What is health and safety? This is a multidisciplinary field that involves safety and health at work. It also relates to human welfare. For those who are not familiar with the topic, it’s a field that aims to improve the general well-being of workers. Health and safety are crucial for workers and employers alike. Here’s what you should know about this field. In addition to safety, health and safety are essential for companies to operate in the best possible manner.
Some health and safety incidents have a high-profile – the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, the Union Carbide explosion, the Upper Big Branch Mine-South mine disaster, the Savar building explosion in Bangladesh, etc. These incidents demonstrate that preventing these hazards is crucial to business operations. Health and safety is about human well-being, and failure to protect workers and customers could lead to accidents. In such cases, an employer should implement an effective Health and Safety program.
The American Psychological Association (APA) found that millennials rate workplace safety as the most stressful issue they face at work. Millennials, who were born during the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Great Recession, rank health and safety as their highest stressor. It’s not surprising that they are more concerned with safety in the workplace. Considering their exposure to work-related hazards, it’s no wonder that health and safety is increasingly important in the workplace.
The Health and Safety at Work Act outlines the legal requirements for workplace health and safety. This law focuses on protecting workers and customers in the workplace. Health and safety should be a priority for businesses, not only for employees, but for customers and suppliers. Furthermore, health and safety is morally and financially sound. Moreover, it will improve productivity and reduce absences. There are many other reasons to ensure that you put health and safety into practice.
The HSW Act requires employers to have a health and safety policy. Even if you don’t employ more than five people, a health and safety policy is good business practice. Among other things, it should include a general declaration of the company’s stance on H&S and methods of mitigating risk. You should review this policy every year or more frequently if necessary. If your health and safety policy doesn’t cover these things, you should consider a health and safety training for your employees.
Good health and safety practices are the responsibility of all faculty, staff, and students. Health and safety regulations require employers to display an approved poster and leaflet in their workplaces. In addition, workers should be able to report any dangers they may face if they believe their employers are not meeting the legal requirements. The HSE can also be contacted to report any risks to employees. You can find details of all these requirements in the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations.
In addition to providing health and safety training for workers, employers must also ensure that workers themselves are able to take on their own health and safety responsibilities. They should encourage others to follow the same protocols. Employees should have a trusted superior who will listen to complaints and suggestions. Health and safety training can be an effective motivational tool for staff members. You should provide training on health and safety to employees in the first week of employment. These courses can be obtained at accredited sources.