Organisation ability to
attract and retain good
employees could enhance
or cripple its competitive
edge
Multi-Disciplinary Nature of H&S
Chemical - COSHH
Biological Sciences - Hygiene & harmful
organisms
Engineering - Design of machinery, buildings & vehicles
Pyschological - Stress, motivation, behaviour
Sociological - Stress, motivation, behaviour
Law - Codes of practice
Financial - Budget & costs
Insurance - Cost of accidents
Resources - Personnel, equipment & purchasing
Design & Production - Time, design change
International Labour Standards
Conventions
Rights at work 1998
Fodunations for
governance of
work, elimination
of forced labour,
abolition of child
labour, elimination
of discrimination in
respect to
employment and
occupation.
legally binding treaties
Recommendations - non-binding guidlines
Used by governments, in consulation with employers and workers to:
Draft and implement labour law to improve standards
Provide guidance for developing national and local policies
Improve administrative structures, labour inspection, social security
Serve as a source of good industrial relations applied to labour dispute resolution
Corporate Social Reponsibility Initiatives
Obstabcles to good standards of H&S
Complexity of the Problem - Work processes / activities constantly changing. Procedures and behavioural issues constantly changing.
Cause and Effect Relationship - new scientific discoveries, better knwoeldge of H&S e.g.
Carpal Tunnel Injury caused by vibrations, causes pain and numbness - wasnt around
in1960's
Work Process & Activities - change in technology
Size of the problem- once new imformation is implemented, new information is already- need to constantly change
Cost - H&S often seen as a non-productive cost.
Not a priority of top management
Behavioural Issues
Suitable personality and characteristics
meaninful participation
Competing & Conflicting Demands
Behavioural Issues
Ignorance
Carelessness
Incompetence
Participation / Relationship between employee and employer
Communication
Key Words
Health & Safety - physical and mental well-being
Health - physical donditon of body and mind
Safety- where the risk of harm has been
eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level
Welfare - general well being of employees - promote
conditions of what they need
Environment Protection
Workplace Environment- general
conditions of the immediate vicinity of the
workplace e.g. lighting levels
External Environment - pollution, damage to
air, land, water etc
Accident - an undesired event, giving rise to
death, ill health, injury or damage
Incident - An event that has the
potential to give rise to an accident
Dangerous Occurence - an
accident, event or situation
that might harm employees at
work- legally have to report
Work Related Ill Health - activity or occurence
that could result in accident
Physiological - diseases or injuries normally as a
result of long term exposure to dangerous
substances.
Psychological - ilnesses are habitually
related to stress and include
depression
Hazard - something that has potential to cause
harm or loss
Unsafe act- working at height / poor manual handling
Unsafe conditon - poor house keeping / unguarded machinery
Risk - likelihood of a hazard occuring
Magnitude- likelihood of harm occuring vs
severity of outcome
Likelihood X Severity = magnitude (degree of risk)