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INTRODUCTION:
For smooth functioning of an organization, the employer has to ensure safety and security of his employees. Health and safety form an integral part of work environment. A work environment should enhance the wellbeing of employees and thus should be accident free. The terms health, safety and security are closely related to each other.
Health is the general state of wellbeing. It not only includes physical wellbeing, but also emotional and mental wellbeing.
Safety refers to the act of protecting the physical wellbeing of an employee. It will include the risk of accidents caused due to machinery, fire or diseases. Security refers to protecting facilities and equipment’s from unauthorized access and protecting.
Over the past century the companies in our country had to make enormous changes in how theytreat their staff. There are still many companies that try to find a way around the duties the administration outlines for them to follow.The Federal laws that are engineered to protect all staff may appear completely out of place in varied work settings, but the primary goal is to insure the health and safety at work for all the ones that are employed under safety and health law, the first responsibility for that is down to companies. As an employee, you have a duty to look after your own health and safety at work and that of others who might be influenced by your actions.
Health and safety of the employees is an important aspect of a company's smooth and successful functioning. It is a decisive factor in organizational effectiveness. It ensures an accident-free industrial environment. Companies must attach the same importance towards achieving high OH&S performance as they do to the other key objectives of their business activities. This is because, proper attention to the safety and welfare of the employees can yield valuable returns to a company by improving employee morale, reducing absenteeism and enhancing productivity, minimizing potential of work-related injuries and illnesses and increasing the quality of manufactured products and/ or rendered services.
On April 28 The International Labour Organisation celebrates "World Day for Safety and Health" to raise awareness of safety in the workplace. Occurring annually since 2003,each year it focuses on a specific area and bases a campaign around the theme.
DEFINITION:
As defined by the World Health Organization(WHO)
"Occupational health deals with all aspects of health and safety in the workplace and has a strong focus on primary prevention of hazards."Health has been defined as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
Since 1950, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have shared a common definition of occupational health. It was adopted by the Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health at its first session in 1950 and revised at its twelfth session in 1995. The definition reads:
"The main focus in occupational health is on three different objectives: (i) the maintenance and promotion of workers’ health and working capacity; (ii) the improvement of working environment and work to become conducive to safety and health and (iii) development of work organizations and working cultures in a direction which supports health and safety at work and in doing so also promotes a positive social climate and smooth operation and may enhance productivity of the undertakings. The concept of working culture is intended in this context to mean a reflection of the essential value systems adopted by the undertaking concerned. Such a culture is reflected in practice in the managerial systems, personnel policy, principles for participation, training policies and quality management of the undertaking."
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
1) To study the importance of the employees’health and safety.
2) To study deeply about the employees’health and safety.
3) To study how to effectively engage and developing the employees’ health and safety measures.
4) To know the techniques used by ANZ, Australia, for the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees.
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY:
In today’s modern world health and safety is the great issue in the organization. The companies are adopting new techniques and machineries, so it is necessary for the every company to adopt some health and safety measures. So there is scope to study about how to maintain the health and safety in the organizations, what are the policies used by the government regarding the health and safety of the employees in different workplace, what are the responsibilities of the managers, to know about the hazards and the remedies on the hazards. This study will provide some light regarding the health and safety of the employees.
RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY:
The present study is based on the secondary data collection. The outcome of the study will definitely useful in the field to take appropriate health and safety measures.
The study of health and safety helps to understand the strategies to be implemented by various companies for their employee health and safety. The study has relevance from the point of view of managers as it clearly gives the picture of health and safety measures.
1.6 EMPLOYEES WHILE THEY ARE ON WORK:
All employees must know their rights and responsibilities regarding their safety and health at work.
They should be aware of the general laws applicable to them.
All employees have entitlement to rest breaks and paid vacations
If you’re off sick from work and anxious about your job, you’ll find out practical information on what can be done
In the case of corporations that produce large items the health and safety at work for their staff may involve the right foot gear, shades, ear protectors and other protect in apparel
Safety and health at work for those employed by a legal company or accounting company would involve confidentiality, and cover against pissed off clients.
