Why Safety and Health at Work Makes for a Successful Organisation

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which falls on the 28th of April every year, was instituted to raise awareness about the importance of eliminating safety hazards at the workplace and bringing down occupational-related diseases and accidents. The theme of this year emphasises the importance of "enhancing social dialogue towards a culture of safety and health."

This campaign holds great significance especially today, with some alarming statistics about work-related casualties each passing year. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), "Some 2.3 million women and men around the world succumb to work-related accidents or diseases every year; this corresponds to over 6000 deaths every single day. Worldwide, there are around 340 million occupational accidents and 160 million victims of work-related illnesses annually."

To begin with, what is a safe working environment?

At the surface level, we could say that a healthy and safe working environment is one that is designed to prevent workplace injuries or deaths. However, it's much more than that. Beyond preventing any accidents, it also is about promoting the overall comfort and well-being of the worker. It is one where the employer-employee relationship is grounded on trust and dialogue, thus encouraging workers to talk openly about their grievances. It is and has to be, one that takes an active interest in consulting all the parties involved while making critical decisions.

Simply put, ensuring a safe working environment is about being humane. If you were to discuss the business aspect of it, however, there is much to be gained from having a solid occupational safety policy in place:

• Knowing that their life was in immediate peril would have workers on the constant lookout for any imminent danger. On the other hand, productivity amongst workers shoots up when there is no threat to their lives.
• An unsafe working environment would only breed distrust between employers and workers. However, workplaces, where employers give special attention to the needs of their employees, will always leave employees feeling satisfied. As a result, absenteeism rates will significantly come down.
• Employers can cut down costs related to workplace accidents if they take preventative measures beforehand. These costs can include equipment replacement charges, workers' compensations, and other related expenses.

Achieving the goal of cultivating a safe working environment

Governments, employers and workers are all key players in influencing decisions that pertain to safeguarding the work environment.

• Government: In India for example, the Constitution—through the Directive Principles—recognizes a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental right. This starts right from legislating against inhumane conditions at the workplace to penalising law offenders and promoting rehabilitative measures for those who fall victim to workplace accidents.
• Employers: Their primary responsibility is to ensure that every law regarding workplace safety is adhered to and that any risks that might exist are immediately dealt with or communicated to workers.
• Workers: Being aware of what one's rights are can help workers identify an infringement of them and further take action as required.

Some steps that employers can introduce include:

• Perform safety assessments on a regular basis. You can never know what's lurking out there.
• Let your workers know what they're up against. If there are safety risks, it is imperative that they know each one of them.
• Train workers! Most accidents take place when new workers don't know what they're doing. This applies especially in the case of heavy machinery and equipment, the operation of which would require extensive safety training.
• Most workplace casualties can be avoided by providing aids that minimize injuries. These can include Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as well as mechanical aids such as conveyor belts for any work involving heavy machinery.
• Allowing workers to take breaks can increase their efficiency and will also improve their mental health immensely. This is in addition to avoiding the practice of making impossible demands of them at all times. A poor management culture can contribute to workplace stress—a lot of employees might not be able to grapple with that. Hence, it's important that they get time off now and then.
• Sending the message that any violation of safety policies would be dealt with stringently could result in a greater degree of cooperation with the law.
• Encouraging investigations in the case of workplace accidents is also a step in the right direction.

A coordinated and proactive effort to achieve safety at the workplace should be sustained moving forward. Sure, it builds a strong employer brand and brings more investors into your fold. However, this is not only an issue of corporate responsibility but also of being compassionate. An organisation that is built on the foundation of empathy and trust is one that employees will wholeheartedly work for, to create successful workplaces.