Workplace health and safety is a prerequisite for all organizations. It gives a healthy workplace culture to employees who then work fully and produce better outcomes. Precaution is better than cure as they say. It is in the interest of the employer to take precautionary measures beforehand and keep identifying any new hazards to avoid any serious accidents. The increasing ratio of sick employees will have a disastrous impact on the overall performance of a company. Let us see what is workplace health and safety, what are its key regulatory bodies, what are the challenges of occupational health and safety, and lastly, what are some best practices to ensure workplace safety.
Key Takeaways
- Workplace health and safety is the management of risks to protect suppliers, clients, employees, and visitors from hazards.
- The role of key regulatory bodies including OSHA, FEM, ASHRAE, ISO, and NSC in maintaining workplace health and safety.
- The challenges of occupational health and safety include regulatory concerns, inadequate comprehension and skill development, threat detection and risk analysis, and emotional distress.
- The strategies and best practices to ensure workplace health and safety include feedback from workers, a rigid workplace health and safety policy, transparent communication channels, audits and inspections, and adaptations to industry practices.
What is Workplace Health and Safety (WHS)?
According to the Australian Government, workplace health and safety is defined as the practices to manage any potential risk that may cause some workplace hazard. The people under protection should belong to the categories including suppliers, clients, employees, and visitors. It is also called Occupational Health and Safety. It is comprised of the policies, practices, and procedures to ensure the mental and physical well-being of people.
Key Regulatory Bodies
There are some key regulatory bodies that work universally to ensure workplace health and safety. Some of these are discussed next:
- OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Standards were developed in 1970 to ensure a healthy and safe working environment. It not only maintains standards but also provides assistance to sustain health protections.
- FEM
The European Materials Handling Federation was founded in 1953 and incorporates around eighty percent of European companies. The main aim is to help the European industries in lifting, handling, and maintaining storage.
- ASHRAE
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers aims at using sustainable technology to maintain the well-being of employees. The organization was founded in 1894 with the main focus of improving indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and refrigeration.
- ISO
The International Organization for Standardization was established with a focus on sustaining high-quality, safe, and reliable services and products. It was founded in 1947 and has drafted around 22,500 international standards.
- NSC
The National Safety Council was formulated with the main aim of eradicating injuries that can be prohibited at homes and offices.
Challenges of Occupational Health and Safety
Maintaining workplace health and safety is not an easy task but it faces many challenges. Some of these challenges of occupational health and safety include:
- Regulatory concern
The requirements of industry change every day, so there is a need to maintain compliance with the safety regulations. This is a complex challenge for organizations to stay updated and move forward with the changing laws to sustain the safety protocols and reduce vulnerabilities.
- Inadequate comprehension and skill development
Individuals at work are usually not aware of the potential hazards they may encounter. The lack of awareness regarding safety protocols is a primary challenge to occupational health and safety. The probability of accidents increases with inadequate comprehension and skill development.
- Threat detection and risk analysis
The detection of threats is a vital component for any workplace to evade any possible mishap. However, risk assessment is not an easy task as every detail needs thorough attention. Inadequate resources also become a hurdle in identifying the likely hazards.
- Emotional distress
The concerns about psychological health have become pertinent in today’s world similar to physical safety. This has gained recognition with increasingly challenging issues like workplace anxiety, stress, burnout, etc. that act as a hurdle in improving the overall health quality of individuals.
Strategies and Best Practices
Given below are some of the strategies and best practices for providing workplace health and safety.
- Feedback from Workers
The workers working in your office know the risks best and they know the areas which need improvement. It is advised to involve them in identifying the hazards. They can better point to the faulty equipment and its defective parts that can possibly lead to any injury. Also, the chairs need to be comfortable enough in the workplace that all employees should maintain a comfortable sitting posture. They should be aware to keep a check on the way they sit. Also, for forklifts and other such machines and equipment, safety blitzes are the best practice in manufacturing sites.
Employers need to draft a report based on the employee feedback. Also, the input from them needs to be discussed in a face-to-face meeting.
- A Rigid Workplace Health and Safety Policy
The most important initiative is to have a working policy for ensuring workplace health and safety. It should be a compulsion on all employees to read it and employers should be obliged to provide necessary training sessions. These should include awareness about handling of machinery and use of equipment on a regular basis. While the equipment should be maintained timely and according to the industry trends. Organizations should focus more on personal protective equipment to ensure the safety of workers. The policy should include safety measures for day-to-day affairs. The program should emphasize following an ergonomic workplace culture.
