Security tips for ensuring health and safety at work

Security tips for ensuring health and safety at work

Be it an industrial set up howsoever small or large manufacturing industries like cement, fertilizer or power plants, a construction site of any type or even a hospital or hospitability industry it has been made incumbent upon any organization to provide their workers an environment which is conducive and conforms to health and safety requirements as set forth by the laws of every country. It is also imperative for every organization to provide safety equipment to the workers and impart safety tips to their workers. Despite all these precautions accidents do happen and the workers do fall victim to the health hazards prevailing at those organization. The workers quite often sustain personal injuries as such and as a result the concerned organizations are held liable for work accident compensation to the work.

In any working environment significance of health and safety is as much of concern as that working place is. Ensuring the health and safety of every worker regardless of his designation should be the first priority of the employer. UK government emphasized the employee’s health and safety by introducing Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This act contains very strict laws to ensure that health, safety and welfare of any employee is not at any risk. All industries, manufactures and organizations are bound to follow the given instruction in HSWA 1974.

Workplace security tips and equipment

Several kinds of hazards can occur in working environment like hazardous chemicals exposures; poisoning by toxic materials; fire and explosions due to flammable gases, liquids or solids; thermal hazards; electrical hazard; oxygen deficiency; and slips, trips and falls.

Employer should follow the security plan which starts from risk assessment. In risk assessment anything which could cause harm or risk to the employees must be assessed by the employer, and then employer should take such measures to nullify that risk. To make the environment risk and hazard free responsibilities of employer are to provide safe workplace without risks to health; ensure safe machinery and mechanisms; provide instant first aid facilities; offer guidance maps, signs and symbols and install emergency alarms(fire alarm etc.) for the employees. Proper ventilation, lighting, washing and sanitation must also be provided for the user friendly environment.

To provide information to ensure safety in workplace safety signs and signals play important role. Prohibition and warning signs, signs of fire existence, signs of fire fighting equipment’s, colored pipes to indicate dangerous substances all are used to provide safer environment for the workers. Lock out and tag out equipment, locker systems, shelving, and cabinets can be used to provide security from dangerous of harmful materials.

Risk of fire is most alarming which can harm the workers health and safety. Provision of proper range of fire products reduces this risk. System of fire fighting starts with detecting the outbreak of fire and ends in extinguishing the fire properly.

Packaging is another method of equipment safety to avoid risk. Tapes, strapping system, staplers and safety knives are some tools used for the equipment safety at workplace. Provision of ladders and steps at workplace is another precautionary measure to avoid falls and slips.

Insulation is another protective measure for the safety of workers. Such materials are used as boundaries of machinery which do not transfer heat or electricity. This protects workers from unexpected electrical shock or heat exposure.

Moving machines at workplace have the potential to harm workers. Scratched body parts, crushed fingers or hands and burns are some of potential hazards. Such machinery should be safeguarded to protect employees.

Another safety tip at workplace is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE’s). It is the responsibility of employer to provide free of cost PPE’s to the employees. And it is the duty of employees to utilize PPE’s where required. There is large variety of PPE’s.

Safety spectacles or goggles are used for eye protection. Safety helmet of hard hat are used to avoid head or brain injury, plastic sheets covers are used to protect face from dangerous chemicals. In case of loud machinery earplugs should be used by employees to avoid excessive noise. Gloves or elbow length gloves are used to guard fingers, hands and arms of the employee from potential hazards. Safety shoes or protective footwear and surgical gowns, laboratory coats and jackets are used to protect feet, legs and body.