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HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT
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In a culturally diverse world we will operate with consistent standards of quality, regardless of geographical location. In our contribution to making the world a safer place, we will conduct our business with equal respect for all people, their communities and their environments.
A health management system enables an organization to control its health risks and to achieve higher standards of performance by means
of continuous improvement. The system should convey the company’s structure, responsibilities, practices, procedures and resources
for implementing health management, including processes to identify root causes of poor performance, prevent recurrences and drive continuous improvement.
The benefits of effective health management include:
● ensuring patient safety;
● eliminating illness related to work;
● managing medical care;
● maintaining a healthy workforce;
● optimizing business performance and
reputation;
● meeting legal requirements; and
● ensuring cost-effectiveness.
The system should be designed to complement national and international standards and regulatory requirements as necessary, as well as individual corporate health guidelines within which companies and contractors conduct their business. For further guidance on how contractors and subcontractors should be incorporated into the health management system of contracted field operations, see OGP report number 4231. The key outcome of a successful health management system is that health performance meets both company and statutory requirements and demonstrates continual improvement. The key components of any health management system are similar and should include the following (E&P Forum, 1994) 2: ● leadership and commitment;
● policy and strategic objectives;
● organization, responsibilities, resources, standards and documentation;
● risk management;
● planning and procedures;
● implementation and performance monitoring;
and
● audit and management
review.
Examples of health management systems that are utilized within the industry have been published by OGP1, API3 and the OHS Group4.
An example of a health self-audit template for use by managers can be found in Annex 1.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Occupational health is an integral part of the health management system. It is concerned with the interrelationship between work and health, i.e. the
effects of work on health and the effects of people’s health on their capacity to work.
The purpose of an occupational health service is to:
● protect, promote and maintain the health, safety
and welfare of people at work;
● advise on the provision of safe and healthy
conditions by informed assessment of the
physical and psychological aspects of the
working environment;
● identify and advise management on the causes
of occupational disease and injury and the
means of their prevention;
● advise on the rehabilitation and placement in
suitable work of those temporarily or
permanently incapacitated by illness or injury;
and
● assist in the planning and preparedness of
emergency response plans.
To achieve these aims, a team approach should
be taken by occupational physicians,
occupational nurses, industrial hygienists, other
occupational health professionals, and
administrative and other staff.
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Safety of workers (also known as worker safety and occupational health and safety) refers to the provision of a safe working environment, safe equipment, policies, and procedures in order to ensure workers’ health and safety.
In 2020, workplace safety has become one of the main concerns for many employers. Not only the COVID-19 pandemic is resulting in more illnesses, but the emergence of remote work and dispersed workplaces are making it harder for employers to reach their frontline and deskless employees.
A national survey by The Hartford Financial Services Group found that 58% of blue-collar households have “a family member who has been injured on the job, requiring medical attention.”
While organizations have a moral obligation to ensure safe working conditions, unsafe workplaces can also have serious legal and financial consequences for employers.
The Importance of Keeping Your Workplace Safe
Safety in the workplace has a significant impact on many business KPIs. In other words, safer working environments benefit from fewer accidents, which results in fewer occupational health costs, better employee retention and satisfaction, less employee downtime, and less retraining time.
Let’s now take a deeper dive into the importance of workplace safety.
Employee retention
Employees appreciate safe working environments, which is a sign that their employer cares about their wellbeing. Therefore, employees who feel safe at work are also more loyal to their employers and stay longer within their organizations.
On the other hand, those who don’t feel safe or have experienced workplace accidents are much more likely to search for new employers.
Company finances
The Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index reported that for every $1 a company invests in workplace safety, the result amounts to a $4 return on investment.
This is not surprising as a company could run into serious financial trouble if an employee gets injured at work. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires all employers to follow specific guidelines in creating safe workplaces. Not following OSHA’s rules and guidelines can lead to serious legal and financial losses.
Employee productivity
Employees who feel safe in their working environments are also more productive than those who have been injured in the past and, therefore, have developed a certain level of anxiety and fright.
Eliminating workplace hazards enables employees to stay invested in their work and do their best.
Company reputation and Employer Branding
Companies that don’t invest in workplace safety quickly develop a reputation of an unsafe employer, which has a big impact on employer branding and talent attraction efforts. Moreover, the company’s customers, competitors and the general public often perceive such companies as unprofessional.
