Health and Safety - LvL - 3

"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...

 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...

  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...

  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 ...

 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...

 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...

 ILO (International Labour Organization) was founded in 1919 at the treaty of Versailles and then later became a part of the UN in 1946. It has 187 member nations. ILO aims at uplifting and promoting the living standards and conditions of labourers. Some of the activities of ILO are:- 1. Taking labour statistics. 2. Protecting immigrant workers. 3. Safeguarding trade union rights. The basic goal of ILO is providing decent and productive employment for both men and women alike under the conditions of equality, freedom, social security and dignity. Therefore the work of ILO can be subdivided into mainly 4 sectors:- 1. Employment. 2. Social Security. 3. Principles and fundamentals of right at work. 4. Social Dialogues. ILO conducts a seminar at Geneva every year where conventions are described and embraced. All member nations participate in these conventions 4 delegates (two government delegates, one worker delegate and one employer delegate) and everyone having a right to vote. Anoth...

  Direct Costs Direct costs are those that are directly related to a mishap (incident, accident, injury and ill health). Some of the costs are:- Damage to plants, machineries, equipment, tools and materials. Delay due to production downtime. Investigation costs. Medicinal first aid costs. Legal fines etc. Indirect Costs Indirect costs are those that are indirectly related to a mishap (incident, accident, injury and ill health). Some of the costs are:- Employee training and replacement costs. Public liability claims. Employee liability claims. Loss of public image. Loss of business. Loss of contract. Less chance of getting the equipment's, materials, plants, machineries etc insured. The above mentioned costs can be again subdivide into insured and uninsured costs. Insured Costs Insured costs are those costs which can be seen and accounted for. Damage to machineries, plants, equipment's, tools and materials. Public liability claims. Employee liability claims. Uninsured Costs Unin...

  1. Complexity of the Workplace: -  Workplace is a complex area requiring the coordination, corporation and communication between different types of people to carry out different types of activity. Health and Safety must meet the everchanging demands of the workplace. Finding a solution to a problem requires intensive background research, knowledge and experience. Because a solution to a problem may create an another problem or could have consequences for a different activity. 2. Conflicting or Competing demands: -  Conflicting or competing demands is an another barrier to health and safety. For example the need to meet supply and demand. The need to supply a product or a service at an appropriate speed so as to make profit and also the need to carry out the work safely meeting all health and safety requirements. These are two different demands that contradicts with each other.  Another example is the need to meet the requirements of many different standards (health...

  Health Absence of disease. Safety Absence of risk of serious personal injury. Environmental Protection The protection of the environment (land, air, water and all the living creatures that reside within it) from damage. Welfare Facilities Facilities provided by the organization/ employer so as to maintain and uplift the standards of living and working conditions of the employees. eg: - washrooms, changing area, dining room, drinking facilities etc. Accident An unplanned, unwanted event that has led to injury, damage or loss. Near Miss An unplanned, unwanted event that could have led to injury, damage or loss but actually did not happen so. Dangerous Occurrence An event that has to be reported to the relevant authorities by the statute of law. Hazard Something that has the potential to cause harm. Risk Likelihood that the hazard would actually cause harm in combination with the severity of the injury, damage or loss that might occur. Risk = Likelihood x Severity