How to successfully manage Workplace Health and Safety

The current economic climate has affected the Workplace Health and Safety of many businesses. They have responded by laying off personnel, reducing their budget and putting projects on hold. However, such decisions have other more serious effects apart from the bottom line.One of the most important things to take into account is the health and safety of your workplace. Stress and anxiety can arise due to pressure and change. Morale is down and if your workers divert their attention they may commit mistakes or put themselves and others at risk. If your workers share a feeling of insecurity, then they may not be in the right frame of mind to relay new hazards.If you take on jobs you don?t have the capacity to deliver, your equipment and people may not be able to cope, and you may lose your hard earned loyal clients. Any of these factors could result in a human toll. In addition, one must not forget to take into account the financial impacts. The less satisfied workers are, the less productive they become. Greater risk of injury means greater probability of lost time. More compensation claims can result in higher premiums.There are genuine business advantages to looking after your workers. By keeping your workers happy and satisfied, productivity and innovation levels increases while absenteeism decreases. Keep them safe, and you avoid lost time and compensation claims.Your Workplace Health And Safety must be planned and documented, and there is a requirement of a site safety plan to be prepared before works start for high risk activities such as those related to construction.Many successful organisations have demonstrated time and time again that concentrating on safety in the workplace also increased productivity; on the other hand taking short cuts in safety may compromise your duty of care responsibilities, increase injury risks and consequently increase lost time injuries.There are no short cuts in safety as OHS in the workplace is governed by laws and regulations in each Australian state and territory and there are hefty penalties for not being in line with them. More information can be obtained from a State Government website.For example, in NSW the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 codes of practice and WorkCover?s guidance documents supply information about how you can guarantee the health and safety of your workers and others at your workplace.As an employer, you may not be able to control the global economy. However, the way you run your business and manage your Workplace Health And Safety, is still in your hands.

Author: Martin Sejas
Source: articlesbase.com

Download your very own construction safety plan from Ensafe Planning Solutions. The plan is specifically designed for construction contractors who do not have sufficient time, money or knowledge to write up their own. It complies with current Australian OHS legislation and can be quickly adapted to any site in Australia.