As a consequence, fewer employees apply for jobs, and the most skilled workers often search for jobs elsewhere.
12 Workplace Safety Best Practices
Organizations with employees who are at high risk of getting injured often have structured and well-designed workplace safety strategies in place. As they are aware of the consequences of neglecting workplace safety, they understand that having a good plan can significantly improve employees’ health, safety and wellbeing.
Let’s now take a look into some best practices for ensuring safe working conditions.
1. Identify all the workplace safety hazards
Before you even start building your workplace safety plan, it is important to define and understand all the potential sources of hazard in the workplace.
Identifying those safety hazards and issues is the first step in protecting employees in the workplace. Some of the most common hazards often include ergonomics, hazardous chemicals, mechanical problems, noise pollution, restricted visibility, dangers of falling and weather-related hazards.
2. Define safety policies and remind employees to follow them
After identifying all the possible workplace hazards, the next step is to define safety policies and procedures. Many organizations have safety handbooks that employees can use as a reference every time when in doubt.
However, creating such materials is not enough if your employees don’t consume and follow them. It is the employers’ job to continuously remind employees of the importance of following safety guidelines. Moreover, under OSHA regulations, employees are required to comply with the standards, rules, and regulations put in place by the employer.
3. Keep employees aligned to foster the culture of safety
Suppose you are trying to build an employee-centric workplace, ensure a positive employee experience and foster a culture of safety. In that case, all your employees, including leaders and managers, need to be aligned and on the same page. Here, employers often neglect the importance of open and transparent workplace communications.
Besides just having a clear plan and safety trainings, organizations need to find ways to embed new employee behaviors by delivering inspiring safety stories, communicating new safety programs and sharing the company’s successes.
4. Build a safety communication plan
Many organizations are now implementing safety communications as a core company value. This focus towards a safety-centric workplace improves not only employee morale but also the bottom line.
In order to build a strong culture of safety in the workplace, organizations need to build safety communication plans. In other words, your workplace safety strategy will be as successful as you manage to communicate it properly.
The safety communication plan should consist of a set of materials, important company updates, messages and other internal campaigns that need to be communicated to the right employees at the right time.
Besides timeliness, creating engaging and relevant content is crucial here. When creating your safety communications plan, always ask yourself these questions:
- What are the main messages we want to communicate?
- What are the important safety updates to be shared with employees?
- How and where important documentation should be stored and shared with employees?
- Which employees should be reached?
- How will we segment internal audiences to make sure that the right employee gets the right message at the right time?
- What type of content should we distribute to ensure high engagement?
- Which communication channels should we use to distribute the messages?
- Can we reach employees on their mobile phones in a matter of seconds?
- How will we recognize those who follow the guidelines in order to ensure better compliance among other employees?
- How will we measure the impact of our communication campaigns?
5. Involve leadership and encourage employees’ share of voice
Creating safe workplace environments starts at the top. Without the leadership’s buy-in, it is impossible to amplify the safety messages and encourage employees to follow them.
Senior leadership must set the communication standard by providing an open and transparent environment. Such environments facilitate and drive discussions that allow employees to offer suggestions, report concerns and feel empowered to contribute to the workplace safety programs.
6. Designate a health and safety representative
As some employees are reluctant to share their safety issues with their direct managers, some organizations appoint designated health and safety representatives.
By doing so, employees can confidently and discreetly discuss their concerns with the representatives who act as a trusted intermediary between managers and employees.
However, employers are responsible for enabling these representatives to always be connected with employees, and making sure that they can reach out to them in a timely manner. Yet, many companies still don’t have access to the right technology that enables them to do so.
7. Build trust and be consistent
Fostering a safety-centric workplace environment begins by building trust in the workplace. Workers must be able to trust that their leaders’ number one priority is keeping their employees safe and that they can report to them if they notice any unsafe activity.
However, this type of employee behavior doesn’t happen over time, and a successful transition to an employee-centric workplace culture takes time to build. Honest, consistent and transparent workplace communication, as well as constant check-ins with employees, are the key.
8. Encourage engagement and participation from employees
The Safety Culture Survey administered to hundreds of organizations by Safety Performance Solutions Inc. (SPS) indicated that 90% of respondents believe employees should caution others when they’re operating at-risk. However, only 60% say they actually do provide this critical feedback.
