Implement and Monitor Environmentally Sustainable Work Practices - Assignment Example

Implement and Monitor Environmentally Sustainable Work Practices Introduction It is imperative to have sustainable environment workplace practices for the benefit of the company. Managing the work environment is necessary to ensure safety, conservation of energy and environment conservation. A company should have strategies and workable modalities regarding environment sustainable practices. Every company bears the responsibility of taking care of the environment to make it friendly (Summers and Nancy, 39). Conservation of energy is tantamount in saving costs of any organization. An office will usually have many electronic gadgets that are used for different purposes. Computers, printers, fluorescent tube among other items consume energy. Organizations need to limit expenditure on from energy use. Employees should be encouraged to switch off gadgets that they do not use. Computers, printers and other gadgets should be unpowered when not in use. Some of the electronic gadgets can be shared instead of having them in each office. A printer can be placed centrally in the office where employees can share it (Wilson et al. 87). Saving Energy An organization can also ensure that energy saving bulbs get installed in the offices to reduce the amount of energy consumed per day. Normal bulbs have a high rating in terms of watts. The bulbs consume a lot of energy thus increasing the expenditure of the organization. Energy saving bulbs is costly but in the long run save the company from incurring high energy costs. During the day, it is bright, and employees should be encouraged to switch off the lights. Leaving the lights on during the day contributes to high energy costs. Bulbs can only be switched on in dark rooms where illumination is required (Wells and Geoffrey, 96) Notices can be put at strategic places reminding the employees of the need to save energy. After office hours, it is advisable to switch off the office lights. Only the security lights should be left on. A guard can be employed to switch on the lights at an appropriate time. A company can also chose to automate the system where the lights switch on at sunset and switch off at sunrise. This can go a long way in ensuring that the organization conserves energy. In factories where several machines are used, one machine can be substituted for another. Machines should only be operated when a process is taking place and switched off power after the process ends (Roberts and Peter, 124) Waste Management Measures The organization should also have a waste management policy. A waste management policy ensures that the environment is clean. Disposing litter randomly can affect the environment. Polythene bags and other plastic material do not decompose thus affect the organic nature of the environment. A company can have a policy where environmental friendly objects are used for different purposes. Use of plastic bag around the work environment can be banned. Bins can be placed at strategic locations where litter can be disposed. Notices can be placed at different locations to remind the employees to dispose of litter appropriately. The litter can be collected given to garbage collecting firms for further disposal. Materials that that be recycled can be identified from the litter. Re-using materials save the company cost of buying new materials and saves the keeps the environment clean. Some materials can also be processed to form other useful items. Burning litter should not be encouraged as it pollutes the environment. Gases emitted from burning litter causes a foul smell to the environment. Some chemicals are also emitted in gas form and can affect human and other living things. If burning is the available option, then it should be carried out in a kiln and the smoke controlled. Other Environmental Hazards Use of aerosols and other chemicals containing chlorofluorocarbon should be discouraged. This helps in averting greenhouse effect. Chlorofluorocarbon depletes the ozone layer thus causing global warming. Aerosols and chemicals used in the work environment should be free from chlorofluorocarbon and other harmful gases. It necessary to factor in the health of employees. Employees with Asthma and other lung related diseases can be affected by chemicals and gases released on the environment. It is necessary for the company to consider the consequences of some processes to its employees (Epstein et al. 78) Where a manufacturing company is involved in emission of chemicals, proper steps should be taken to protect the environ from its effects. Releasing chemicals into water streams lead to pollution of the water. The aquatic habitat is interfered with as plants and animals can die due to the chemical released. Some communities may be using the water for different purposes like giving animals to drink. The chemicals may affect the animals that drink it. Some chemicals that are acidic in nature can interfere with the skin of human beings