Occupational Health and Safety Management - Essay Example

Topic:  Occupational Health and Safety Management Occupational Health and Safety Management (OHSM) is an organization which implements standards and guidelines for work place in order to minimize accidents and risks for fatalities. The Organization focuses mainly on strategic level policies which assess whether the policy is carried out properly in work places to ensure safety of the workers. The OHSM conducts activities like incident investigation, inspection, and training and continually insist on improving the safety and health of the workers working at a workplace environment.OHSM provides appropriate safety guidelines for specific industry sectors, processes and tasks, as every organization has its own characteristics, culture and working pattern. The primary purpose of this management tool is to minimize the risk of occupational injuries, fatalities and illnesses. The standard set by OHSM is applicable to all types of organizations with any nature of business. Implementing OHSM standards provide benefits to the community and organization by reducing the injury and illnesses, minimizing the workmen compensation cost, reduced lost working days, increased productivity, improving product quality and reduce property damage. Occupational Health and Safety Management is relevant to all aspect of work. In an organization where hazard is low, health and safety is monitored by a competent manager whereas in high hazardous organization different specialists like doctor, nurse, engineer, trainers, work supervisors and planners need to assist the health and safety officer to ensure safety. ” There are three basic drivers for good health and safety management; these are moral, legal and financial reasons “(Hughes,2011,pg 23). Occupational health and Safety management promotes a safe and sound working environment for the workers and also ensure health to them. Safety and health of the employee is crucial to any organization as it is directly related to the productivity of an organization. According to (BIS,2010)“Health and safety are important aspects of an organization’s smooth and effective functioning. Good health and safety performance ensures an accident-free industrial environment”. As the working environment becoming more risky, all organization are more aware of the health hazards looming around them and hence implements an OSHMS to ensure safety and security of the employees. To avoid risk, an organization should have a clearly defined and well documented health and safety management policy. “OHSAS 18001 is designed to place a proactive and preventative emphasis on risk control factors by identifying and assessing the likelihood of hazards in the workplace. OHSAS 18001 can be implemented by organizations of all sizes and in any industry”(TUV). When an organization conforms to the standards and regulation of OHSM then the employees, clients and all people related to the firm are ensured safety. The OHSM initiated occupational health and safety policies, plan them effectively, implement it and also monitor and take corrective action. They make sure that the organization consistently follow their guidelines and make improvement in the work place environment. The OHSM also implement conditions on the site layout in case of construction companies in order to avoid fatalities and risk. An effective occupational and Health Safety management system should be able to identify the risk and danger in a specific work environment. It should also suggest methods and techniques to avoid hazards and risk at a work place. It should assist the organization is implementing measures to improve the working condition of a work place. In today’s business world, the modern corporate have a legal responsibility to safeguard the health and well being of their employees. The Occupational Health and Safety was initiated in Unites States in the year of 1970. “ The health and safety of a worker is influenced not only by conditions of the work place, but also by non – work related factors that can nonetheless by exacerbated or potentiated by the work place”(Erickson,1996,pg.10). OHSM has regulation on hazardous chemicals and radiation effect on the workers at work place. The OHSM takes in to consideration the social acceptability of certain factors at the work place. For example, in United States an exposure of a worker to carcinogenic chemicals beyond a certain limit is not socially acceptable. The goal of OHSM is to ensure that work place is free from dangers from machines, toxic chemicals, excessive heat or cold and unsafe conditions. It aims at implementing policies and regulation on the activities of the company in order to prevent damage or harm to the person or property. Safety and health of the workers and the work environment protection is the integral part of the planning and decision making of the OHSM. OHSM also assist the organization in training their employees regarding work place hazards and precautions needed to be taken to avoid danger. They are given instruction how to handle emergency events and take first aid measures. The occupational health and safety has many rules and regulation for installation of machines and equipments in plant, they insist that employers need to provide necessary information regarding the machinery to the workers and its operating system .According to OHSM the employee should be shared with the relevant information regarding occupational health and safety rules. The OHSM also suggest that the employees should be given opportunity to share their views regarding safety measures and contribute resolutions on occupational health. The view of the employees is of great value to the employer as they have better knowledge about the work environment and safety problems. “A person must not, intentionally or recklessly, interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety and welfare under occupational health and safety legislation”(NSW,2011) In case of violation of the rules and regulation of OHSM, the penalty is charged on the employer .An employer is not allowed to impose charges on the employee for any risk occurred , according to the act and regulation of OHSM.The safety of the employee is the prime obligation of any organization and this can be achieved only if the rules and regulation of OHSM are complied by the organization and the workers . References Hughes, P. (2011). Introduction to Health and Safety at Work. (5th ed.). Italy: Elsevier. BIS. (2010, February 17). Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). In Bureau of Indian Standards. Retrieved August 18, 2011, from http://www.bis.org.in/forms/ohsms.htm TUV.OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System. In TUV America. Retrieved August 18, 2011, from http://www.tuvamerica.com/services/qmservices/ohsas.cf Erickson, P. A. (1996). Practical guide to occupational health and safety. (1st ed.). California: Academic Press. NSW.(2011, July 1)Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 No 40 . In New South Wales Govt.. Retrieved August 18, 2011, from http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/fullhtml/inf orce/act+40+2000+F IRST+0+N#pt.2-div.1-sec.7a Read More