10 Common Workplace Safety Tips for Employees
Even though every work environment is different and employees’ functions vary drastically, there are some most common workplace safety tips that employers often share with their workforce:
- Be aware of your legal responsibilities.
- Stay committed to health and safety at work.
- Get familiar with all the potential hazardous situations in the workplace.
- Often review the latest safety policies and procedures.
- Stay informed with the company’s safety updates.
- Identify, assess and manage hazards within the workplace.
- Inform, train and supervise your employees on safety practices.
- Ensure that incidents and injuries are reported, recorded and investigated.
- Share your concerns and feedback and suggest solutions for improvement.
- Ensure that you are planned and prepared for emergencies.
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What is a work environment?
A work environment is the setting, social features and physical conditions in which you perform your job. These elements can impact feelings of well-being, workplace relationships, collaboration, efficiency and employee health. Here are the significant aspects of a work environment:
Physical environment
This element is made up of the size, layout and location of a workplace, whether work is conducted indoors or outdoors, the facilities offered in a workplace and the furnishings used while working.
Company culture
This element refers to the way a company and its employees operate, including what effective communication looks like between different levels of staff, employees’ perspective of company leaders, the company’s goals and what the organization values.
Working conditions
This element includes the formal terms under which staff members are hired, such as the rate of pay, contract of employment and length of the workday. It can also cover recreational activities and other initiatives to promote a healthy workplace.
Read more: Guide to Company Culture
Elements of a work environment
Use the following descriptions of each work environment element to identify a positive and productive workplace:
Physical environment
The physical conditions you work under will play a crucial role in enabling you to reach your full potential. Some critical aspects of your physical environment to consider include:
Size
The size of your working area can have an impact on whether you have everything at hand to accomplish your job, while at the same time significantly influencing how you feel at work. To evaluate the size of your workspace, consider the amount of space you have to move freely, whether you have all the equipment you need nearby and if the area is large enough to accommodate all staff members.
Layout
Some indoor workplaces have an open floor plan, while others use cubicles or other dividers to separate spaces. The design of a workplace may depend on the type of work. For example, a more collaborative environment may benefit from an open layout, while a job that requires discretion would better operate with separate offices or cubicles to ensure privacy.
Furnishings
Desks, chairs, conference tables and other workplace furniture can also impact employees on the job. Access to comfortable and adequate seating, clean workspaces and functional desks can ensure indoor workplaces remain efficient. Outdoor workplaces may include comfortable furniture for break times.
Equipment
Some roles require special equipment to do their job, and depending on the company, the employer may or may not provide it. Some roles, such as a mechanic, may be required to bring their own set of tools. Indoor office spaces are more likely to provide the necessary equipment, such as computers, printers and other essential technology used on the job.
Facilities
Other facilities can influence how you feel physically and mentally during your working life. Being able to take a break or go to the bathroom are essential parts of any productive daily routine, so the location of these facilities can also impact the work environment. Additional facilities such as relaxing spaces and on-site gyms can also have a positive influence on employees.
Location
Some roles predominantly work inside, some spend most of their working day outside and certain roles may have a mixture of both indoor and outdoor work. Many employers may provide additional facilities or equipment to ensure employees are comfortable while working and productivity is maintained.
Company culture
Your company’s beliefs and how its goals align with yours can be a substantial factor in your comfortability in the workplace. Here are the significant elements of company culture:
Code of conduct
Some companies may explain their business culture in a formal code of conduct or provide guidelines for employees. These documents can have you following certain conditions when performing tasks as well as when interacting with coworkers, workplace leaders and external stakeholders. These guidelines are often found in an employee handbook.
Encouragement and development
Some employers directly promote collaboration and teamwork, emphasize positive feedback and consistently celebrate employees who succeed. Other employers may provide more constructive feedback to encourage employees to improve.
Company mission statement
This statement is a set of values the company seeks to advance through its work. While these values may not be discussed daily, they guide every task you do and each goal you set as a contributor to the organization.
Read more: What Is Corporate Culture?
Working conditions
The following elements determine what the day-to-day may look like and how your employment impacts areas of your life unrelated to work:
Work-life balance
The number of hours worked each week and when can vary depending on the role, company and industry. Some organizations may promote work-life balance by offering generous paid time off or flexible work schedules. Other employers may encourage employees to work overtime to meet deadlines or provide 24/7 service to clients.
