The Importance of Employee Health and Safety in Workplace

Work can make a positive or negative contribution to individual health. Both physical and mental health may be affected if people are exposed to harm (e.g. through the use of chemicals, by a risk of falling, by carrying out repetitive tasks or being exposed to violent behavior).

But if the workplace is safe and if people are interested and involved in their work, job satisfaction can increase and improvements in health and well-being can result.

Organizations that successfully manage health and safety recognize the relationship between the control of risks, general health and the very core of the business itself.

Their health and safety policies align with other human resource management policies designed to secure commitment and involvement and to promote the well-being of employees.

In the workplace, this may lead to initiatives such as job restructuring to reduce monotony and increase flexibility or to health promotion campaigns.

In some cases, organizations educate their employees about dangers outside the workplace (e.g. in the home) as part of an off the job accident prevention policy.

 The important contribution which employees and their representatives can make to improve health and safety is recognized and encouraged. So the best health and safety policies do not separate health and safety and human resource management because they acknowledge that people are the key resource.

Organizations that want to behave ethically and responsibly

• Recognize the benefits of a fit, enthusiastic, competent and committed workforce.
• Realize that progressive human resource management policies can be undermined by weak health and safety policies.
• Show that they are concerned not simply with preventing accidents and ill health (as required by health and safety legislation) but also with positive health promotion.

Examples of health and safety In Workplace

A good safety record goes hand in hand with high productivity and quality standards.

We believe that an excellent company is by definition a safe company. Since we are committed to excellence, it follows that minimizing risk to people, plant, and products are inseparable from all other company objectives.

Prevention is not only better, but cheaper than cure. There is no necessary conflict between humanitarianism and commercial considerations. Profits and safety are not in competition. On the contrary, safety is good business.

Health and safety are management responsibility of equal importance to production and quality.

Experience shows that a successful safety organization also produces the right quality goods at minimum costs.

Competence in managing health and safety is an essential part of professional management.

In the field of health and safety, we seek to achieve the highest standards. We do not pursue this aim simply to achieve compliance with current legislation, but because it is in our best interests. The effective management of health and safety, leading to fewer accidents involving injury and time taken off work, is an investment which helps us to achieve our purposes.

The ultimate goal is an organization aiming to improve its health and safety performance so that accidents and ill health are eliminated and work forms part of a satisfying life to the benefit of both the individual and the organization.

This integrated approach extends to people outside the organization in policies for the control of off-site risks, environmental pollution, and product safety.

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