WORKER PARTICIPATION IN SAFETY AND HEALTH, IS IT IMPORTANT?
Worker participation on safety and health is a two-way communication process where employers and employees talk to another, listen to each other’s’ concern, discuss and share views as well as make decisions together in overcoming the safety and health issues that aroused in their workplace. Both employers and employees must be informed, trained and consulted on safety and health in order to create a safer working environment.
Both employers and employees have the responsibility to look after safety and health
at workplace. Therefore, full participation from both sides enable to ensure their working environment safer and healthier.
Here some roles and responsibilities of employers to reduce any unpredictable accidents to be occurred, such as:
Assess risks in the workplace
Employers should carry out risk assessment in order to determine all risks that might cause harm in the workplace besides investigate what control measures are needed to overcome the problems. Employers must aware any hazardous risk that could take place in their working environment in order to protect their employees from any dangers.
Consult and train employees
Employers must consult workers with information about the risks in their workplace and how they are protected besides instruct and train them on how to deal with the risks. Depending on government legislation, consultation may be direct or through a representative such as safety and health consultant.
Promote safety and health culture
Employers need to promote a culture in which safety and health is integrated into everyone’s roles and responsibilities. Consultation can take place whatever the size of an organisation. Consultation able to encourage an open dialogue in order teach them about safety and health regulations and guidelines.
Provide a good and safer workplace
Employers must ensure all buildings, machinery, equipment, tools, and places of employment are maintained in good condition so workers will not be endangered. Regular inspections must be made to prevent any harm incidents to be occurred that will affect their workers safety and health.
Employees also should not then limit their participation to just passive cooperation and following safety rules. They need to make full use of the worker participation arrangements at their workplace.
Here some employees’ roles and responsibilities in safe guarding their own safety include:
Attending safety and health training session
Employees’ participation in this session able to determine the actual problems or risks that they have to face in doing their works. They can ask questions, raising issues and making suggestions during the training session in order to identify any suitable solution to prevent accidents in their workplace.
Follow prescribed safety practices
Employees must ensure their own safety and health and responsible to any possibilities that of other persons who may be affected by their acts at the workplace. They also must wear or use any protective equipment provided by the employer for the purpose of preventing risks. Never misuse or remove any safety equipment from machines or equipment.
Apply the knowledge about safety and health
Knowledge that have gained from training sessions should be applied in their working styles. Employees like senior workers should set a good examples on safety and health aspects to their junior workers so that they can work together in a safer workplace. Employees also can point out any ideas for improvements for their own goods.
An employee should report to his supervisor any accident or injury that arises in the course of or in connection with his work because his employer has a legal responsibility for his safety and health as well as seek treatment promptly. Employees must cooperate with employers to help everyone meet their legal requirements.
As a conclusion, both employers and employees have the responsibility to look after safety and health safety at work. If worker participation is fully implemented in shaping safe work systems, it may result a lower occupational risk level and accident rates in their working environment besides improving their productivity and increasing their business profit.