Health and Safety
Compliance has become a growing concern for organisations. As organisations
incessantly continue to seek expansion and growth, mobilising their workforce
and optimising work processes to enhance efficiency is critical. This has
brought about a significant change in operational designs, and while it has
certainly boosted productivity, it has brought with it a fair share of
associated occupational health and safety hazards.
Occupational Health and Safety Hazards are the
risk factors that might threaten, damage, or inflict any sort of harm to an
employee’s health and wellbeing. It is the responsibility of the employer and
the management to ensure the health and safety of the employee. In order to
preserve and ensure the employee’s right to a safe and risk-free working
environment, the Australian government has mandated organisations to comply
with the Workplace Health and Safety Act and Regulations.
WHS Regulations
As per WHS Regulations, all organisations are
legally obliged to:
•
Ensure a safe and sound
workplace
•
Standardise procedures for
handling equipment
•
Incorporate a risk management
mechanism
•
Inspect machines tools and
machinery and eliminate wear and tear
•
Assess and eliminate potential
risk factors
How to Comply with the Health and Safety Requisites?
Health and Safety
compliance is not a matter of choice but a compulsion upon organisations to
keep their regular operational tasks in compliance of government policies and
avoid potential penalties or lawsuits.
Here are some
essential measures for an organisation to improve health and safety conditions
at the workplace and ensure a safe and risk-free environment to employees for
better performance and improved productivity.
▪ Conduct Periodic
Inspections
Devise and
incorporate a system of health and safety audits within your organisation. Get
all systems procedures, tools, and equipment involved in regular operations
tested to determine any potential pitfalls or threats in time, before you have
to bear the consequences. Regular inspections and maintenance overhauls keep
the workplace safe and risk-free. Remember, it is not just about removing the
major industrial threats such as toxins, heat and chemical stress; it is just
as essential to eliminate tripping hazards, repair floor damages,
and replace broken furniture so as to ensure a completely safe and sound
organisational environment to the employees.
▪ Train Your Employees
It is important to
train your employees about certain tasks and operations that involve
significant risk. Review your current patterns identify the areas that might
cause a potential and revamp, improvise and standardise the task. Train your
employees and make it mandatory for them to follow set procedures so as to
avoid a health and safety risk. Organise safety drills to train employees about
how to respond to a workplace disaster.
▪ Formulate a Health and
Safety Policy
A comprehensive
Health and Safety Policy is as important for your organisation as your annual
reports or performance analysis. Organisations need to keep a sound record of
past accidents and mishaps, loops and dysfunctions in the current system. A
blueprint should be devised for employees as well as the management to foster a
safe, standardised and WHS compliant workplace environment.
