What is OH and S? OH&S is the acronym for Occupational Health and Safety. Those in the business of health and safety know this. However, many people may not recognize this expression, even if they have heard it before.
Again, OH and S stands for “Occupational Health and Safety”. It is a multidisciplinary field concerned with health and safety risk assessment. This is also concerned with how to determine these safety risks so they can be prevented.
Why is OH and S Important?
Occupation safety and workplace health focus on the health, safety, and welfare of people in the workforce. This includes public health, occupational and industrial hygiene, ergonomics, occupation medicine, health physics safety, and industrial engineering and chemistry. The goal is to keep the workforce healthy and safe. This can ultimately reduce disability benefit costs, sick leave, and the need for medical care.
When a risk assessment is done and done well, it protects a company or organization and its employees from getting hurt. Companies must comply with applicable laws and utilize the workplace safety tools. This should be applicable to the type of business they conduct.
A savvy company owner knows that the health and safety of his employees is the number one priority. If employees get sick because of environmental toxins at the workplace or get injured because safety precautions are not in place, this is going to cut down on the productivity of the company. Its income as well as set up the company for a lawsuit.
An employer who actually cares about his employees knows that their psychological and physiological well-being must be good. This is to keep people on the job and producing. Every employee should take steps to safeguard their workers’ safety and health while on the job.
OH and S Act of 2000
The Occupational Health and Safety Act of 2000 was put in place to promote and secure the safety, health, and welfare of people while at work and to protect them from risks to their safety or health that occur as a result of their job.
Additionally, the act focuses on the physical work environment and how well workers are protected from illness and injury. Cooperation between the company owners and the employees is imperative. This act makes improvements that can be made to make the workplace safer and healthier.
When an employee is injured or becomes sick, this needs to be identified, assessed, and changed. This is to stop this type of occurrence to happen again to another employee. Furthermore, the OHSA of 2000 puts emphasis on informing the public about occupational safety and health issues. This also emphasizes the need for the legislature to push through changes in technology. This further looks and changes the work practices that result in a safer and healthier work environment.
What does an Unsafe Environment Cost You?
Those workers who do not work in a safe and healthy environment and who get sick as a result (or injured) cost businesses millions of lost workdays each year and thousands of dollars that the businesses can’t afford to lose.
If health issues are taking their toll on the workers in a company, the business owner needs to address these issues. They should also rectify them immediately. When a company cares about its employees, particularly about their health and safety, the company becomes known as a compassionate one. People want to work for them and they stay on the job for years, which reduces the turn-over rate. Retaining employees saves money.
When employers take care of their employees, and that includes providing them with a safe, healthy environment in which to work, as well as medical treatment when they need it, the employees return the favor by being loyal to their employers. Happy employees are better employees. This is a win-win situation for both sides.