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Moral Reasons for Health and Safety

 There are around 160 million occupational diseases and 270 million occupational accidents being recorded every year.  Around 2 million people die every year due to these occupational incidents, accidents, injuries and ill health.  The world also looses around 4% of its gross domestic product. Every employer has a moral obligation to ensure the safety their employees. It is the duty of the employer to make sure that workplace is safe. This is done by identifying the risks and hazards in the workplace and taking adequate control measures so as to eliminate these risks or bring them under control to reasonably low as possible.

Influence of Health and Safety Policy on Management Decisions

"Statement of Intent" of the Health and Safety Policy is a written and signed commitment from the management which states that health and safety would be their prime concern in all levels of the organization and would their utmost in implementing heath and safety in the workplace. So from here hence forward all decisions taken by the management must compliment the very commitment that they have provided in the statement of intent section of the policy. Or in other words the management cannot take any decisions that contradicts the commitment that they have provided in the policy.  Also the management will have to take decision on the resources allocated so as to implement and meet the minimum requirements of health and safety standards followed by the organization. Also the resources will have to be allocated in order to meet the aims, objects and targets that the management has stated in the policy. Some of the examples of the aims, objects and targets are: -  Reducing incid...

Health and Safety Policy

 The main aim of the health and safety policy is to make the organization understand and follow the requirements of health and safety management system, and also to make the organization understand that the requirements of health and safety management system cannot be bypassed. There are three sections for the health and safety policy. Statement of intent Statement of intent is a written and signed commitment from the senior most level of management stating that health and safety is their prime concern in all levels of the organization and would do utmost in their power to make sure that health and safety is implemented and maintained in the workplace. Organisation Organisation section basically deals with roles and responsibilities of each and every person in the organization in relation to health and safety and what they are accounted for in case of any breach in the section. It also explains the chain of command within an organization and also the line of communication. Arrangem...

Health and Safety Management System (Plan - Do - Check - Act)

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  Plan Planning section of the health safety management system consists of policy planning and its implementation. The section covers areas like health and safety issues, risk, hazards and its control measures, emergency procedures that are in place, response to everchanging demands of the workplace and environment, implementation of local rules and regulations and promotion of positive health and safety culture. Do This section of the policy consists of implementation of the health and safety management system and its policy. Do section consists of identifying the risks in the workplace and categorizing those risks according to the level of threat it poses. Risk assessment has to be carried out an experienced personnel with adequate knowledge about the activities that takes place in the site.  Risk assessment also depends on the type of organization.  Low level organization needs only a minimum level of risk assessment, while a medium level organization requires medium l...

Legal Reasons for Implementing good health and Safety in the workplace

  Preventive As the name suggests preventive is nothing but preventing any injuries, ill health, accidents or incidents from occurring. This done by issuing enforcement notices/warning letters to organizations who have not complied with the minimum requirement of health and safety standards in the workplace. Punitive Punitive is nothing but giving punishments to the organizations who have not met with the minimum requirements of health and safety standards. Punitive actions are taken as a second step against those organizations who have not complied with the minimum requirements even after enforcement notices or warning letters. And if a mishap(incidents, accidents, injuries or ill health) occurs due to this non compliance then the management or organization faces fines or even jail time.  Compensatory effects of law According to the compensatory effects of law if an employee faces an incident, injury, accident or ill-health during the tenure period of his/her contract due to ...

Workers rights and responsibilities

 As per Article 19 of ILO Convention 155, year 1981 A worker and worker representatives must work with the employers in order to fulfil the obligations towards occupational health and safety. A worker has the right to information in matters relating to health and safety. A worker has the right to be properly trained in relation to occupational health and safety. A worker has the right to be consulted by employers in matters relating to health and safety. A worker has the right to leave the workplace if he or she feels that there is risk and hazards present which posses and imminent threat to life. The worker needs to return to the workplace only if adequate control measures are taken in order to eliminate the risk and hazards or bring them under control to reasonable low as practicable. As per ILO recommendation 164 section 16 the following are the worker responsibilities: -  Worker has the responsibilities to take care of his/ her own safety as well as the safety of the other...

Employers Responsibilities

 According to Article 16 of Convention 155, 1981 All employers must make sure that: -  1. The workplaces, worksites, machineries, plants, equipment's, tools etc. that comes under their control are safe and void of any risks to human health. 2. The physical, chemical and biological agents that comes under their control are safe and void of any risks to human health, and if there are any risks or hazards present then adequate control measures must be taken so as to ensure that these risks are eliminated or brought under control to reasonable low as practicable. 3. All employees must be provided with job specific PPE (personal protective equipment, personal protective clothing). According to Article 10 Recommendation 164, 1981 All employers must make sure that: -  1. Information, instruction and training is provided to all the employees. 2. Adequate supervision is provided at the workplace and worksites. 3. Arrangements and procedures in relation to health and safety are imp...