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Safety in the workplace
Safety in the workplace
Safety in the workplace
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Is there such a thing as ‘accident’ in the workplace? Accidents occur in the workplace but in secret. These most of the time lead to physical and mental injuries that might affect the worker way of living for the rest of their lives. It is estimated that more than 337 million workers get injured in their place of work or in the course of work every year leading to work-related diseases causing about 2.3 million deaths per year (United States Department of Labor, n.d.). Accidents that can happen in the workplace Accidents at work can occur at any time and there are a lot of consequences and considerations, especially for the injured worker. Industrial workers or people who deal with heavy objects are not the only one at risk of getting into …show more content…
Chemical and fire hazards in the workplace cause serious injuries that in most cases are fatal. Causes of accidents in the workplace Accidents in the workplace can happen at any time, regardless of how attentive or careful you are. However, some employers feel that 80% of every accident in the workplace occurs due to an employee carelessness; employees fail to take the necessary precautions before starting their daily tasks (Gordon, n.d.). Too much use of shortcuts and stress Human beings are at times lazy, they always look for the easy way to everything, so they use shortcuts in all parts of their life including their professional one. But, when employees take shortcuts while accomplishing their tasks, especially when working with chemicals or complex machinery, often they put themselves at risk of being injured or dying. Further, a worker’s personal and professional life are linked, so if he or she is stressed, it might affect their ability to concentrate, which causes …show more content…
Although workplace accidents are very common, the majority of them can be prevented. As a company, you are obliged by the law to protect your employees, so it is important to take the necessary actions that will minimize the risk of accidents (Intelligent HQ, 2015). Removing shortcuts As humans, it is natural to be tempted by shortcuts, specifically when working under pressure. Employers must prohibit the use of shortcuts and ensure that employees conform to the health and safety instructions and use the right approaches to accomplish their tasks. Organize emergency training sessions and make attendance a requirement Developing emergency training programs make sure that in case of an accident, workers know exactly what to do and act according to the emergency plan to avoid panic and confusion. Consistency in these training is important because it will keep the workers’ skill harp in how to deal with situations. Ensure employees are aware of risk related to their
...lothing and equipments in the industry. These will greatly ensure the safety of the employees and hence minimize the injuries. Use of the administrative control and work practices will also lead to the production of quality products safe for consumption (OSHA Quick take, 2010).
This industry has had the highest injury rate of any industry from accidents caused by machinery; Workers can be seriously injured by moving animals also suffer from crippling arm, hand, and wrist injuries. Back injuries can result from loading and unloading meat from trucks and from moving meat, meat racks, or meat trees along overhead rails. Workers can be severely burned by cleaning solvents and burned by heat sealant machines when they wrap meat. Many workers can also injure themselves by falling on treacherously slippery floors and can be exposed to extremes of heat and cold. Has caused workers many health effects with injuries many layoff due to safety
It is important for business management to develop and promote sound health and safety policies and to consider, not only the legal requirements and the possibility of prosecution, but also the possibility of an employee personal injury claim.
Poor maintenance of facilities/equipment – this is a major factor that contributes to accidents in the workplace. If the work place is not pr...
No one ever goes to work and expects to get injured. Workplace accidents and injuries in the United States, cost employers $62 billion, according to the 2016 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index (Donlon, 2016). Of the $62 billion, 82.5% of those injuries can be credited to 10 of the leading causes (Donlon, 2016). Some of the most serious are nonfatal workplace injuries, yet they still cost companies millions of dollars every year. The workplace injuries impact more people involved than just the person who was hurt and the employer. The employees’ family can be affected by the financial burden, medical costs, and the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of the employee. The employer and its employees are also affected. In addition
In rare occurrences workplace injury leads to death while the majority of injuries are minor. The national OHS strategy 2002-2012 by the Australian government has set a target to reduce fatality rate by 20% over the decade. The data from Safe Work Australia statistical report 2009-2010, shows a 10% decrease over 5 years to 2008, an increase in 2009 and a decrease in 2010 (Graph 1). The increase in 2008-2009 was among 15-24 years age group with 95% being male workers.
Workplace safety is a commonly used phrase that many do not consider until an accident occurs within the workplace. Throughout the U.S., workplace injuries occur on a daily basis. This has been an issue in the workforce for many years and is still an ongoing issue. Are there laws that protect employees from an unsafe work environment; what is the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA); and how did the labor unions affect the law? In this paper these following questions will be addressed, as well as the background and driving force of OSHA.
