Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S)

Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S)

By

Damilola Daramola

Outline

Defining Workplace Health & Safety

Terminologies

Benefits of safe and healthy workplace

Common Hazards in the workplace

In case of an emergency

Employer’s and Employee’s Responsibilities in WH&S

Health and Safety Goals

Safety and Hazard signs

Workplace Health and safety is the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers.

This is about the effect of work on health & safety, and the effect of good health and being safe on work.

Defining Workplace Health & Safety

Workplace: A place where work is done.

Health: is the state of well-being with absence of illness, injury or disease.

Safety: is the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury.

Accident: An undesired event resulting in death, injury, damage to health, damage to property or other form of loss

Incident: A generic term for those events that do not cause harm but which might have done so underdifferent circumstances

Hazard: A source or a situation with a potential to cause harm, including human injury or ill health, damage toproperty, environment, or a combination of these

Harm: This includes death, injury, physical or mental ill health, damage to property, or any combination ofthese.

Near miss: an unplanned event that did not result in injury, ill health, asset loss or damage to the environmentbut had potential to do so.

Risk: A quantifiable expression of the likelihood of injury or harm resulting from a hazard

Fatality: an occurrence of death by accident, in war, or from disease.

Unsafe Act/ Condition: Any act or condition that deviates from a generally recognised safe way or specifiedmethod of doing a job and increases the potential for an accident.

Terminologies

Higher productivity

Increase efficiency and quality.

Reduced medical and insurance cost.

Lower workers’ compensation rates and payments

Benefits of a Safe and Healthy Workplace

Slips, Trips and Fallswet floors, unattended spills, uneven floors,

loose rugs, clustered work areas, exposed cords,

etc.

Common hazards in the workplace

Eye Strainspending a large portion of your workday staring at thecomputer.

Common hazards in the workplace

Indoor Air qualitypoor indoor air quality could lead to respiratory disorders,allergies, etc.

Common hazards in the workplace

Electrical HazardsMay lead to electric shock or fire outbreak.

Common hazards in the workplace

ErgonomicsIncorrect use of office furniture which can lead toMusculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)

Common hazards in the workplace

Emergency procedures can be invoked once a threat becomes visible.

Drill commands include personnel departure & actions to counter existing

danger.

Fire alarm;

Get out of the facility as quickly and orderly as possible

Don’t waste time collecting personal items, laptops etc.

Never use the elevator

Use alternative exit if stairwell is covered with smoke

Pull off high heels

Do not return to the facility for any reason

Keep exits clear, once outside

In case of an Emergency

To maintain & provide:

A safe working environment.

Safe systems of work.

Facilities for the welfare of all workers.

Any information, instruction, training or supervision needed to ensure workers safety.

Employer’s Responsibilities in WH&S

Responsible for:

Ensuring own personal health & safety, and that of others in the workplace.

Complying with any reasonable directions given by management relating to health & safety.

Employee’s Responsibilities in WH&S

Zero accident

Zero fatality

Zero breakdown of process

Zero record of harmful emissions during operation

Maximum near-miss reports per employee per month with

remedial action in place

Health and Safety Goals

Safety and Hazard Signs