who get into contact with it. It is advisable for companies to treat chemicals before releasing them into water streams. If the chemicals can be recycled then it would be beneficial. Some chemicals also have the effect of burning and can affect employees who come into contact with it. Such chemicals should be handled with a lot of care. Strict environmental policies should be applied to ensure that the natural resources are conserved. Gas emissions can mix with rain water to cause acid rain. Acid rain has a corrosive effect on things that come into contact with it. Plants may start withering and metallic materials corrode. When human beings come into contact with corroded metal, it can lead to contraction of tetanus. Gases should be treated before being released into the environment (Roberts and Peter, 65). Workplace Safety Measures Work safety policies should also be put in place to ensure that employees remain safe while at the workplace. Employees should be provided with protective clothing where necessary. In manufacturing companies, employees may be at risk of falling objects. It is imperative to provide employees with safety helmets. The safety helmets protect employees from falling objects. Incidents of employees injured by falling objects have constantly been reported. Employees should stick to safety codes and those who defy them should be punished (Wilson et al. 111) Employees may also be faced with risk of spilt chemicals on the floor. Such chemicals can make the floor slippery thus making employees fall. Safety boots should be provided in such a case. Some companies are also involved with harmful chemicals. Nose masks should be provides to employees to ensure that they do not inhale harmful chemicals. Goggles can also be provided to ensure that ones eyes are safe from chemicals. In the case of cement manufacturing companies, employees should be encouraged to regularly go for medical check-ups. Milk can also be given to neutralize the effects of the chemicals (Wells and Geoffrey, 190). Having an emergency room in manufacturing companies is necessary to take care of employees who become victims of safety. Being natural in this sense will be a measure to reduce the potential threats of the processing and manufacturing companies which pose a lot of dangers to the environment. Through living a natural life, the chemicals and bio-chemicals produced in the factories, which process foods, cars and other processed materials, the natural environment is destroyed as the chemicals emitted highly pollute the environment. Living a natural life will imply that all the processes in the companies and factories in the world today minimize and totally cut off their operations or go the non-polluting way. This assists stakeholders in the conservation of the environment as the waters, lands and air resources are not polluted, as a result, creating natural and environmental friendly co-relationships. The reduction of chemicals and going natural is the major desire of the many organizations. The government should ensure that organizations observe high standards of environment sustainability practices (Jackson et al. 46). Works Cited Chaturvedi, Pradeep. Occupational Safety, Health & Environment and Sustainable Economic Development: Proceedings of the Safety Convention - 2006. New Delhi, India: Concept Publishing, 2007. Print. Epstein, Marc J, and Buhovac A. Rejc. Making Sustainability Work: Best Practices in Managing and Measuring Corporate Social, Environmental, and Economic Impacts. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2014. Internet resource. Esty, Daniel C, and P J. Simmons. The Green to Gold Business Playbook: How to Implement Sustainability Practices for Bottom-Line Results in Every Business Function. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2011. Internet resource. Grünewälder, Arend. Integrating Environmental Sustainability into the Companys Strategy: A Study of Contributing Factors to Overcome Barriers between Sustainability and Shareholder Demands. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2009. Internet resource. Jackson, Susan E, Deniz S. Ones, Stephan Dilchert, and Allen I. Kraut. Managing Human Resources for Environmental Sustainability. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass, 2012. Internet resource. Killion, Susan W, and Katherine Dempski. Quick Look Nursing: Legal and Ethical Issues. Thorofare, N.J: Slack, 2000. Print. Roberts, Peter. Environmentally Sustainable Business: A Local and Regional Perspective. London: Chapman, 1995. Print. Summers, Nancy. Managing Social Service Staff for Excellence: Five Keys to Exceptional Supervision. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Internet resource. Wells, Geoffrey. Sustainable Business: Theory and Practice of Business Under Sustainability Principles. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Pub, 2013. Internet resource. Wilson, Catherine C. G, and Lorraine Nelson. Greening Your Workplace. Croydon, Vic: Tertiary Press, 2002. Print. Read More