What Is Occupational Health And Safety?

Specific occupational safety and health risk factors vary depending on the specific sector and industry. Construction workers might be particularly at risk of falls, for instance, whereas fishermen might be particularly at risk of drowning. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies the fishing, aviation, lumber, metalworking, agriculture, mining and transportation industries as among some of the more dangerous for workers.

• Due to the fact that accidents may have disastrous consequences for employees as well as organizations, it is of utmost importance to ensure health and safety of workers and compliance with HSE construction requirements.
• Falls are one of the most common causes of fatal and non-fatal injuries among construction workers.
• Construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, incurring more occupational fatalities than any other sector in both the United States and in the European Union.
• In 2009, the fatal occupational injury rate among construction workers in the United States was nearly three times that for all workers.
• Proper safety equipment such as harnesses and guardrails and procedures such as securing ladders and inspecting scaffolding can curtail the risk of occupational injuries in the construction industry.
• Health and safety legislation in the construction industry involves many rules and regulations.

This includes making the health and safety of their workers the top priority. It’s actually a very complicated subject, but at the end of the day investing in an OSHA compliance program just makes good business sense, and can prevent tragedy and a wide range of serious problems. And never forget that if your company exposes your employees to health and safety hazards, your company is required by Federal law to implement and manage an OSHA compliant health and safety problem.

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For example, the University of Connecticut’s online OSH Certificate, provides students familiarity with overarching concepts through a 15-credit (5-course) program. Programs such as these are often adequate tools in building a strong educational platform for new safety managers with a minimal outlay of time and money. Further, most hygienists seek certification by organizations that train in specific areas of concentration, focusing on isolated workplace hazards. In the U.S. the training of safety professionals is supported by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health through their NIOSH Education and Research Centers. Occupational hearing loss is the most common work-related injury in the United States, with 22 million workers exposed to hazardous noise levels at work and an estimated $242 million spent annually on worker’s compensation for hearing loss disability. Falls are also a common cause of occupational injuries and fatalities, especially in construction, extraction, transportation, healthcare, and building cleaning and maintenance.

These directives follow a similar structure requiring the employer to assess the workplace risks and put in place preventive measures based on a hierarchy of control. This hierarchy starts with elimination of the hazard and ends with personal protective equipment.

Similarly psychosocial risks such as workplace violence are more pronounced for certain occupational groups such as health care employees, police, correctional officers and teachers. When OSHA was passed, it preempted all state occupational safety and health laws. Each state then had the option of submitting a plan to the Secretary of Labor for approval. If the secretary found the plan acceptable, then the state’s law was allowed to stand.

Improvements and additions to state and federal laws have been passed in the years since, expanding the role of occupational health and safety professionals and going further to ensure safe workspaces for all. Now, if you get injured on the job, you won’t go bankrupt thanks to workers’ compensation. Dedicated to studying and preventing workplace injuries and illnesses, the field of occupational health and safety is responsible for the overwhelmingly-positive outcomes achieved for American workers over the past 200 years. Member states of the European Union have all transposed into their national legislation a series of directives that establish minimum standards on occupational health and safety.

All Workplace Safety & Health Topics

The 2010 National Health Interview Survey Occupational Health Supplement (NHIS-OHS) identified work organization factors and occupational psychosocial and chemical/physical exposures which may increase some health risks. Prevalence rates for exposure to physical/chemical hazards were especially high for the construction sector. Among nonsmoking workers, 24% of construction workers were exposed to secondhand smoke while only 10% of all U.S. workers were exposed. Other physical/chemical hazards with high prevalence rates in the construction industry were frequently working outdoors (73%) and frequent exposure to vapors, gas, dust, or fumes (51%). Occupational safety and health , also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety , occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at occupation. These terms also refer to the goals of this field, so their use in the sense of this article was originally an abbreviation of occupational safety and health program/department etc. As an employer, it is your responsibility to maintain a safe and healthy workplace.

Previously, the International Labour Organization published ILO-OSH 2001, also titled “Guidelines on occupational safety and health management systems” to assist organizations with introducing OSH management systems. From 1999 to 2018, the occupational health and safety management system standard OHSAS was adopted as a British and Polish standard and widely used internationally. OHSAS comprised two parts, OHSAS and and was developed by a selection of leading trade bodies, international standards and certification bodies to address a gap where no third-party certifiable international standard existed. National management system standards for occupational health and safety include AS/NZS for Australia and New Zealand, CAN/CSA-Z for Canada and ANSI/ASSE Z for the United States. Association Française de Normalisation in France also developed occupational safety and health management standards.

