Safety Management: The Progress of Safety.
The Problem
The concept of safety has evolved from a straightforward approach of eliminating injury agents to a complex focus on controlling human factors reliably. While traditional safety measures have long detected causative relationships and designed practical controls, the current shift emphasizes the implementation of effective hazard controls. Despite the knowledge of causes and the availability of controls, injurious occurrences persist, highlighting difficulties in implementing these safety programs effectively.
Safety and the Law
"Many injurious events, almost 99 out of 100, that occur in workplaces can be predicted." A similar ratio likely applies to any scenario where energy is present, potentially causing harm unless appropriate controls are in place. Existing knowledge could prevent the majority of injuries, yet high annual injury rates indicate underutilization of this knowledge, prompting stronger legislation to enforce safety measures.
To get a better idea about HSE issues in Sri Lanka, shall we examine the HSE databases of two other countries, such as the USA and UK?
United States: Preventable injuries in the U.S. are at an all-time high, ranking as the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer.
In 2022, 63 million people sought medical attention for nonfatal preventable injuries. The death rate in 2022 was 68.1 per 100,000 population, a 0.6% increase from 2021 and a 100% increase from 1992.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) has been critical in addressing hazardous exposures. However, preventable work deaths increased by 5% in 2022, totaling 4,695. Additionally, 791 workplace homicides and suicides occurred, not included in the preventable-injury estimates. The rise in work deaths is partly due to a 3.4% increase in hours worked and other factors. The preventable injury death rate rose to 3.2 per 100,000 workers from 3.1 in 2021, with 4.53 million work-related medically consulted injuries in 2022.
United Kingdom: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces health and safety legislation and provides guidance in the UK. Breaches of health and safety law can incur criminal and civil liability, primarily under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which requires business owners to take reasonable steps to protect their workforce. Six key regulations, known as the "six pack," came into force in 1992, covering various aspects of workplace safety.
There are other additional regulations.
In 2022, there were 333,296 road traffic accidents in Great Britain, a 3.9% increase from the previous year. Common causes include driver error, inexperience, reckless behavior, and environmental factors. In 2022/23, 135 workers died due to workplace injuries, indicating a decline in workplace fatalities over the years.
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Number of fatal injuries to workers in Great Britain from 1974 to 2022/23.
Sri Lanka: With a workforce of approximately 8.6 million, Sri Lanka loses around 500,000 man-days annually due to occupational accidents and diseases. The Industrial Safety Division of the Department of Labour maintains records, but underreporting is an issue due to poor knowledge or disregard of the law by employers. In 2021, 684 factories were registered, a 7.3% decrease from 2020.
The Occupational Health and Safety division promotes workers' well-being through educational programs, training, and monitoring. According to the 2021 Annual Labour Statistics Report, the highest number of fatal accidents stemmed from automobile incidents (36.3%) and falls from height (12.7%). Non-fatal accidents were most commonly due to machinery accidents (40.0%) and slips/falls/collisions (15.6%).
The Factories Ordinance and other safety laws, including the Electricity Act, Workman Compensation Act, and Environmental Protection Act, are crucial for maintaining workplace safety. However, many workplaces in Sri Lanka lack proper Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems and Risk Assessment protocols, leading to accidents and decreased productivity.
Road Safety: Road accidents are a major concern in Sri Lanka, with one person dying every three hours. Since 2016, eight people have died daily on average due to road accidents. The rate of motor traffic deaths is significantly higher than in countries like the United States and Japan. Globally, road traffic crashes cause approximately 1.3 million deaths annually, significantly impacting vulnerable road users and costing countries about 3% of their GDP.
Conclusion
The control of disease-causing aspects in work environments has been the domain of industrial hygienists, while safety specialists focus on preventing injuries. The continued occurrence of preventable injuries and fatalities underscores the need for more effective implementation and enforcement of safety measures and legislation.
In Sri Lanka, the significant loss of man-days due to occupational accidents and diseases highlights the critical need for improved safety practices and better enforcement of existing safety laws. The underreporting of incidents due to poor knowledge or disregard of the law exacerbates this issue, as seen in the decrease in factory registrations from 2020 to 2021.
The efforts of the Occupational Health and Safety division to enhance worker well-being through education, training, and monitoring are commendable. However, the high rates of fatal and non-fatal accidents, particularly those involving machinery and slips/falls, indicate that these measures are not sufficiently effective. The implementation of the Factories Ordinance and related safety laws remains essential, yet many workplaces still lack proper Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems and Risk Assessment protocols, leading to ongoing safety hazards and decreased productivity.
Moreover, road safety remains a major concern in Sri Lanka, with an alarming rate of fatalities far exceeding those in countries like the United States and Japan. The high incidence of road accidents not only results in a tragic loss of life but also imposes significant economic costs on the country.
To address these challenges, Sri Lanka must enhance its commitment to safety by improving the enforcement of safety regulations, increasing awareness and education about occupational health and safety, and investing in better infrastructure and safety measures for both workplaces and roadways. Only through a comprehensive approach can Sri Lanka hope to reduce the high rates of injuries and fatalities and ensure a safer environment for its workforce and the general public.