Health and Safety at Work: Risk Assessment - Assignment Example

? HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK: COMPANY RISK ASSESSMENT of 20 March Summary To be competitive and successful in business, an organization has to be concerned of the health and safety of its workers. Focusing on the health and safety of workers is also one way of minimizing or avoiding possible problems in the future. This paper covers many areas of discussion but the primary concern here is on health and safety of workers, including UK legislation, practices, risk assessment, and workers’ experiences on health and safety. We are also providing a special portion on a case study, which is on my very own company. I have provided some personal auditing of our organisation’s workplace, including insights and suggestions, and recommendations for the improvement of our health and safety. Globalisation has increased some risks in the workplace. This is because products have become complicated. Other companies have to increase production because of great demand. But this does not mean that with the enhancement of globalisation, we cannot anymore increase the level of safety and health of the workers. In fact, through globalisation and increased competitiveness, we can increase the level. More challenges have to be imposed on management with the help and cooperation of the workers. Accidents and injuries continue to occur among industrial workplaces in Britain. Important measures have to be imposed; industries must follow legislations. Environmental problems also occur within the construction industry, and workers are at risk from accidents and waste materials and hazardous substances. Constructions carry along with them a lot of pollutants including noise, air, solid waste and water. Wastes and hazardous materials come in various forms such as excavation and demolition materials, road building and maintenance materials, worksite waste materials, and so forth. Contents  Title Page No. Summary 2 Introduction 4 Health and safety policies 5 Risk management 8 Audit at current work area 10 Evaluation 10 Conclusion 10 References 12 INTRODUCTION Health and safety in the workplace covers a broad range of topics and areas of study that include regulations, practices, culture, risk assessment in the workplace and the workers experiences on health and safety. Environmental problems, accidents and deteriorating health of workers are some of the risks. Organisations, to include management and the workers themselves, should devise a cooperative plan to have a safe and healthy environment at work. However, UK legislations place the responsibility of safeguarding the health and safety of workers on the shoulders of owners and managements of businesses and organizations. We are plagued with risks at home and in factories, safety hazards and unhealthy environment, that if we do not institute drastic measures, it will redound to risk of our own lives. Workers and individuals performing various tasks meet accidents and suffer illnesses as a result of these unaddressed risks. These situations can be minimised and avoided with adequate application of risk management, appropriate planning with good and positive safety measures, and by following regulations. Technological inventions provide areas for possible risk encounter, for example the industrial revolution characterised by major events which introduced a lot of changes in the workplace and organisations. Computers and high technology have not made the lives of the workers simple; life has become complicated. In the midst of intense globalization, risk management has to be well planned and studied. Many small industries have no adequate resources essential to increase levels of safety. This includes human resource, technical resources and economic. They employ few workers who do not have enough expertise and are overworked which can contribute to injuries at the workplace (Utton, 1984, p. 5). Most have technological resources that are less effective compared to large enterprises. According to Champoux and Brun (2002, p. 306), the health and safety methods formulated for large industries cannot be directly applied to smaller industries. Health and safety in the construction industry in Britain is not quite good. Accidents are among the highest of all the industrial groups, resulting in a third of all work fatalities (Health and Safety Commission, cited in Pritchard, 2004, p. 172). Also, those who work in the construction industry are at a greater risk than the general population of a variety of sicknesses like cancer. (Pritchard, 2004, p. 172) Construction poses risks to the environment and to the health and safety of workers. The issue of addressing environmental problems is a worldwide concern. Construction of buildings has become a race for supremacy among big international organisations. Construction sites have posed a serious environmental impact; an example is that generated by construction and demolition wastes (C&DW). Constructions carry along with them a lot of pollutants including noise, air, solid waste and water. Wastes and hazardous materials come in various forms such as excavation and demolition materials, road building and maintenance materials, worksite waste materials, and so forth. Risks and hazards in the workplace can be found in many kinds of workplaces like manufacturing plants. Common injuries and exposure to chemicals are found in metal manufacturing. Aluminium alloys are melted and mixed with oil while heated. The workers are exposed to intoxication of hazardous substances and skin absorption. (Nordberg, 1998, p. 63.2) Health and Safety Policies The UK government has set up regulations to ensure the health and safety of workers. Health inspectors conduct routine inspections on industries and manufacturing plants to ensure that safety standards and regulations are met and followed at all times. In addition, employees also have the right to ensure compliance with the regulations by management before signing contracts to work with them. Government representatives usually visit business premises for the purpose of checking on the risks of health and safety measures instituted inside the area where workers are concentrated to do their job. (Perry, 2003, p. 3) Health and Safety Legislation Legislations on health and safety in the workplace provide that the workplace environment should have clean and fresh air. This is provided by the Workplace Regulations of 1992, which