HEALTH & SAFETY
Within Your Company and At Work Locations
Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems: BS OHSAS 18001:2007
Introduction
Effective management of health and safety responsibilities can yield benefits for an organisation in terms of reduced accident risk and employee absence through injury or illness, as well as ensuring compliance with legislation. These benefits often result in significant cost savings.
Good health and safety management also improves awareness of responsibilities amongst employees. This, in itself, prevents many accidents. Most accidents involve two or more people, even though they may be unaware that their actions or neglect are the cause.
Historically there has been confusion on which OSHMS model to follow when deciding on which Occupational Health and Safety Management System to use.
Accidents and ill health
Effective occupational health and safety management not only reduces the risk of accidents and injury, but has brought significant business benefits to many organisations. Despite this, many organisations still fail to manage this discipline well. Each year
Official figures for occupational accidents and reported illness do not give an accurate representation of the extent of pain and suffering experienced. This is because most accidents and injuries still go unreported, so the figures are just the tip of the iceberg.
Moreover, statistics do not take into account the cost to the individual, the organisation and the financial burden to society in general. Accidents and occupational ill health cost society through support of the injured party and their dependants, use of emergency services and hospital facilities.
Within particular industries, accident frequency has a major effect on insurance premiums for that type of activity. Surveys have established that losses incurred through an accident at an uninsured organisation are between 8 and 36 times more than the cost of its appropriate insurance premium.
All these elements need to be considered if organisations are to provide a safe environment for employees. When a risk is identified, good health and safety management aims to remove the risk and prevent an incident, rather than combating its effects.
NEXT
BS OHSAS 18001:2007 |
