BARRIERS TO GOOD HEALTH & SAFETY STANDARDS

 Complexity :

 Cause & effect relationship

 Work Processes & Activities

 Extent of the Problem

Workplace involves the co-ordination of People, Equipment, Material and Environment for various
activities (PEME)

 Finding a solution to a specific health and safety problem depends on hazards identification
associated with the above parameters

Competing & CONFLICTING DEMAND: with similar industries

 The need to supply a product or a service at an appropriate speed.

 The need to do so safely and without risk to people’s health.

 The need to comply with different types law as well as environmental protection law.

Behavioural issues:

 Conflict between individual & group values

 Individual Characters & Suitability for the job

 Satisfaction of needs through achievements at work

 Good HSMS relies on the perfect behaviour of individuals

 Workers sometimes make mistakes . Sometimes they deliberately do the wrong thing

 Differences of opinions due various different culture/creed/nationalities

 In short unsafe behavior leads to unsafe acts creating unsafe conditions leading to Hazards
& Risk resulting in accidents / incidents

MEANINGS

 Health - “A state of well being”.

The absence of disease

 Safety - “Absence of danger of physical harm”. Acceptable degree of freedom from harm.

 Welfare - “Facilities for workplace comfort”,

such as toilet facility, hand was station, changing rooms, rest places

 Accident: “An unplanned, unwanted sequence of events which leads to injury or loss
  Near miss: An unplanned, unwanted sequence of events that had the potential to lead to
injury

 Dangerous Occurrence – A high potential near miss – a specified event that has to be
reported to Enforcing Authority even if it did not lead to any harm – example: scaffolding
collapse, gas leak etc.

 Ill Health – Diseases or medical conditions caused by a person’s work – example: asthma,
dermatitis etc

 Incident: Can be Accident or Near-miss

 Hazard:

Something with the potential to cause harm

 Risk - The likelihood that hazards will cause harm in combination with the severity of Injury,
damage or loss that might occur as a result.

MORAL REASONS

 Duty of care

 Ethical & responsible behavior

 Pain and sufferings

 Societal concerns

 Trust deficit

LEGAL REASONS

 Criminal Offence

 Enforcement action

 Fines & prison

 Civil claims

PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE OF WORK : VENTILATION, LIGHTING, NUMBER OF ENTRY AND EXIT
POINTS, CONTROL STRATEGIES

PROVISION OF SAFE PLANT AND EQUIPMENT - All the machinery, tools, plant and
equipment should be safe & with out risk

 This depends on the type of work

 Inspect to check effectiveness

PROVISION OF SAFE SYSTEMS OF WORK – RISK ASSESSMENT, SSOW, PTW, INSPECTION

 PROVISION OF INFORMATION, INSTRUCTION, TRAINING & SUPERVISION

ECONOMIC REASONS

• Accidents and ill-health Leads to Loss

• Costs may be:

– Direct - measurable costs arising directly from accidents

– Indirect - arise as a consequence of the event but may not directly involve
money. Often difficult to quantify

• Direct costs include

• First aid treatment,

• sick pay,

• lost production time

• Fines and compensation

• Indirect costs

• Lost time for investigation

• Lost morale and damaged worker relationships

• Cost of recruitment of replacements

• Lost reputation

EMPLOYERS LIABILITY INSURANCE

Insured Costs:

• Fire

• Worker injury/death

• Medical costs

Uninsured Costs:

• Loss of raw materials due to accidents

• Sick pay

• Overtime

• Equipment repairs

• Lost materials
 REASONS FOR EMPLOYER’S LIABILITY INSURANCE?

Insurance to cover some of the foreseeable losses to organization

 A legal requirement

 Provides some comfort and assurance to workers

 Financial compensation – to settle civil claims etc

 An employer insures their premises and stock against fire

EMPLOYER’S RESPONSIBILITIES

 Safe working environment

 Safe methods

 Inform, Instruct and Train

 Adequate level of supervision

 Provide PPE

 No excessive overtime

 Remove fatigue

 Health surveillance

WORKER’S RESPONSIBILITIES

 Take care of own & coworker

 Abide by instructions / training
 No tampering
 Inform unsafe conditions
 Report incidents/accidents
 No horse play
 No substance misuse

WORKER’S RIGHTS

 The right to get adequate information

 The right to get trained

 The right for consultation

 The right to leave a workplace with Danger to life or health

The National Legal Frame work usually consists of:

• Acts or other statutory instruments

 • Regulations ( Rules)

• Approved Code of Practice

• Guidance and Standards

ROLE OF LAW

 Set boundary

 Regulate relationship

 Resolve conflict

 Establish rights

CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE

A breach of health and safety legislation is a criminal offence and It leads to:

 Formal enforcement action can force an employer either to make an improvement within
the workplace within a given time period – IMPROVEMENT NOTICE

 Can stop carrying out high risk activities altogether until improvements are made –
PROHIBITION NOTICE

 Ways how National Government will monitor H&S in their territories

 Inspections

 Audits

 Training

 Awareness programs and campaigns

 Issuing notices against non-compliances

 Imposing Fines, Penalties

 Blacklisting

 Cancelling the business licences

ABOUT ILO

International Labour Organisation

– Agency of United Nations

 – Most countries are members

– Sets international standards for H&S by publishing:

– Conventions

– Recommendations

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 Internal
o Accident records
o Medical records
o Risk assessments
o Maintenance reports
o Safety inspections
o Audit reports
o Safety committee minutes

EXTERNAL

• National legislation

• Safety data sheets

• Codes of practice

• Guidance notes

• Operating instructions

• Trade associations

• Safety publications