Health and safety at work for those in the medical field involves proper disposal of dangerous waste, ensuring to sterilize areas after patients have used them and consistent private cleanliness to avoid spreading contagions.
RESPONSIBILITES TO MAINTAIN HEALTH AND SAFETY
In organizations the responsibility of employee health and safety falls on the supervisors or HR manager. An HR manager can help in coordinating safety programs, making employees aware about the health and safety policy of the company, conduct formal safety training, etc. The supervisors and departmental heads are responsible for maintaining safe working conditions.
2.1 RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGERS:
There are a number of strategies that can be used by organizations to ensure a healthy and safeworkplace and ensure compliance with legal requirements. Some are:
Coach employees to be safety conscious
Investigate accidents
Communicate about safety policy to employee
Design Safe and healthy systems of works
Exhibit Strong management commitment
Inspect Workplace for health and safety problems
Establish Procedures and controls for dealing with establish health and safety issues
Develop Training programs
Set up Health and safety committees
Monitor Safety policies
Draw up Action plan and checklist
2.2 RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUPERVISORS/DEPARTMENTAL HEADS:
Monitor their workplaces frequently to identify unsafe or unhealthy conditions
Take prompt action to correct hazardous conditions.
If a serious hazard is detected take immediate interim action to safeguard employees
Encourage employees to report unsafe or unhealthy conditions
Seek suggestions from employees for improvement of workplace conditions
Investigate workplace mishaps and take prompt corrective action necessary to ensure the safety and health of employees
Institute actions to prevent recurrence of accidents
Ensure employees are adequately trained to perform the work safely
Prior to permitting employees to work with machine tools, chemicals, powered machinery,electrical systems, lasers and other such equipment, or enter confined spaces, operate forklifts,work in elevated locations or perform similar hazardous work, they must receive specializedtraining.
Inform employees of the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency
Inform employees of any unique hazards in the workplace and how to identify them
Inform employees of how to report unsafe or unhealthy conditions
Inform employees of actions to take in the event of a work-related injury
Maintain records of safety training provided, such as lesson plans, rosters, list of audio-visual and other materials used
Ensure that employees perform work in a safe manner
Monitor employee behaviour to ensure that work is being performed safely
Take prompt action to correct any unsafe or unhealthy actions or behaviours.
2.3 RESPONSIBILITIES AND RIGHTS OF EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEES
Employers must:
Properly orientate, train and supervise staff to ensure safe work practices are understood and followed by all employees.
Consult with all employees, including YW, about decisions that will affect safety in the workplace.
Provide suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) to make sure workers can do their job safely and train workers how to use PPE correctly.
Be aware of employers’ legal obligations under the NSW Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 and the NSW Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 and meet those obligations in full.
Make the work place safe
Prevent risk to health
Ensure that plant and machinery is safe to use, and that safe working practices are set up and followed
Make sure that all materials are handled, stored and used safely
Provide adequate first aid facilities
Tell about any potential hazards from the work, chemicals and other substances used by the firm, and must give information, instructions, training and supervision as needed
Set up emergency plans
Make sure that ventilation, temperature, lighting, and toilet, washing and rest facilities all meet health, safety and welfare requirements
Check that the right equipment is provided and is properly used and regularly maintained
Prevent or control exposure to substances that may damage health
Take precautions against the risks caused by flammable or explosive hazards, electrical equipment, noise and radiation
Avoid potentially dangerous work involving manual handling and if it can't be avoided take precautions to reduce the risk of injury
Provide health supervision as needed
Provide protective clothing or equipment free of charge if risks can't be removed or adequately controlled by any other means
Ensure that the right warning signs are provided and looked after
Report certain accidents, injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to either the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the local authority, depending on the type of business
Employees must:
Work safely to protect them self and others from injury and follow all OHS instructions,
For example:Wear all personal protective equipment provided.Follow safe work procedures.
Report any OHS issues, including hazards, injuries, illnesses and near misses.