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In the Netherlands, the management system Safety Certificate Contractors combines management of occupational health and safety and the environment. Agriculture workers are often at risk of work-related injuries, lung disease, noise-induced hearing loss, skin disease, as well as certain cancers related to chemical use or prolonged sun exposure. On industrialized farms, injuries frequently involve the use of agricultural machinery.

Construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, incurring more occupational fatalities than any other sector in both the United States and in the European Union. In 2009, the fatal occupational injury rate among construction workers in the United States was nearly three times that for all workers. Falls are one of the most common causes of fatal and non-fatal injuries among construction workers. Proper safety equipment such as harnesses and guardrails and procedures such as securing ladders and inspecting scaffolding can curtail the risk of occupational injuries in the construction industry. Due to the fact that accidents may have disastrous consequences for employees as well as organizations, it is of utmost importance to ensure health and safety of workers and compliance with HSE construction requirements. Health and safety legislation in the construction industry involves many rules and regulations. For example, the role of the Construction Design Management Coordinator as a requirement has been aimed at improving health and safety on-site.

The most common cause of fatal agricultural injuries in the United States is tractor rollovers, which can be prevented by the use of roll over protection structures which limit the risk of injury in case a tractor rolls over. Pesticides and other chemicals used in farming can also be hazardous to worker health, and workers exposed to pesticides may experience illnesses or birth defects. As an industry in which families, including children, commonly work alongside their families, agriculture is a common source of occupational injuries and illnesses among younger workers. Common causes of fatal injuries among young farm worker include drowning, machinery and motor vehicle-related accidents.

A safety and health management system, or safety program, can help you focus your efforts at improving your work environment. Whatever you call it, your plan describes what the people in your organization do to prevent injuries and illnesses at your workplace. In addition to ensuring our work environments have safety precautions in place to prevent injuries, experts in occupational health also work to limit both short-term and long-term hazards that could lead to physical or mental illness now or in the future.

Machines have moving parts, sharp edges, hot surfaces and other hazards with the potential to crush, burn, cut, shear, stab or otherwise strike or wound workers if used unsafely. Although work provides many economic and other benefits, a wide array of workplace hazards also present risks to the health and safety of people at work. These include but are not limited to, “chemicals, biological agents, physical factors, adverse ergonomic conditions, allergens, a complex network of safety risks,” and a broad range of psychosocial risk factors. Personal protective equipment can help protect against many of these hazards.

The labor movement has always led the charge to protect working people from workplace injury, illness and death. Working with allies, we have won strong protections against hazards and stronger rights for workers. Through organizing and collective bargaining, unions have gained even stronger protections and rights that have given workers a real voice in safety and health at the workplace. OSHA’s Alliance Program enables groups committed to worker safety and health to work with it to develop compliance assistance tools and resources, share information with workers and employers, and educate them about their rights and responsibilities. OSHA also has a Strategic Partnership Program that zeros in on specific hazards or specific geographic areas. OSHA manages Susan B. Harwood grants to non-profit organisations to train workers and employers to recognize, avoid, and prevent safety and health hazards in the workplace. Grants focus on small business, hard-to-reach workers and high-hazard industries.

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Federal Government Workers— OSHA’s protection applies to all federal agencies. Federal agencies must have a safety and health program that meet the same standards as private employers. Although OSHA does not fine federal agencies, it does monitor these agencies and conducts federal workplace inspections in response to workers’ complaints. Companies want to attract more people who will be the right fit for the job and to retain those who are bringing the most benefit. For those reasons, they need to start adjusting their office plans and the way that business is done.

In the United Kingdom, non-departmental public body Health and Safety Executive published Managing for health and safety , an online guidance. In Germany, the state factory inspectorates of Bavaria and Saxony had introduced the management system OHRIS.

Programs range from individual non-credit certificates, focusing on specific areas of concern, to full doctoral programs. The University of Southern California was one of the first schools in the US to offer a Ph.D. program focusing on the field. Further, multiple master’s degree programs exist, such as that of the Indiana State University who offer a master of science and a master of arts in OSH. Graduate programs are designed to train educators, as well as, high-level practitioners. Many OSH generalists focus on undergraduate studies; programs within schools, such as that of the University of North Carolina’s online Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and Safety, fill a large majority of hygienist needs. However, smaller companies often do not have full-time safety specialists on staff, thus, they appoint a current employee to the responsibility. Individuals finding themselves in positions such as these, or for those enhancing marketability in the job-search and promotion arena, may seek out a credit certificate program.

In these states, called “state plan states,” employers must follow the state’s laws, regulations, and standards on workplace health and safety, not the federal OSHA. The issues studied and regulated by occupational health and safety experts today vary widely by occupation. For example, physical threats like tall heights and heavy machinery might be of greater concern to construction workers, whereas mental health and repetitive stress injuries might be the focus of office environments. There are multiple levels of training applicable to the field of occupational safety and health .