provides various environmental issues in the workplace, including construction work and manufacturing. The Regulations provide that workplaces should be provided with adequate ventilation wherein fresh and clean air enter the work area, and the place is not overcrowded. The workers should have adequate clothing, and there should be controlled temperature, and workers experience ‘thermal comfort’. (Health and Safety Executive, 2007) The term ‘thermal comfort’ has a particular meaning. According to this law, there is no exact thermal environment because it should depend on the kind of work the workers are engaged in. For example, the work demands less physical effort, like employees in the office, the temperature should be at least 16°C, but if there is much physical effort needed, that is, in the manufacturing of products, it should be at least 13°C, unless provided by other laws. (Health and Safety Executive, 2007) The risk increases when the workplace produces high temperatures which can result in heat stress for workers. Workers in foundries, glass works and laundry shops are exposed to high air temperatures, while those working in cold stores and plants which produce extreme cold temperature are exposed to cold stress. There should be regular assessment of the workers’ health. Their personal safety should be of prime importance by providing adequate clothing and control of their exposure to the different kinds of temperature. The Health and Safety Executive (2007) recommends measures that should be undertaken by businesses and organisations. These measures include introducing engineering features and new technology that can control hot or cold temperature; safety measures by restricting the distance of workers or allowing them to be in safe places; regular medical check-up of workers to determine their fitness for work; use of protective clothing suitable to their kind of work; allowing the workers to acclimatize themselves first before doing any prolonged work; adequate training and development; and expert supervision to ensure that workers are safe in their jobs. (Health and Safety Executive, 2007) Health of workers means a sound mind and body. During work or while inside the manufacturing plant, workers must not be subjected to situations which may jeopardize their health, for instance inhalation of toxic substances or being exposed to hazardous chemicals. The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) and the Explosives Atmosphere Directives 99/92 EC (ATEX 137) provide for the proper handling and disposal of hazardous and dangerous substances in the workplace. (Health and Safety Executive, 2009) With respect to fire safety, we have the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, wherein managements of business premises, including small manufacturing plants, must ensure that structures are constructed and maintained within the guidelines for the protection and safety of workers. The Fire Safety Order 2005 encompasses fire safety methods and prevention which are applicable for England and Wales. This law covers many aspects of fire prevention and places a lot of responsibility on the part of the owners of the building or premises. The owner or employer is entrusted to prevent the risks of fire in the workplace, and must do everything in his/her power to conduct the necessary risk assessment. The provisions of the 2005 Order are clear about the different circumstances when fire can occur. The responsible person must ensure that structures are constructed and maintained within guidelines prescribed by law. Fire prevention is safety itself, and this may correlate or link with the use of the right materials prescribed by the 2005 Order to ensure the safety of the persons in the premises. (The National Archives, 2005) The Building Regulations 2000 also provides that any building should have adequate fire safety measures in order to ensure the safety of workers and inhabitants of the building. This includes a fire safety strategy which requires adequate exits and routes, accesses for people in the event of fire, and the provision of safety equipment, utilities, warnings and alarms. (Health and Safety Executive, 2009) Risk Management Kent (2004) remarkably said, “Risk management starts and ends with quality.” Indeed, this is the purpose of risk management – looking into the defects and loopholes of management and then instituting measures to correct them. It ends up with quality. Management has the responsibility to protect workers from risks and injuries in work areas. Risk managers should devise ways to minimize risks by applying a scientific approach to deal with risk. This may require a step-by-step process. Managing risks involves taking care of the safety and security of individuals or organisations. And when we talk of risk, we talk of the outcome or result. However, the results can be modified by at least determining what these risks are. This can be done through management and planning. Risks cannot be avoided, even if they “can be transferred, accepted, managed, minimized, or shared” (Latham, 1994 cited in Rahman and Kumaraswamy, 2002, p. 131). Businesses face risks everyday in the course of their operations. These risks can range from economic downturn and adverse market conditions to losses arising from natural calamities or man-made accidents, fire, or as a result of corrupt practices of employees and managers of companies. (Kent, 2004) Moreover, it is the workers who face these risks day in and day out. But for businesses, each contingency may generate financial losses that undermine businesses in achieving what must, no matter what other objectives are pursued, be regarded as the primary objective – namely maximising profits. Risk management means early identification of the threat of risks in the premises and finding out the proper solution to the identified risks. In the UK, the manufacturing industry has coordinated and networked with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in order to have a strong base and cooperation to provide expertise in the field of health and safety, including quality advice and consultations with member companies. (Works Management, 2006) The EEF is a support organisation of manufacturers in the United Kingdom which aims to help manufacturers cope in the fast changing world of globalisation. The EEF also promotes health and safety in the manufacturing world, advising and providing resources for the protection of workers in the