2.4 MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS:
In 2001, the International Labour Organization (ILO) published ILO-OSH 2001, also titled "Guidelines an on occupational safety and health management systems" to assist organizations with introducing OSH management systems. These guidelines encourage continual improvement in employee health and safety, achieved via a constant process of policy, organization, planning & implementation, evaluation, and action for improvement, all supported by constant auditing to determine the success of OSH actions.
The ILO management system was created to assist employers to keep pace with rapidly shifting and competitive industrial environments. The ILO recognizes that national legislation is essential, but sometimes insufficient on its own to address the challenges faced by industry, and therefore elected to ensure free and open distribution of administrative tools in the form of occupational health and safety management system guidance for everyone. This open access forum is intended to provide the tools for industry to create safe and healthy working environments and foster positive safety cultures within the organizations.
OHSAS 18000 is an international occupational health and safety management system specification developed by the London-based BSI Group, a multinational business chiefly concerned with the production and distribution of standards related services. OHSAS 18000 comprises two parts, OHSAS 18001 and 18002 and embraces a number of other publications. OHSAS 18000 is the internationally recognized assessment specification for occupational health and safety management systems. It was developed by a selection of leading trade bodies, international standards and certification bodies to address a gap where no third-party certifiable international standard exists. This internationally recognized specification for occupational health and safety management system operates on the basis of policy, planning, implementation and operation, checking and corrective action, management review, and continual improvement.
3. STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH
3.1 BENEFITS OF A SAFE AND HEALTHY WORKFORCE:
Higher productivity
Increased efficiency and quality
Reduced medical and insurance costs
Lower workers’ compensation rates and payments
Improved reputation as an employer of choice
4. WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARDS
4.1 WORKPLACE HAZARDS
Although work provides many economic and other benefits, a wide array of workplace hazards also present risks to the health and safety of people at work. These include but are not limited to, "chemicals, biological agents, physical factors, adverse ergonomic conditions, allergens, a complex network of safety risks," and a broad range of psychosocial risk factors.
4.1.1 PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL HAZARDS
At-risk workers without appropriate safety equipment
Physical hazards are a common source of injuries in many industries. They are perhaps unavoidable in certain industries, such as construction andmining, but over time people have developed safety methods and procedures to manage the risks of physical danger in the workplace. Employment of children may pose special problems.
Falls are a common cause of occupational injuries and fatalities, especially in construction, extraction, transportation, healthcare, and building cleaning and maintenance.
An engineering workshop specialising in the fabrication and welding of components has to follow the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work regulations 1992. It is an employer’s duty to provide ‘all equipment (including clothing affording protection against the weather) which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work which protects him against one or more risks to his health and safety’. In a fabrication and welding workshop an employer would be required to provide face and eye protection, safety footwear, overalls and other necessary PPE.
Machines are commonplace in many industries, including manufacturing, mining,construction and agriculture, and can be dangerous to workers. Many machines involve moving parts, sharp edges, hot surfaces and other hazards with the potential to crush, burn,cut, shear, stab or otherwise strike or wound workers if used unsafely. Various safety measures exist to minimize these hazards, including lockout-tagout procedures for machine maintenance and roll over protection systems for vehicles. Machines are also often involved indirectly in worker deaths and injuries, such as in cases in which a worker slips and falls, possibly upon a sharp or pointed object.
Confined spaces also present a work hazard. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health defines "confined space" as having limited openings for entry and exit and unfavourable natural ventilation, and which is not intended for continuous employee occupancy. Spaces of this kind can include storage tanks, ship compartments, sewers, and pipelines. Confined spaces can pose a hazard not just to workers, but also to people who try to rescue them.
Noise also presents a fairly common workplace hazard: occupational hearing loss is the most common work-related injury in the United States, with 22 million workers exposed to hazardous noise levels at work and an estimated $242 million spent annually on worker's compensation for hearing loss disability. Noise is not the only source of occupational hearing loss; exposure to chemicals such as aromatic solvents and metals including lead, arsenic, and mercury can also cause hearing loss.
