1.

What Is Workplace Safety

Workplace safety is about preventing injury and illness to employees in the
workplace. Therefore, its about protecting the public entitys most valuable
asset: its workers. By protecting the employees wellbeing, the entity
reduces the amount of money paid out in health insurance bene!ts, workers
compensation bene!ts and the cost of wages for temporary help. "lso factor
in saving the cost of lostwork hours #days away from work or restricted
hours or job transfer$, time spent in orienting temporary help, and the
programs and services that may su%er due to fewer employees, stress on
those employees who are picking up the absent workers share or, worse
case, having to suspend or shut down a program due to lack of personnel.
2. Addressing Safety and Health Hazards in the Workplace
2.1. Job hazard analysis
&ob ha'ard analysis as a techni(ue that focuses on job tasks to identify
ha'ards before they occur.
)epending on the nature of the entity #i.e., parks and recreation department,
public works department, public healthcare facility$, senior management
may have to help workers manage speci!c ha'ards associated with their
tasks:
chemical #to*ic, +ammable, corrosive, e*plosive$
electrical #shock,short circuit, !re, static, loss of power$
ergonomics #strain, human error$
e*cavation #collapse$
e*plosion #chemical reaction, over pressuri'ation$
fall #condition results in slip,trip from heights or on walking surfaces-
poor housekeeping, uneven surfaces, e*posed ledges$
!re,heat #burns to skin and other organs$
mechanical #vibration, cha.ng, material fatigue, failure, body part
e*posed to damage$
noise #hearing damage, inability to communicate, stress$
radiation #/rays, microwave ovens, microwave towers for radio or T0
stations or wireless technology$
struck by #falling objects and projectiles injure body$
struck against #injury to body part when action causes contact with a
surface, as when screwdriver slips$
temperature e*treme #heat stress, e*haustion, hypothermia$
visibility #lack of lighting or obstructed vision that results in error or
injury$
weather phenomena #snow, rain, wind, ice that increases or creates a
ha'ard$