Internal Factors Impacting Workplace Health & Safety

The administration of an organization can pose health and safety risks if the internal environment is not maintained and monitored appropriately by a company. Business executives must adopt safety behaviors into their leadership practices, since companies are charged with the task of ensuring the health and safety of their staff. As such, organizations should examine what steps they can take in order to protect employees from risks and dangers.

Internal Factors

The attitude a business has towards maintaining the health and safety of its employees is an internal factor that employees rely on to be protected from dangers and threats in the workplace. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employees have the right to feel safe while on the job, and employers have the obligation to ensure their safety. There are many ways that businesses can effectively manage the health and safety of their employees.

Safety Councils

Businesses can demonstrate their commitment to ensuring health and safety measures by creating safety management councils. These committees may be in charge of evaluating workplace conditions and employee health risks, and then taking the proper measures to make sure the office is well-equipped to deal with any threats. Safety councils are often responsible for creating safety protocols and performing safety drills.

Safety Protocols

Establishing safety protocols for the workplace is another way that companies can positively impact employee health and safety. Developing safety protocols allows companies to keep written policies and procedures about how to prevent hazards from occurring in the workplace, as well as provide instructions on how to respond if employees' health or safety are threatened. Safety protocols should be easily accessible for anyone in the company to review.

Education

Education is an effective way for businesses to maintain their commitment to safety. By providing training modules to employees, employers can educate staff on things like how to stay healthy during flu season, how to prevent physical injuries on the job, how to keep work areas sanitized and how to use protective equipment in the case of emergencies.

Conducting Safety Drills

According to a May 2007 article in "The Washington Post," disaster drills are valuable because they teach people how to respond in a time of urgency. Such exercises prepare people to coordinate efforts and put their safety skills to work. Many businesses conduct safety drills, such as fire or disaster drills, to keep employees on their toes about how to respond in the case that their safety is in danger. These sorts of exercises are important, so employers may gather statistics, such as how long evacuations take, which can then be used to determine more effective and efficient ways to keep employees safe.



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References

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