customers and maintaining high motivation levels among workers, enforcing adherence to OHS standards will profit a company greatly in the course of time. Thus, it is a very profitable endeavor to pursue OHS as a central tenet in the running of an organization as it has diverse benefits.
How to promote occupational health and safety practices
- Leadership responsibility and the Organization’s responsibilities
Leaders should take a prominent position in clamouring for OHS standards to be upheld. Leaders are responsible for the performance of an organization; therefore, the blame will lie at their feet if the team underperforms. As shown above OHS has a bearing on the motivation of the workers and their willingness to give themselves to working for the good of the company. Therefore, when the leaders fail the workers by failing to look after their good in terms of raising the standards of OHS, they are failing in their duties as leaders. Leaders should show the initiative to have their workplaces represent OHS qualities and the good of workers.
An organization in entirety should emphasise the need to have workers in a conducive environment for them to perform their duties ably. Therefore, the impetus to push ensure that an organization meets OHS standards reflects its commitment to its workers and to the good of the organization. As such, it is important that the organization fulfil its duties to its employees in showing a dedication to meeting their needs and enforcing health and safety at the workplace. Failure to showing commitment to the cause of promoting OHS will render a company negligent and substandard in its relationship with its employees.
- Investing in infrastructure and how to manage them management systems
In order to counter the threat posed at the workplace, it is necessary for an organization to buy material and structures, which will avert the dangers available at the workplace. This means that the organization has to incur costs in order to meet the need for a safer more secure work environment. To achieve this, an organization may have to do remedial actions such as buying safety gadgets, roughening smooth areas, which might lead to slipping and falling, and providing protective gear that will ensure that workers are safe as they go about their duties. Apart from buying items, an organization might also have to bear the costs of training people to use the equipment present within an organization or how best to remain safe in the face of the different dangers present at the workplace. Additionally, there is a need to ensure that the bought equipment and the other items are not misused such that they breakdown and have to cost the organization even more funds. In ensuring that the materials are well managed, the organization promotes the safety of the individuals and the conservation of resources.
- Awareness, Education and Training
Raising awareness about the importance of OHS will promote the culture of OHS and will thereby benefit workers (Meswani, 2008). In spreading awareness, individuals will brief the companies they represent or their employers about the importance of OHS to a worker and to the organization in general as it has varying repercussions. Raising awareness will bring the issue of OHS to the forefront of discussion and will cause many people to adopt it to the good of workers. Furthermore, educating both workers and their employers about the good of OHS will lead to its widespread embrace. Showing how OHS affects performance levels and motivation will influence many who were sceptic about it to consider employing it in their organizations. In educating and training people about OHS, one achieves great good since workers will no longer have to worry about different dangers in the workplace, while also appeasing owners since they will understand that a worker in a good environment means more returns since they work with dedication and without distractions.
- Legal requirements
Another way through which someone can push organizations to follow OHS guidelines is through the justice system. In lobbying courts to enforce laws that protect workers, a person will force companies to enforce OHS standards for the sake of the individuals. Since companies need to comply with laws, they will have to comply with directions. This approach is important especially since companies may intimidate activism along these lines especially when they believe upholding tenets that promote good OHS will bring losses to the company. In using the power of the law, individuals will achieve the goal of promoting the wellbeing of the people working for different corporations. The law will additionally protect workers from exposure to dangerous environments. Additionally, it will be important to seek that companies are held responsible with punitive measures taken against them when they are found to be in violation of set laws. In taking courts to task to establish laws around OHS, people will promote the humane treatment of workers at the workplace and ensure that companies do not violate the rights of its workers.
- Using Technology
In today’s world, technology has brought about much good. In the world of OHS, it can prove an invaluable tool in the pursuit of ensuring companies embrace OHS as an important factor in the workplace. Broadcasting the goodness of OHS in the course of time to an organization might be the proof needed to convince them to take up enforcing OHS parameters at their workplace. Additionally projecting the benefits of OHS adherence may influence organizations to take up the challenge of enforcing OHS measures. Apart from projection and outlining the benefits of OHS enforcement, technology can also improve the OHS methods and issues such that they are more detailed and address occurring case even better. Technology will improve a workplace by showing what bet ways to use to protect the worker (Meswani, 2008). Additionally having equipment such as spy cameras will detail offences such as rape, violence or the working conditions of employees. Through the stated examples and many others, technology can be an ally to the cause for a regard for OHS to be a necessity in any work environment.
Complaints against OHS
Companies argue about the prospect of enforcing OHS measures at the workplace fearing that it is expensive. If health and safety is a core value, then it is part of the mandatory elements of the functioning of the organization – an automatically assumed and ingrained business consideration that needs no debate or compromise because it is truly at the core of workplace endeavors (Meswani, 2008). In arguing that the cost to uphold OHS is great, the companies show a disregard for the wellbeing of its workers in a classic case of profit over people. A response to an attitude such as this should include the pursuit of legal backing since the workers have no power to use in their struggle for better working conditions and for their safety at their places of work.
Another reason that opponents of OHS state is that it grants workers too much freedom. They claim that OHS measures create many loopholes, which employees might use to benefit themselves at the expense of the company. In stating this, those who decry the enforcement of OHS at the workplace may have a valid reason but still others might be looking for ways through which they will not incur costs. Careful considerations of the measures in place to enforce OHS needs analyzing in this case and determine what to adopt and what to avoid. The failure to do this by overruling every argument for OHS betrays a bias and an unfair outlook on the workers and their plight.
In a day when people are not afraid to ask for their rights, it is expected for the enforcement of OHS to be a central topic, which will dominate society. Workers need protection from the dangers that they face at the workplace. When employers see protecting workers from these dangers as much more than just losing money, then the effort to realise a healthy work environment for workers will be achieved. A work environment that pursues the best OHS standards for the sake of its employees places itself at a good position to reap the myriad of benefits that come with this endeavor.