workplace. (EEF, 2010) Safety aspects of buildings are of paramount importance for the persons working within the premises. Risks associated with safety and health includes appropriate risk management to fire, explosion risk, chemical substances, and waste disposal. Additionally, faulty electrical connections can also cause accidents and fire. This can be avoided through careful planning and design of the building. The design, construction, layout and furnishing of buildings play a key role in any fire safety management strategy. (Debizet and Symes, 2009, p. 197) Audit at current work area  This section deals with audit of our current work area, which deals with risk assessment. Risk assessment means early identification of the threat of risks in the premises and finding out the proper solution to the identified risks. It is one of the most important tasks for any company, business, or organization. Without implementation of an effective risk management plan, the chances of accidents and injuries, including ill health on the part of the workers, are greatly increased. In my current work area, there have been ‘small’ measures instituted by management to minimize the risks of accidents and injuries. In the workplace, management conducts regular check on the equipment. We have a fire coordinator who is himself an employee and who conducts regular check on fire safety strategy of the company. This is only a portion of my own personal assessment, but according to the assessments of my fellow workers which include our labor union, there have been many lapses in management and lack of proper work and equipment maintenance in our organisation. Moreover, some of the machines are old enough which need replacement. Evaluation   We recognize the concern of management regarding our workplace situation. Some machines need replacement. The work area is sometimes not conducive to a safe working environment. Work clothing, gloves, and other paraphernalia are worn out. The temperature of the workplace does not offer a ‘thermal comfort’ considering that workers sweat a lot when they work. We have recommended these problem areas to management and up to now, nothing has been done. The union is instituting measures to correct these problems. It is necessary that machineries and equipments must have emergency circuit breakers and safely situated inside the work area. Cooking equipments and other flammable appliances should be kept from hazardous chemicals and materials. Moreover, housekeeping and cleanliness in the workplace is not properly administered. There are some hazardous materials that are not placed in safe locations. Some of the workers have to do it by themselves, doing the cleaning and placing hazardous substances in safe locations. Building architecture must be properly planned, taking into consideration safety measures, fire exits, appropriate lighting and other precautionary measures to promote safety in the workplace. We know we have to do our part as employees but management must also do their part. There is lacking management, especially in the safety and health aspect of our job. We have also asked for health benefits because our leaves are not commensurate to the kind of job that we handle. This is also a part of the bargaining agreement that is still ongoing between the company and our union. Conclusion  Workplaces should be provided enough study to ensure the safety and health of the workers. Risk management planning for workplace environment include design assumption risk, fire and safety risk, structural development risk, and environment uncertainty risk. These are associated with the construction of the building and need to be managed effectively in order to reduce risks and hazards in the workplace. It is necessary that laws and regulations on safety and health of workers in the work areas are enforced to the letter by management and followed by workers and employers. Health and safety of workers can be attained through a collaboration of both management and employees, although there should be motivation coming from the management first. In my organization, we have conducted our own risk assessment and made suggestions. It is necessary that workers know how to check and suggest. Workers’ health and safety is our primary concern. References Champoux, D. and Brun, J., 2002. Occupational Health and Safety management in small size enterprises: an overview of the situation and avenues for intervention and research. Safety Science, 41 (4), 301-318 Debizet, G. and Symes, M., 2009. Expertise and methodology in building design for sustainable development: a Franco-British comparison. In I. Cooper and M. Symes, Eds., Sustainable Urban Development 4: Changing Professional Practice. Oxon: Routledge. EEF, The Manufacturers’ Organization, 2010. Who we are. Available at: http://www.eef.org.uk/about/Who+we+are/default.htm [Accessed 17 March 2011]. Health and Safety Executive, 2007. Workplace health, safety and welfare: a short guide for managers. Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg244.pdf [Accessed 12 Mar 2011] Health and Safety Executive, 2009. The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 [online]. Available from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/dsear.htm [Accessed 21 February 2011]. Kent, J., 2004. Risk management. [e-journal] Available at: www. Housingzone.com [Accessed 17 Mar 2011]. Nordberg, G., 1998. Metals: chemical properties and toxicity. In J. M. Stellman, Ed., Encyclopaedia of occupational health and safety: fourth edition. Geneva: International Labor Organization. Perry, P., 2003. Fire safety questions and answers: a practical approach. London: Thomas Telford Publishing. Pritchard, C., 2004. Building for health? The construction managers of tomorrow. The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health 2004; 124; 171. DOI: 10.1177/146642400412400409 Rahman, M. and Kumaraswamy, M., 2002. Risk management trends in the construction industry: moving towards joint risk management. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 2002 9/2, 131-151. Blackwell Science Ltd. The National Archives, 2005. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Legislation.gov.uk [online]. Available from: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/article/14/made [Accessed 16 Mar 2011]. Utton, M., 1984. Concentration, competition and the small firm. In: C. Levicki, Ed., Small business: theory and practice. Great Britain: The Gresham Press. Read More