Emergence of new workplace hazards
GLOBALISATION, intense competition and technological progress, new trends in economic structures and working conditions and changes in occupational structures are bringing about dramatic and rapid changes in the working environment. This will eventually lead to new emerging workplace hazards.
All these will exert pressure on stakeholders in the workplace involving the employees, employers and also the enforcement authority.
We should not ignore these new threats and challenges facing us.
Another issue of concern to the safety and health of workers is when they have to cope with the fear of losing their jobs and employers are more inclined to limit resources allocated to safety and health. These could culminate into a gloomier picture for occupational safety and health with a possible increase in work accidents and work-related injuries.
To prepare for future challenges, we have to mobilise members of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) fraternity and strive to ensure the safety and health of our people and the communities where we operate, improve the reliability and safety of our plants, and better manage our businesses in today’s difficult economic environment.
To bring about a quantum improvement in our safety and health standards, every individual must take ownership of safety issues and see this as his own responsibility. We must convince employers that a safe and healthy workplace makes good business sense.
Workplace injuries and fatalities can result not only in financial losses, but also tarnish the image of the organisation concerned.
On the other hand, a safe workplace environment and good safety record will give workers confidence that the company has their well being at heart, and motivate them to perform much better.
Hence, every employer and business owner should see good safety and health practices as an investment for the future and not an additional cost. Both employers and employees must embrace the safety culture to prevent more accidents and deaths.
The challenge to improve OSH at the workplace never ends, as the nature of work is constantly evolving, and we need to ensure our OSH programmes and practices remain relevant.
As the world becomes more and more aware of our fragile environment and the dangers posed by an unrestrained industrial approach to this planet, there is also an increasing awareness that human capital must be nurtured, preserved and cared for.
The pursuit of economic targets, and safety and health protection in the workplace, are not mutually exclusive. One supports the other because, indeed, prevention pays.