Temperature extremes can also pose a danger to workers. Heat stress can cause heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps, and rashes. Heat can also fog up safety glasses or cause sweaty palms or dizziness, all of which increase the risk of other injuries. Workers near hot surfaces or steam also are at risk for burns. Dehydration may also result from overexposure to heat. Cold stress also poses a danger to many workers. Overexposure to cold conditions or extreme cold can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot, orchilblains.
Electricity poses a danger to many workers. Electrical injuries can be divided into four types: fatal electrocution, electric shock, burns, and falls caused by contact with electric energy.
Vibrating machinery, lighting, and air pressure can also cause work-related illness and injury.Asphyxiation is another potential work hazard in certain situations. Musculoskeletal disordersare avoided by the employment of good ergonomic design and the reduction of repeated strenuous movements or lifts.
PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARDS
Employers in most OECD countries have an obligation not only to protect the physical health of their employees but also the psychological health. Therefore as part of a risk management framework psychological or psychosocial hazards (risk factors) need to be identified and controlled for in the workplace. Psychosocial hazards are related to the way work is designed, organised and managed, as well as the economic and social contexts of work and are associated with psychiatric, psychological and/or physical injury or illness. Linked to psychosocial risks are issues such as occupational stress and workplace violence which are recognized internationally as major challenges to occupational health and safety.
According to a survey by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the most important emerging psychosocial risks are:
• Precarious work contracts
• Increased worker vulnerability due to globalization
• New forms of employment contracts
• Feeling of job insecurity
• Aging workforce
• Long working hours
• Work intensification
• Lean production and outsourcing
• High emotional demands
• Poor work-life balance
4.2 BY INDUSTRY:
Specific occupational safety and health risk factors vary depending on the specific sector and industry. Construction workers might be particularly at risk of falls, for instance, whereas fishermen might be particularly at risk of drowning. The United States Bureau of Labour Statistics identifies the fishing, aviation, lumber, metalworking, agriculture, mining andtransportation industries as among some of the more dangerous for workers. Similarly psychosocial risks such as workplace violence are more pronounced in certain occupational groups such as health care employees, correctional officers and teachers.
4.2.1 Construction
Construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, incurring more occupational fatalities than any other sector in both the United States and in the European Union. In 2009, the fatal occupational injury rate among construction workers in the United States was nearly three times that for all workers.
4.2.2 Agriculture
Rollover protection bar on a Fordson tractor.
Agriculture workers are often at risk of work-related injuries, lung disease, noise-induced hearing loss, skin disease, as well as certain cancers related to chemical use or prolonged sun exposure. Onindustrialized farms, injuries frequently involve the use of agricultural machinery. Common causes of fatal injuries among young farm worker include drowning, machinery and motor vehicle-related accidents.
4.2.3 Service sector
As the number of service sector jobs has risen in developed countries, more and more jobs have become sedentary, presenting a different array of health problems than those associated with manufacturing and the primary sector. Contemporary problems such as the growing rate of obesity and issues relating to occupational stress, workplace bullying, andoverwork in many countries have further complicated the interaction between work and health.
4.2.4 Mining and oil & gas extraction
According to data from the 2010 NHIS-OHS, workers employed in mining and oil & gas extraction industries had high prevalence rates of exposure to potentially harmful work organization characteristics and hazardous chemicals. Many of these workers worked long hours: 50% worked more than 48 hours a week and 25% worked more than 60 hours a week in 2010. Additionally, 42% worked non-standard shifts (not a regular day shift). These workers also had high prevalence of exposure to physical/chemical hazards. In 2010, 39% had frequent skin contact with chemicals. Among non-smoking workers, 28% of those in mining and oil and gas extraction industries had frequent exposure to second-hand smoke at work. About two-thirds were frequently exposed to vapours, gas, dust, or fumes at work.
Healthcare and Social Assistance
Healthcare workers are exposed to many hazards that can adversely affect their health and well-being. Long hours, changing shifts, physically demanding tasks, violence, and exposures to infectious diseases and harmful chemicals are examples of hazards that put these workers at risk for illness and injury.
