28th April, World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Is workplace as safe as it should be?

What are the hazards at work? These and other similar questions are the worry of people involved in workers´safety. 

    

Why is health and safety at work important?

People spend a lot of time at work. Health, safety and welfare sldbe a hig io  everyone in kceb should not have a neive effect on your health or safety. However, many accidents, illnesses and deaths occur in the workplace every year. many of these can be prevented.

It is important that employees and employers work safely to protect their own health and the health of their fellow employees.

There are many good reasons to look after health and safety at work.

Moral reasons

Employers and emplyees have a moral duty to look after health, safety and welfare at work. It is right to promote good health and safe work practices.

Nobody should suffer pain or harship when it is preventable.

Legal reasons

Both employers and employees have responsibilities under workplace health and safety legislation. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) inspects workplaces to make sure that all companies keep to the law. Companies face penalties for ignoring health and safety laws.

Economic reasons

Accidents and ill health can cost a business a lot of money. Companies that look after health and safety can be more productive because fewer employees are absent through illness and injury. Employees will feel better about their work whethey know that their employer cares about their safety and welfare. This also contributes to productivity.

 Source: Look after health safety and welfare at work Guide

Tasks:

A. Are these sentences True or False? Only one is True

1.  

a. Health and safety should be a high priority for everyone at work.

b. health and safety should be a high priority for employers only.

2.

a. "Moral" means something is good and right.

b. "Moral" means something is preventable.

3.

a. There is no penalty for companies who break health and safety laws.

b. If a company breaks health and safety laws, it faces penalties.

4.

a. Looking after health and safety is good for business.

b. Looking after health and safety costs too much money.

Hazards, risks and controls

A hazard is something that can potentially harm, damage or injure people, property or the environment. For example, a hole in the carpet is a hazard because you could trip on it and be injured. The hole is a high risk if a lot of people walk up and down that piece of carpet everyday. However, if the hole is in a part of the building that nobody uses anymore, then it presents a low risk or maybe even risk at all. Controls are measures that should be put in place to remove or mimimize the risk.

 Controlling hazards

1. Identify the hazard: a hole in the carpet

2. Assess what kind of risk it poses: high- it is in a busy part of the shop.

3. Control the hazard: tape carefully over the hole or fit a new carpet.

B. Explain these terms in your own words.  

1. hazard

2. risk

3. control

4. identify

5. assess

Slips, trips and falls are the most common cause of accidents at work. Here are some occupational hazards: lifting and carrying things, slippery floors, working alone at night, machinery, working at height, wood dust, chemicals, high noise level...

C. Sort the words in the chart into the hazard category:

acid	current	ear	glue	loud	RCD	strain
bending	deaf	earplug	heavy	noisy	scaffold	switch
carry	decibel	frayed	hoist	poison	shock	tag
chemical	depth	fuel	ladder	power	slip	trip
climb	electrocution	gas	lift	roof	solvents	trolley

Manual  Handling

Noise

Electricity

Hazardous substances/ Dangerous Goods

Falls

D. Hunt the Hazards to understand better the risks at work and try to avoid them:   http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/show_page.jsp?id=6421#Hunt

Virtual Hotel:

http://203.147.178.216/safeworksa/EducationAndTraining/ActivitiesAndTests/VirtualHotel/vhotelframe.htm