A guide to workplace health and safety

Organisations and employers have the responsibility of preventing and reducing safety and health risks. These risks include work related injuries, medical and legal costs and deaths. These responsibilities are usually specified in the health and safety manuals and regulations. In order to achieve the best out of these manuals, it is important to communicate the program to employees.

Identfying health and safety hazards

Identification, assessment and risk elimination Besides focusing on the reduction and elimination of health hazards in workplaces, health and safety programs also educate staff members about staying safe and healthy in the workplace environment. Developing a health and safety program involves a lot of things. Identification and assessment of risks are the first procedure. After evaluation, management will develop risk control and prevention procedures in order to reduce or eliminate the different risks. Compliance and certification The control aspect in a health or safety policy focuses on things like training and educating employees about work related risks. Compliance and certification issues are also discussed here. The risk management division will also closely monitor the whole program to make sure that everything on paper is being implemented on the ground. If there are any developments or if there is an injury or death for example, the organisation will assess the incident and may need to improve their policies in order to be on the safe side in the future.

Ongoing training and monitoring

Ongoing training The best way to prevent and reduce safety and health hazards is by training; employers need to provide training sessions to their employees on how to operate equipment for example. This will go a long way in reducing injuries and accidents the workplace. The safety and health policies and procedures should be communicated to employees and this can be done by handing out pamphlets and handbooks to them. Regular departmental meetings are important especially when you have to communicate changes and developments in so far as the health and safety aspects are concerned. Legal and regulatory compliance Ongoing monitoring of the health and safety program is important. All the policies and procedures must comply with the legal and regulatory requirements of the country you reside. There are many ways of writing and presenting a health and safety program. The policies and procedures contained in the program depends with the nature of business you are in. The health and safety program you write must be specific and address all issues relating too health and safety in your workplace.