Terms of employment
In addition to set hours, these terms may include whether your work is a temporary contract or permanent employment. This element may also include benefits and paid time off stipulations as well.
Workplace safety
There are nationally mandated workplace safety regulations that all employers must follow. Your employer might display the regulations in public spaces to ensure all employees understand and adhere to these policies. Also, the safe use of equipment, as well as accessibility to exits, emergency equipment and first-aid, impacts this element of working conditions.
Healthy lifestyle
Some employers may encourage employees to stay fit and eat balanced meals to improve their overall well-being. They may even stock healthy snacks, partner with a nearby gym or host team events that incorporate physical activity.
Types of work environments
There are many different types of work environments that include a combination of physical components, company culture and working conditions. What elements make for the best type of work environment depend on an organization’s industry and age, the number of and types of employees, and the ideal environment the organization wants to cultivate.
According to the Holland theory of personality and job compatibility, some environments may be a better match for certain personalities. When considering a work environment, discover the characteristics and values of your personality type to find one that best suits you. Personality-based work environments include:
Realistic
This environment promotes physical activity and may be best for more kinesthetic employees, also called “doers.” Those who work well in this environment are often skilled at and prefer using tools and working with their hands. Jobs with realistic work environments include those in engineering, maintenance and construction.
Investigative
This type of environment is built on critical thinking, experimentation and problem-solving. Much of the work in this environment involves gathering evidence, studying information and learning as well as making conclusions. Employees who are “thinkers” can thrive in these environments, which are often found in careers like healthcare, engineering and technology.
Artistic
This environment encourages innovation and experimentation as well as personal expression. Artistic environments are often best for those known as “creators” who thrive in more flexible and emotional settings. Some careers that work best in this type are in fields like design, fine art and performance.
Social
This type of environment promotes communication, helping, healing and education between employees. Those who do well in this environment are often known as “healers” and have traits such as kindness, empathy and compassion. Careers that typically offer social working environments include education, social work, counseling and nursing.
Enterprising
This work environment also involves communication but has an emphasis in guiding others toward goals. Enterprising environments are best for “persuaders” who thrive on competition and prefer to serve in roles that involve selling, convincing and debating. Some careers that have enterprising environments include real estate, politics and public service and sales.
Conventional
This environment is built on specificity, predictability and organization. Those who prefer traditional environments are often referred to as “organizers” and work best in settings that have clear order, encourage practicality and value dependability. Roles that exist in conventional work environments include those in finance, assistant positions and traditional office settings.
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COMMUNITY
We take pride in honouring responsibilities to our clients, our communities, ourselves and the wider World. We recognise the consequences of our actions and make safety our number one priority in all our working environments. We are environmentally responsible, reducing risk, consumption and waste wherever we can.
In a culturally diverse world we will operate with consistent standards of quality, regardless of geographical location. In our contribution to making the world a safer place, we will conduct our business with equal respect for all people, their communities and their environments.
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OUR QUALITY
The customer is very important, the customer will be followed by the customer. As the land of the land, the mourning nor the corporal of the land, the pillow of the lion.
Any Management System (whether it is quality, environment, energy, etc.) is developed based on PDCA cycle model, which is known as “process-based model system”. So, if an organization wants to fulfill the requirements for a quality management system, it must develop its management system on a process approach. This is a very important principle of quality management, and the new revision of the standard (expected in September 2015) makes an emphasis on “the process approach”. From this point of view, we can say that the internal processes of an organization are very important for delivering quality products or services. But it is not the single one … there are actually, eight quality management principles and any organization must take these into account:
- Customer focus
- Leadership
- Involvement of people
- Process approach
- System approach to management
- Continual improvement
- Factual approach to decision making
- Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
What Is Quality Control (QC)?
Quality control (QC) is a process through which a business seeks to ensure that product quality is maintained or improved. Quality control requires the company to create an environment where management and employees strive for perfection. This is done by training personnel, creating benchmarks for product quality, and testing products to check for statistically significant variations.
A significant aspect of quality control is the establishment of well-defined controls. These controls help standardize both production and reactions to quality issues. Limiting room for error by specifying which production activities are to be completed by which personnel reduces the chance that employees will be involved in tasks for which they do not have adequate training.