- Transparent Communication Channels
The established safety protocols of an office need to be communicated effectively to all members. There can be different channels to do this like training sessions, physical meetings, etc. As discussed earlier, employers should be educated about the risk of any possible accident and ways to save themselves from it.
- Audits and Inspections
Organizations have to face a loss of thousands of dollars and a bad global reputation when any harmful incident occurs. Instead of spending money on the loss, it is better to stay informed about the possible hazards and value the lives of employees. There should be systematic inspections on a regular basis to maintain workplace safety.
A proper checklist should be crafted for inspecting all areas of the workplace, especially tools, machinery, and safety equipment. The protocol should inspect all things that may cause an accident like any faulty or loosely fitted equipment, wear and tear, or poor maintenance practices. The potential risks need to be addressed timely before the posed threat becomes a reality. All employees should be encouraged to register and complain if they find any defect. Preventive measures should be taken ahead of time.
- Adaptation to Industry practices
The world keeps on changing every day so it is very important to keep improving your safety measures. Adaption to new safety procedures holds a significant role in ensuring workplace health and safety. Once the employers have taken feedback from the employees and have also performed the necessary investigation to prepare a comprehensive report, it is time to take action. This will upgrade all existing systems and will align them with the industry. This adaptation should also include training sessions for all employees to adopt the new safety technologies.
The practice should be repetitive and new data from incidents should be assessed and addressed proactively. This will significantly reduce the risk of injuries or even fatalities related to work. All employees should be actively engaged to be on a hunt for emerging information about workplace health and safety.
Conclusion
Ensuring workplace health and safety is crucial for every organization. It’s not just about complying with legal regulations, but also about creating a productive and positive work environment. When we understand the different aspects of workplace health and safety, recognize the role of regulatory bodies, tackle the challenges, and apply best practices, we can significantly reduce risks. This approach helps in improving the overall well-being of employees. Taking proactive steps in health and safety doesn’t just protect employees; it also boosts organizational efficiency and reputation.
Frequently Asked Questions Workplace Health and Safety
- What is workplace health and safety?
Workplace health and safety is defined as the practices to manage any potential risk that may cause some workplace hazard. The people under protection should belong to the categories including suppliers, clients, employees, and visitors.
- How can employees contribute to workplace safety?
Employees can contribute by following safety protocols, reporting hazards, participating in safety training, and providing feedback on safety practices.
- Are there any international standards for regulating workplace safety?
There are around 22,500 international standards established by ISO to regulate workplace safety and better-quality products.
- How can organizations stay updated with health and safety regulations?
Organizations can stay updated by regularly consulting regulatory bodies’ websites, subscribing to industry updates, and participating in relevant training and seminars.
- What are some common types of workplace hazards?
Common types of workplace hazards include physical dangers (e.g., machinery), chemical exposure, biological threats (e.g., pathogens), psychosocial risks (e.g., stress), and technological risks (e.g., cybersecurity).
- What is the importance of regular safety audits and inspections?
Regular audits and inspections help identify potential hazards, ensure compliance with safety standards, and prevent accidents and injuries.
- Who is responsible for workplace health and safety?
Both employers and employees share responsibility of workplace hazards. Employers must provide a safe working environment, while employees must follow safety protocols and report hazards timely.
- Is psychological health given any importance in workplace health and safety?
The concerns about psychological health have become pertinent in today’s world similar to physical safety. This has gained recognition with increasingly challenging issues like workplace anxiety, stress, burnout, etc. that act as a hurdle in improving the overall health quality of individuals.
- What is the role of OSHA in workplace health and safety?
OSHA develops and enforces standards to ensure safe working conditions, provides training, and offers assistance to employers and employees.
- What are some best practices for ensuring workplace health and safety?
Best practices for ensuring workplace health and safety include involving workers in hazard identification, maintaining a rigid safety policy, guaranteeing transparent communication, conducting regular audits, and adapting to industry standards.
References
- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning. “About ASHRAE, https://www.ashrae.org/about.”
- European Materials Handling Federation. “About FEM, https://www.fem-eur.com/about/.”
- International Organization for Standardization. “ISO: Global standards for trusted goods and services, https://www.iso.org/home.html.”
- Occupational Safety and Health Standards. “About OSHA, https://www.osha.gov/aboutosha.”
- National Safety Council. “About the National Safety Council, https://www.nsc.org/company?”
