Ensuring good health and safety at work

Workplace safety is a responsibility shared by both the employers and employees. Risk assessment is one of the most important principles of ensuring workplace health and safety. This identifies all the hazards and potential of danger whilst working. Employers must provide the proper system, information and training on risk at work and on safe working practices and mitigation policies. At the same time, employees must comply with safety requirements at work and take all reasonable precautions to stay safe.

A safety and health management system can help increase focus on improving the work environment. Organisations usually have their own unique systems that reflect their ways of doing business, the hazards of work and how they manage the safety and health of employees. A successful system will be a part of their overall business operations and it is as important as the other things done to succeed in business.

Successful safety and health systems have a few steps in place, such as a system to identify and control hazards, training on safe work practices, managers committed to making the program work, employees involved in the program, a caring and open communication channel in a climate conducive to safety, and continuous improvement processes in place.

In this case, it is natural that some weaker components need to be strengthened. It is necessary to include workplace safety and health in the business plan and integrate it in all facets of the business. In a safe and healthy workplace, employees hold safety as a value. It is necessary to know about the hazards before controlling them and comply with the regulations. Finally, it is necessary to evaluate the program's strengths and weaknesses and to examine whether it accurately reflects how safety and health should be managed.

Nabila Hossain is a senior at IBA, University of Dhaka. Reach her at nabilaanima@gmail.com.