Safety At Work Place example essay topic

Lack of empowerment programs in organizations affects individuals and organisations at large. In most of the organisations it is very difficult for a middle aged level and junior staff to make decisions is made from top-bottom. In this sense individuals or employees are denied chance to contribute to the organization. All the powers are vested in management who give directives and want them be effected the way they desire to. It is through this lack of powers to make reasonable decisions at work place that there is alarming upward trends in work-related illness and injury, and the related costs to organisations and governments. Every year about 10 million people of the 150 million workers in the European community are affected by accidents or diseases at work.

Direct compensation costs are estimated at 20 million ECU per year (Agi us 2001) work related injuries cost USA some and 125 billion in 1998, equivalent to nearly three times the combined annual profits of the top five fortune 500 companies 2 (Economist National Safety Council 1999) It is true that if organisations stop the laissez-faire approach and empower their employees then individual behavior modification can be achieved and thereafter improves safety at work place. This can be done by empowering employees in the following ways: - (i) Establishing an independent safety department: safety in organisations has been put under human resource development as a division and yet it entails much that it needs to be an autonomous department. In the present context managers give less regard to safety because they view it as unnecessary expense. If safety department is created in an organization it will empower the individuals towards improving safety in that the department will come up with its own training and explain the importance of safety at the place of work. (ii) Responsibility of employers: legislative responsibilities should be put in place to compel the employers (management). Employees should provide a safe working environment where employees' interests are taken care of. The environment should be free that it is not likely to cause any harm to employees.

They should ensure that they have put in place systems that detect and monitor OHS risks. Employers should keep a record of illnesses and injuries (frequently and severity rates) to be submitted to an OHS inspectorate if they are poor. ( ) Responsibility of employees: The employees should comply with all occupational safety and health standards, rules, regulations and orders issued under the law that apply to his / her actions and conduct on the job. The employees should also be insured against safety depending on the type of job they do, some jobs are very dangerous like construction.