EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND

SAFETY
 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

Definition:
▪ Means by which to control aspects of work
production that involve any degree of risk or
danger that may cause injury or harm.
▪ This process eliminates such elements to
ensure employee safety & health.
 FOR ALL EMPLOYEES
The Reasons for OH & S:
▪ Eliminates possible danger.
▪ Safeguard employee productivity.
▪ Means to promote workplace processes.
▪ Protect employee rights.
▪ Maintain worker health.
SAFETY PROCEDURES

▪ Written Instructions in O H
& S Manual.
▪ Regular Inspections by
Safety Representatives.
▪ Informal: Employee
Observation.
▪ In accord with legal
regulations.
 A L L SAFETY CHECKS O N OFFICE E Q U I P M E N T

▪ Lighting & Glare. ▪ Desk.

▪ Equipment Layout & ▪ Chair - Adjusted
Access. Height & Foot
▪ Space. Position.
▪ Manual Handling. ▪ Computer &
▪ Noise. Accessories.
▪ Ventilation, humidity & ▪ Laptops.
temperature. ▪ Safety Equipment.
 PREVENTION (THE BEST CURE)

The 4 Step System:

SAFE
Spot the Hazard
Assess the Risk
Fix the Problem
Evaluate Results
 SPOT THE HAZARD

Physical inspection of workplace.

A hazard is anything with potential to cause injury,
illness or damage.
Identified by:
➢ Observing Workers Tasks.
➢ Speaking to Workers.
➢ Using Safety Checklist.
➢ Review Manufacturers Info.
➢ View injury Records.
 ASSESS THE RISK

• Once hazards are identified

determine their level of risk.
• A risk is the likelihood of a hazard
causing injury, illness or damage to
health.
• Assessed by:
➢ Potential Impact of hazard.
➢ How likely is the hazard to cause
someone harm.
 FIX THE PROBLEM

Also known as risk control.

Aim to remove a hazard completely. If
this is not possible a ‘hierarchy of
control’ exist.
➢ Eliminate the Hazard.
➢ Substitute the Hazard.
➢ Isolate the Hazard.
➢ Use Engineering Controls.
➢ Use Administrative Controls.
➢ Use Personal Protective Equipment.
 EVALUATE RESULTS

This comes after the first three steps in the hazard

management process.
How effective are changes made to fix the problem.
Talk to workers & their response.
➢ Are changes making a difference?
➢ Workers opinion on change.
➢ Do solutions reduce risk?
➢ Do solutions create new hazards or increase risk of
existing ones?
 REPORTING RISKS & INCIDENTS

Under current law a Workplace Standards Inspector

must be notified immediately if:
➢ Someone is killed.
➢ Someone suffers serious bodily injury or illness
(requiring hospital admission).
➢ A dangerous incident occurs which could have
resulted in someone being killed or serious injury /
illness.
 DETAILS TO BE REPORTED IN WRITING

For other incidents & near misses a written record

must be made.
The Written Report must include:
➢ What: Description of Event / Injury / Damage.
➢ When: Time & Date of incident.
➢ Where: Location & Street Address.
➢ Who: Person, Witness, Workplace & Reporter.
➢ Why: Incident cause, Future action to prevent it
again.
 RESOLVING OH & S ISSUES
• Consultation process to share information on O H & S.
Both employees & employers work together to resolve
issues. Through committees & safety reports. Inspectors
pivotal as they provide an assessment of conditions in the
workplace.
 IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY

Means the safe & rapid evacuation of workplace

in the case of an emergency.
Emergency procedures can be invoked once a
threat becomes visible.
Drill commands include personnel departure &
actions to counter existing danger.
 EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES

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.
 EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES

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.
A signboard is a combination of shape, Colour and symbol or pictogram made visible by adequate lighting and which may
have supplementary text. See the table below to understand the purpose of different safety signs and their properties:
➢Preventing Injury When Working at a Computer
using a Safe Works Station
➢Regular Exercise Reduce The Effect Of
Repetitive Work
➢Identify Personal Protective Equipment
A user’s workstation furniture should minimize the risk of injuries. Posture also plays a vital
role in preventing upper limb disorders.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
Employers have duties concerning the provision and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at work.
PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety
helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes
respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

TYPES OF PPE CAN USE

1. SAFETY FOR THE HEAD wearing a helmet

2. PROTECT YOUR EYES with proper goggles
3. HEARING PROTECTION need ear muffs and ear plugs
4. MAINTAIN A GOOD RESPIRATION for lung protection
5. PROTECT YOUR HANDS with the right gloves .
6. PROTECTION FOR THE FEET use safety shoes
7. WEAR THE CORRECT WORK CLOTHING like leather apron
When selecting and using PPE:

• Choose products which are CE marked in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002
– suppliers can advise
• Choose equipment that suits the user – consider the size, fit and weight of the PPE
• If more than one item of PPE is worn at the same time, make sure they can be used together, eg wearing safety
glasses may disturb the seal of a respirator, causing air leaks
• Instruct and train people how to use it
• Never allow exemptions from wearing PPE for those jobs that ‘only take a few minutes'
• Check with supplier on what PPE is appropriate – explain the job to them If in doubt, seek further advice from a
specialist adviser

Maintenance
PPE must be properly looked after and stored when not in use, eg in a dry, clean cupboard. If it is reusable it
must be cleaned and kept in good condition.

Monitor and review

Check regularly that PPE is used. If it isn’t, find
out why not Safety signs can be a useful
reminder that PPE should be worn
Take note of any changes in equipment, materials and methods – you may need to update what you provide
A workplace hazard refers to a situation within the workplace that has the potential to
cause injury or adverse health effects for people and damage to the plant and/or equipment.
Hazards are present at every workplace and come from a wide number of sources.
Identifying and eliminating them is a major component of maintaining a safe workplace.
 HAZARD PREVENTION AND
CONTROL
Effective controls protect workers from workplace hazards; help avoid injuries, illnesses, and incidents; minimize or
eliminate safety and health risks; and help employers provide workers with safe and healthful working conditions.
The processes described in this section will help employers prevent and control hazards identified in the previous
section.
To effectively control and prevent hazards, employers should:
1: Identify control options
2: Select controls
3: Develop and update a hazard control plan
4: Select controls to protect workers during nonroutine operations and emergencies
5: Implement selected controls in the workplace
6: Follow up to confirm that controls are effective
 RISK IS THE CHANCE OR PROBABILITY THAT A
PERSON WILL BE HARMED OR EXPERIENCE AN
ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECT IF EXPOSED TO A
HAZARD. IT MAY ALSO APPLY TO SITUATIONS WITH
PROPERTY OR EQUIPMENT LOSS, OR HARMFUL EFFECTS
The CSA Z1002 Standard "Occupational health and safety - Hazard identification and elimination and risk
ON
assessment and control" uses the THEterms:
following ENVIRONMENT.
Risk – the combination of the likelihood of the occurrence of a harm and the severity of that harm.

Likelihood – the chance of something happening.