Web-based Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)

             From my understandings about this topic, web-based system can assists OSH in keeping the records of past accidents happened in the workplace, the victims and injuries, prevention methods, organizational safety and health act (OSHA), total of workers, types of services and possibilities of exposure to hazard situations and more. By referring to the past workplace accidents records, the management of OSH team can identify and predict which areas have higher accidents possibilities.

As we know, workers are easily exposed to dangerous situations while working, such as spoilt or explosion of chemical substances in the factories or labs, defection of machine in manufacturing factories, fire, construction site, expose to computer for a long period, robbery, and more. Therefore, OSHA helps to reduce these accidents by setting the general industry standards, maritime standards, construction standards, other regulations and procedures, and issues a field operation manual.

It is not only the employers’ responsibility to provide a safety and healthy workplace for the employees, the employees must comply to the act too. Employees should report to employers any occupational injuries and illnesses. These incidents should then be record as a reference for future precautions. Employers should refer to these records and try to do something to avoid the accidents. For example, if there are a few employees reported falling injuries due to the water leakage at the ceiling in their department, employers should hire someone to fix the leakage problem.

The web-based tools that can assists OSH including setting up security system, crime prevention plan, digital technologies and so on. For example, in a science lab, OSH rules and regulations will include wearing appropriate attires, accurate procedures of using tools and equipments, emergency floor plan and more. All these rules will be record in the organization safety online system where the entire entity can always go through it easily.

The additional article reading discusses about the involvement of employees in improving the workplace safety and health. There are four stages to ensure that the employees are committed to improve workplace safety conditions. Firstly, employers should assess the organization for commitment to new project by surveying the employees for their readiness and safety attitudes towards Employment Involvement (EI). Secondly, select and train the suitable committees and facilitators to develop and plan supportive management climate. Next, formulate and implement the proposals and then measure and monitor the progress.                                                                                                                       (392 words)

References:

Bahrin, J.S., Sajahan, M.H., and Hamad, M.N. (2004). Emergency Response Programme in The Petrochemical Industry in Malaysia. Journal of Occupational Safety and Health. Vol.1 No.1, pp. 32-37.

Taylor, G., Easter, K., and Hegney, R. (2004). Enhancing Occupational Safety and Health. Chapter 2: Safety Management and Chapter 14: Health and Safety Management Systems. London: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.

Reese, C.D. (2009). Industrial Safety and Health for Goods and Materials Services. Chapter 6: Safety and Health Management. New York: CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group.

Tompkins, N.C. (2006). A Manager’s Guide to OSHA Revised Edition: What Every Manager Should Know. Part 1: Monitoring Injury and Illness. Boston: Thomson NETg.

Erikson, P.A. (1996). Practical Guide to Occupational Health and Safety. Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Elsevier Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780750671279