Occupational Health and Safety Management - Essay Example

Safety and health management Employers are responsible for the maintenance of safety and health in their workplace. An efficient and effective safety and health program establishes a distinction in addressing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. This, in turn, leads to lower accident connected expenditures. Moreover, it reduces absenteeism consequently leading to higher productivity, and enhanced employee motivation. Safety programs in organizations are put in place to ensure that employees are safe and protected in their course of work. This is achieved through development of a global safety awareness program that aims to educate employers and employees on the importance of having a safety and healthy environment (Price and Hammer 24). Accidents or Injuries and Illness Prevention Programs are identified by a diversity of teams in the organization, which are tasked to ensure that they lessen the amount and severity of workplace injuries and illnesses. Some states demands voluntary guidelines for work injury and illness deterrence programs in order to curb the increasing injuries and illnesses at workplace. Several employers in the United States have learned how to manage their safety using Injury and Illness Prevention Programs. Hazard identification and prevention, management leadership, worker participation and control, education and training, and program evaluation and improvement are key elements in managing workplace safety and health. These elements are significant in that they offer relevant information concerning injury and illness in the workplace. Other States have adopted OSHA policies that guide them in managing the issue of workplace safety and health. It is significant to note that in some cases, they have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies in order to ensure workplace safety (Reese 32). Companies such as those in construction industry must meet some highlighted standards, which take into account the general safety, and health provisions of its employees. In addition, the Federal Registers has directions and guidelines that include health and safety management practices and process employed by the employers to ensure that their employees are healthy and safe. There are certain Federal directives, which identify those policies that are unique to the Federal Agency Safety and Health Programs. Therefore, workers are required to register for a voluntary safety program that requires union support. In order to ensure safety and health management at workplace, workers need to make a commitment. In this case, the employer should employ as much put as much vigor into their obligation to the health and safety of their employees as much as they place on any other vital part of their business. Employers should include workplace health and safety in the business plan and assimilate it into all faces of the business. The policy written should give emphasis to the vitality of the safety and health at the work place. Resources should be committed to ensure the protection of the workers. It is the duty of the employer to inspire workers’ involvement in safe and healthy environment (Price and Hammer 40-2). The employer should make it known to the employees that they are expected to do secure work if they are still working for that particular firm. It is important that the employer act promptly to all reports of unhealthy and unsafe conditions. This is because such practices in the workplace can lead to injury or even cause illness to employees or workers on duty. In order to manage the health and safety of their workers, the employer is expected to go beyond the regulations in addressing the hazards whether or not the law addresses them (Reese 38). In a secure and healthy workplace, workers must play a role in the achievement of the program this implies that safety and health is the duty of everyone. Employees should be actively encouraged to get involved if the program is to succeed. They should be held accountable to how they respond and handle emergencies (Reese 41-2). To involve employees in managing safety and healthy working environment, there is the need to create a vigorous work safety and health committee. Such committee will be mandated in conducting daily safety and health inspections. Employees should be informed on safety checks, injury and illness data, and other safety-associated matters. Workers are often more aware of safety difficulties and would in most cases inform their employer what needs to done in order to avert an emergency in case it occurs. In managing safety and healthy working environment, there is also the need to identify and control hazards. If employers can identify the dangers, it is easy to solve the problem. Employers can identify dangers at workplace through review of archives of damages and illnesses. In addition, employers need to evaluate the OSHA logs, close calls, employee complaints, compensation of employees and first aid logs, seeking for mutual influences in parts of body, department, location, types of injuries and illnesses, protective equipment, equipments, and evaluation of inspection reports. If this is done, it is easy to respond and avert an emergency in case it occurs (Price and Hammer 48) When the hazard has been identified, the employer or manager need to place the required priority based on which hazard are most likely to lead to serious injury. A plan should be put in place to correct the hazard after the hazard has been corrected an evaluation should be done to ensure that by correcting that particular hazard no other hazards have been created. Additionally, employers should comply with regulations that are applicable in their workplace and follow them. They should also be trained on the dangers they may be susceptible to at work and how they can protect themselves (Reese 64). Summarily, a culture of safety should be supported. Workers should grasp safety as a value that they should vigorously care about themselves and about others. Common respect should be the norm. Create active two-way communication. Moreover, reply to the requirements and worries of workers. Further Supporting a work setting that nurtures trust, originality, and general comfort. A safety and health program need to be continually improved. Works Cited Price, Denis and Willie Hammer. Occupational Safety Management and Engineering. New York: Prentice Hall, 2000. Print. Reese, Charles. Occupational Health and Safety Management: A Practical Approach. New York: CRC Press, 2008. Print. Read More