In Australia, occupational exposures to environmental hazards are related to a wide extent of work related injuries such as stains, burning and open wounds. Based on the key work health and safety statistics in Australia, there were 128050 workers that report to claim for the compensations of work-related injuries or disorders from 2011 to 2012 and those most common occupational injuries often cause by body stressing, falls, heat and some chemical substance (Safe Work Australia, 2014). Also, according to the survey of National Hazard Exposure Worker Surveillance in Australian workplace, there were 228 worker fatality due to occupational injuries between 2011 and 2012 even though the final result of workers injury claims and fatalities are still decrease in comparisons to the record of 2010-11, but the injury incidence are not yet achieved the target rate which contribute by the Australian work health and safety
...ld be reviewing the OHSA 300 log to see what trends are being reported. If the log is empty, then one must look to why employees are not reporting injuries. Is there a culture that frowns upon reporting accidents or are employees just not educated on the proper procedures. Lastly, I feel we must go back to the enforcement of policies and holding employees accountable for their actions. If employees willing know that they can act in an unsafe manner and without fear of recourse then they will act accordingly. The policies set fourth must be adhered to and progressive disciplinary action must be taken to show employees that safety is a top priority. In most instances this is one of the hardest areas in implement due to the fact that your are changing the attitudes of employees but by establishing negative consequences to actions then attitude shifts will follow.
As for employees, it is essential for them to work together and cooperate with one another to prevent any accidents from occurring and to not carry out any actions that may be reckless and bring harm to their fellow colleagues. They are ultimately responsible for the safety of their colleagues and themselves. Failing to do so will not only cause mishaps but it may also result in parties being convicted for breaching this act.
Most importantly, increased safety in the workplace can lead to fewer workplace injuries and casualties. Workplace health and safety issues are different today than they were at various points of time in Canadian history. Employers are not responsible for injured workers or accidents that happen in the workplace. The main legal doctrine of Assumption of Risk governs workplace hazards, which requires workers to assume and accept all the risks associated with their occupation (Share, 2012).
Women get more health benefits when they are working like health insurance and prenatal education but will not receive such benefits when they are not working. Workers who live in under privileged countries have higher amounts of work related deaths than workers who live in affluent countries. Those who work in heavy industries like construction or logging have higher fatality rates. Those working in agricultural jobs such as farming are at risk of injuries and more including skin diseases and respiratory diseases. Farming machinery such as tractors rolling over is also a contributor to farm fatalities. Unintentional injuries are not the only source of work injuries or fatalities. Violence is another source leading to injury or death in a workplace. Working at night, with or around money or alone can increase the risk of workplace violence. Diseases and illnesses are also a problem to workers specifically workers in certain occupations like mining, glass manufacturing and asbestos workers. With all of these dangers of working the need for safety and health professionals and prevention programs vastly
Workers and employers are informed of health and safety hazards at the workplace. Effective workplace health and safety programs can help save workers' lives by reducing risks and their consequences. Health and safety programs also have positive effects on workers' morale and productivity, which are important benefits. At the same time, effective programs can provide employers with a great deal of money (Allender,
These effects will most likely harm their daily health severely and could take its toll, with the exposure to asbestos, hazardous chemicals, stress, fatigue, extreme heat etc. The employee could develop diseases, such as forms of cancers, tumours, or physical injuries as such. Physical Injuries could include, cuts, bruises, sprains, etc. which require medical or first-aid attention. Injured employees, cannot work productively and will need time off work. Also, the family of the worker will also take the burden of financial costs associated with seeking medical attention and performing operations as such. These costs can further intensify when the injured family member cannot earn money due to their sickness, and where another family member may be forced to resign from their job in order to take care of the injured family member. Furthermore, hospital waiting times can also mean lost time for families being
In the past, the term "accident" was often used when referring to an unplanned, unwanted event. To many "accident" suggests an event that was random, and could not have been prevented. Since nearly all work site fatalities, injuries, and illnesses are preventable, OSHA suggests using the term "incident" investigation. An incident usually refers to an unexpected event that did not cause injury or damage this time but had the potential. "Near miss" or "dangerous occurrence" are also terms for an event that could have caused harm but did not.