Lesson 1: Health and Safety Report

No. 85 of 1993: Occupational Health and Safety Act

1. Definitions:
➢ Act: To provide for the health and safety of persons at work and for the health
and safety of persons in connection with the use of plant and machinery; the
protection of persons other than persons at work against hazards to health and
safety arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work; to
establish an advisory council for occupational health and safety; and to provide
for matters connected therewith.
➢ Employer: any person who employs or provides work for any person and
remunerates that person or expressly undertakes to remunerate him.
➢ Employee: anyone employed by or who works for an employer and entitled to
receive any remuneration or who works under the direction or supervision of an
employer or any other 35 person.
➢ Approved inspection authority: Provided that an inspection authority approved by
the chief inspector with respect to any particular service shall be an approved
inspection authority with respect to that service only.
➢ Agent: any person who acts as a representative for the Client in managing the
overall health and safety work as their responsible person.
➢ Hazards: is a potential source of harm or adverse health effect on a person or
persons’.

2. Healthy And Safety Policy:

➢ The chief inspector or any employer in writing may direct to prepare a written
policy concerning the protection of the health and safety of his employees at
work, including a description of his organization and the arrangements for
carrying out and reviewing that policy. Any direction under subsection shall be
accompanied by guidelines concerning the contents of the policy concerned. An
employer shall prominently display a copy of the policy referred to in subsection,
signed by the chief executive officer, in the workplace where his employees
normally report for service.
➢ The purpose of a health and safety policy is:
➢ A health and safety policy has several uses, but its main goal is to safeguard the
health and safety of workers, clients, and anybody else who may be impacted by
an organization's operations.
➢ Here are a few main goals:
a) Conformity with Law: It guarantees that the company abides by all applicable
health and safety laws and rules.
b) Hazard Mitigation: It recognizes, evaluates, and suggests ways to reduce or
eliminate any risks and hazards in the workplace.
c) Protection of Employees:It shows how dedicated the company is to giving its
workers a secure and healthy work environment.
d) Public Safety and Customers: It covers all dangers and hazards that could impact
clients, guests, or the broader public and goes beyond the workplace. For
companies that offer services or conduct business in public areas, this is
especially crucial.
e) Everlasting Enhancement: It establishes a framework for continuing to assess,
monitor, and enhance health and safety procedures. This makes sure that the
company doesn't stop looking for new risks to detect and putting in place efficient
controls.
➢ According to Health and Safety officer this is how they implement it on site:
a) A health and safety policy is define as a written statement of principles and goals
embodying the company’s commitment to workplace health and safety.
b) There are no hard and fast rules about what to include in a policy.
c) The employer should create a policy suitable and sufficient to address the
company's health and safety needs.
d) A good policy will indicate how the organization protects those who could be
affected by its activities and be broad enough to cover all aspects of the
company's activities.

3. General duties of employers to their employees:

➢ Employers have a range of general duties towards their employees, which are
often enshrined in labor laws and regulations. These duties are aimed at
ensuring the well-being, safety, and fair treatment of employees. Here are some
of the key general duties of employers:
➢ Provide a Safe Work Environment: Employers are responsible for providing a
workplace that is free from hazards and risks to health and safety as much as
reasonably possible. This includes conducting risk assessments, implementing
safety measures, and providing appropriate training and equipment.
➢ Ensure Proper Training and Supervision: Employers must ensure that employees
are adequately trained to perform their job duties safely and effectively. This may
involve providing training on equipment usage, emergency procedures, and
workplace policies.
➢ Provide Necessary Resources: Employers should provide employees with the
resources, tools, and equipment necessary to perform their jobs safely and
efficiently. This may include providing personal protective equipment (PPE),
 ergonomic workstations, and access to relevant information and support
services.
➢ Prevent Discrimination and Harassment: Employers have a duty to create a
workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and bullying. This includes
implementing policies and procedures to address and prevent discrimination
based on factors such as race, gender, age, disability, religion, or sexual
orientation.
➢ Respect Employment Rights: Employers must respect the legal rights of
employees, including rights related to wages, working hours, leave entitlements,
and other conditions of employment. This includes complying with relevant labor
laws and regulations.
➢ Provide Fair Compensation: Employers are responsible for providing employees
with fair and competitive compensation for their work, including wages, benefits,
and other forms of remuneration.
➢ Promote Work-Life Balance: Employers should strive to promote a healthy
worklife balance for their employees, recognizing the importance of well-being
and personal time outside of work.
➢ Consultation and Communication: Employers should consult with employees on
matters that affect their health, safety, and well-being in the workplace. This may
involve seeking input on safety policies, conducting employee surveys, and
fostering open communication channels.
➢ Therefore, taking such steps as may be reasonably practicable to eliminate any
hazard or potential hazard to the safety or health of employees, before resorting
to personal protective equipment. In Figure 1 there is an example of what I am
talking about:

Figure:1
➢ Employers shall be required to ensure that the workplaces, machinery,
equipment, and processes under their control are safe and without risk to health.
 ➢ Employers must ensure that the chemical, physical, and biological
substances and agents under their control are without health risk when
appropriate protection measures are taken.
➢ Employers shall be required to provide adequate protective clothing and
protective equipment to prevent the risk of accidents or of adverse effects on
health.

4. General duties of employees at work:

➢ Every employee shall.at work, take reasonable care for the health and safety of
himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts or missions.
➢ Comply with the rules and procedures that the employer gives him/her; cooperate
with the employer where the Act imposes a duty or requirements on the worker
and provide information to a Department of Labour inspector if that inspector.
➢ If he is involved in any incident which may affect his health or which has caused
an injury to himself, report such incident to his employer or to anyone authorized
thereto by the employer, or to his health and safety representative, as soon as
practicable but not later than the end of the particular shift during which the
incident occurred, unless the circumstances were such that the reporting of the
incident was not possible, in which case he shall report the incident as soon as
practicable thereafter.
➢ Employees also have general duties and responsibilities in the workplace, which
contribute to maintaining a safe, productive, and harmonious working
environment. Such as:
a) Follow Workplace Policies and Procedures,
b) Work Safely,
c) Use Equipment and Tools Properly,
d) Report Hazards and Incidents,
e) Cooperate with Health and Safety Measures,
f) Respect Others,
g) Maintain Confidentiality,
h) Perform Duties Diligently,
i) Attend Work Regularly and Punctually, and
j) Follow Ethical Standards:

Reference:
Employer Responsibility as per Article 16 of C155of ILO: ( Refer- www.ilo.org)