All workers are entitled to work in environments where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Under health and safety law, the primary responsibility for this is down to employers.
Workers have a duty to take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by your actions at work. Workers must co-operate with employers and co-workers to help everyone meet their legal requirements .
As a worker, if you have specific queries or concerns relating to health and safety in your workplace, talk to your employer, manager/supervisor or a health and safety representative.
We live in a world where bad things happen in the workplace. As much as we fear the acts and despise the perpetrators, the reality is that these events have become commonplace. In addition to these acts of terror, the safety of your team can be at risk due to natural disasters and other unexpected events.
And yet few people ever really think it will happen to them. As a leader, you are responsible not only for your own safety, but for the security and safety of those you lead. To help you lead safely at work, here are seven very important thinking points:
1. Come to terms with reality. It can happen in your workplace. A perpetrator can be someone you know or a complete stranger. Living in denial is the riskiest strategy of all. Post-tragedy interviews prove the point: “I could never imagine it happening here,” you’ll often hear.
2. Be aware and teach awareness. Criminals use the element of surprise. By paying closer attention to unusual or suspicious behavior and challenging it, you can reconfigure the odds. Don’t be afraid to inquire or report, and make sure you’re people aren’t afraid either. Be polite but assertive in challenging anyone acting unusual.
3. Get expert advice. Law enforcement officials are usually willing to offer suggestions and even courses, and private enterprises can teach and provide security. Find someone in your community who is a proven expert in workplace safety. What is safest and most effective isn’t always intuitive, but an expert will know what works best.
4. Develop a plan. Make sure every employee understands what needs to happen should there be a crisis, whether by a violent person or a natural disaster. A written plan of action should be included in your policies and procedures manual. It is a good idea to vet this plan with your legal counsel.
5. Do the drill. It isn’t enough to have a plan others can’t implement. Every quarter or at least every six months, alert your employees to a drill and practice it so people know what to do and where to go in case of specific emergencies.
6. Find leaders within your team. These individuals can serve as captains to help coordinate and take additional responsibility in case of an emergency. Make workplace security a team effort.
7. Consider providing a basic self-defense and safety course to all employees. It’s an employee perk that will not only be appreciated, but could potentially save lives.
Many alarm systems are purchased only after a break in. You need to be ahead of the game. Don’t put off doing what needs to be done to assure the safety of you and your team.
Nobody wants accidents to happen in his or her business. A serious fire, a permanent injury, or the death of an employee or owner can cause the loss of profit or even an entire business. To prevent such losses, you don’t have to turn your business upside down. You may not have to spend a lot of money, either. You do need to use good business sense and apply recognized prevention principles.
There are reasons why accidents happen. Something goes wrong somewhere. It may take some thought, and maybe the help of friends or other trained people, to figure out what went wrong, but an accident always has a cause – a reason why. Once you know why an accident happened, it is possible to prevent future incidents. You need some basic facts and perhaps some help from others who already know some of the answers. You also need a plan to prevent accidents.
Not all dangers at your work site depend on an accident to cause harm, of course. Worker exposure to toxic chemicals or harmful levels of noise or radiation may happen in conjunction with routine work as well as by accident. You may not realize the extent of the exposure or harm that you and your employees face. The effect may not be immediate. You need a plan that includes prevention of these health hazard exposures and accidents. You need a safety and health management system.
It is not difficult to develop such a plan. Basically, your plan should address the types of accidents and health hazard exposures that could happen in your workplace. Because each workplace is different, your program should address your specific needs and requirements.
There are four basic elements to all good safety and health programs. These are as follows:
- Management Commitment and Employee Involvement
The manager or management team leads the way, by setting policy, assigning and supporting responsibility, setting an example and involving employees. - Worksite Analysis
The worksite is continually analyzed to identify all existing and potential hazards. - Hazard Prevention and Control
Methods to prevent or control existing or potential hazards are put in place and maintained. - Training for Employees, Supervisors and Managers
Managers, supervisors and employees are trained to understand and deal with worksite hazards.
Regardless of the size of your business, you should use each of these elements to prevent workplace accidents and possible injuries and illnesses.
Addressing safety and health issues in the workplace saves the employer money and adds value to the business. Recent estimates place the business costs associated with occupational injuries expenditures that come straight out of company profits.
When workers stay whole and healthy, the direct cost-savings to businesses include:
- lower workers’ compensation insurance costs;
- reduced medical expenditures;
- smaller expenditures for return-to-work programs;
- fewer faulty products;
- lower costs for job accommodations for injured workers;
- less money spent for overtime benefits.
Safety and health also make big reductions in indirect costs, due to:
- increased productivity;
- higher quality products;
- increased morale;
- better labor/management relations;
- reduced turnover;
- better use of human resources.
Employees and their families benefit from safety and health because:
- their incomes are protected;
- their family lives are not hampered by injury;
- they have less stress.
Simply put, protecting people on the job is in everyone’s best interest – our economy, our communities, our fellow workers and our families. Safety and health add value to businesses, workplaces and lives.
By: Regina M. Magcalas