4.3 OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS:
• Organizational Qualities
Factors most affecting workplace accidents:
- Working conditions and times
- Tools and technology available to do the job
• Individual Qualities: The Unsafe Employee
• Characteristics that make people more susceptible to accidents:
- Emotionally “low”
- Stressed
• Violent Employees:
• Homicide is leading cause of workplace deaths after highway accidents.
• Signs of potential violence:
Verbal threats
Physical Actions
Intimidation
Show weapons
Try to gain access
Frustration
Mania
4.4 OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES:
• Disease-Causing Hazards:
Arsenic, asbestos, benzene, bi-chloromethylether
Coal dust, coke-oven emissions, cotton dust
Lead, radiation, vinyl chloride•
• Workers most likely to be exposed:
Chemical and oil refinery workers, miners, textile workers
Steelworkers, lead smelters
Medical technicians, painters, shoemakers, plastics industry workers
• Diseases Linked to Workplace Hazards:
Cancer - Liver, lung, brain, kidney
Lung Disease - White, brown, and black lung
Leukaemia
Bronchitis, emphysema
Lymphoma, aplastic anaemia
Central nervous system damage
Reproductive Disorders
Skin Diseases
5. WHAT CAUSES ACCIDENTS?
5.1 UNSAFE CONDITIONS AND UNSAFE ACTS:
5.1.1 UNSAFE CONDITIONS: The mechanical and physics accidents. Unsafe conditions are a main cause of accidents. They include thing like:
Improperly guarded equipment
Defective equipment
Hazardous procedures in, on, or around machines or equipment
Unsafe storage – congestion, overloading
Improper illumination – glare insufficient light.
Improper ventilation – insufficient air change, impure air source.
Poor housekeeping
Unauthorized use of machines or equipment
Improper mental attitude on the job
Unsafe wearing apparel
Using unsafe tools or equipment
Improper planning of work
Disobeying regulations or procedures
Operating machines at unsafe speed
Failure to use suitable protective equipment
Operating machines without necessary training
Inattention while operating machines or while at work
Not in proper physical or mental condition while at work
Improper placement of workers
5.1.2 CONSEQUENCES OF AN UNSAFE AND UNHEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT
• Injury and Disease
Back injuries are most prevalent
Exposure to Chemicals - Undetected effects, possible long-term risk.
• Mental Health
Psychological symptoms can affect productivity and life away from work.
• Deaths and Violence
• Economic Costs
REDUCING UNSAFE ACTS THROUGH:
Careful selection and placement of employees
- Employees did develop consistent perceptions concerning supervisory safety practices,
- These safety climate perceptions predicted safety records in the months following the survey,
- Proper employees screening and placement can reduce unsafe acts,
- Using the ERI in the selection process did seem to be associated with reductions in work related accidents.
Posters and other propaganda materials.
Trainings.
Incentive programs and positive reinforcement.
Top management commitment.
Emphasis on safety.
Establishment of a safety policy.
Setting specific loss control goals.
Conducting safety and health inspections.
Monitoring work overload and stress.
6.3 CREATING A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT
Elements in Creating a Safe Work Environment
Safety Motivation and Knowledge
Safety Awareness Programs
Enforcement of Safety Rules
Accident, Investigations and Records
Promoting Safety Awareness
The Key Role of the Supervisor
- Communicating the need to work safely.
Proactive Safety Training Program
- First aid, defensive driving, accident prevention techniques, hazardous materials, and emergency procedures.
Information Technology and Safety Awareness and Training.
Typical Safety Rules:
Using proper safety devices
Using proper work procedures
Following good housekeeping practices
Complying with accident- and injury-reporting procedures
Wearing required safety clothing and equipment
Avoiding carelessness and horseplay
6.4 CREATING A HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT
• Recognizing and Controlling Health Hazards Related to Hazardous Materials and Processes:
Use substitutes for hazardous materials.
Alter hazardous processes and engineering controls.
Enclose or isolate hazardous processes.
Issue clothing to protect against hazards.
Improve ventilation.
• Key Elements for a Successful Ergonomics Program
Provide notice and training for employees.
Conduct pre-injury hazard assessment.
Involve employees.
File injury reports.
Plan and execute.
Evaluate and assess the ergonomics program.