Occupational Safety and Health Policy in Zip Company - Case Study Example

Management Name Institution Implementation of the OHS administration structure is through training the employees on techniques to avoid and moderate threats, and dangers in the workplace. The employees of the company become proficient with the ways of evaluating and avoiding hazards and risks to their health. The firm also implements security and health care system by following the laws and policies put in place by the government. They ensure employees are well aware of the laws and regulations. This makes the implementation process easy. The OSHMS implementation in the organization is through hazard prevention measures. Employees receive protective clothes and gas masks to avoid health hazards. The company also implements OSH by purchasing firefighting equipment, and including other security measures like emergency exit. These safety measures can save the employees in case of an emergency (Pardy, 2009). Evaluation of the OSH is through conducting periodic audits using competent persons. This establishes if the OSHMS put in place is effective in preventing or avoiding the health hazards and risks. Since there are individuals directly affected by the auditing activity, it is imperative that they get involved in auditing process. Evaluation can be by conducting interviews to employees and through observation. The employees’ feedback also plays a significant compromise in evaluating an OSHMS. On the other hand, evaluation of the OSH is by carrying out research in the company to achieve the existing hazards and the risk that still pose a challenge to the employees’ health. Evaluation can also occur by monitoring and measuring the performance of the workers. When the audit reports are given out, they are compared with the results of the previous audits and the chief potential risks are determined. The company may appoint a qualified team to investigate the work related risks and hazards in the organization and by so doing the OSH is evaluated (Muto, 2001). OSHMS of Zip Company Legal Requirements Policy 1. Occupational Safety and Health plans 2. Worker participation Organizing 1. Responsibility and accountability 2. Competence and training 3. Occupational safety and health Management system documentation Planning and Implementation 1. Initial review 2. Hazard prevention 3. Disaster avoidance awareness and reaction Evaluation 1. Routine sustenance and assessment 2. Analysis of injuries emanating from work and their effects on wellbeing and fitness 3. Review Actions for Improvement 1. Preventive and corrective action 2. Continual improvement OSHMS of Zip Company Legal Requirements Zip Company should continually improve facts in relation to OSH matters in the workplace. It is the responsibility of the safety director to review and improve internal processes in line with governmental and industry changes through regular review. This includes; • Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 (WA). • Employees’ Safety and Health Regulations 1996 (WA) Policy a. Occupational Safety and Health Policy Zip Company ensures every employee is exposed to a healthy and safe working environment. It is the responsibility of the company to facilitate the evaluation, reduction and avoidance of risks and hazard in the organization. Zip main objective is to safeguard employees’ and customers’ health. Zip Company strives to meet all state policies and regulation regarding employees’ safety in the work environment. Safety measures have been put in place to prevent injuries in the company. Every member of the company has to abide by the measures in place to ensure safety in the organization (Muto, 2010). The health safety policies and requirements in the company are essential in controlling and mitigating the risks and hazards prone to the members. Every employee is expected to meet the required to comply with them to ensure the objective is achieved. Zip Company ensures all employees undergo necessary training in order to be competent with the required measures. The employees are not charged for the training (Salvendy, 2012). Zip Company employees have the obligation to follow all the security measures and policy to ensure their own safety. All employees in the lab section are supposed to have their aprons and gas masks on whenever they are in the lab. Also the chemicals should not be handled without gloves. All the members of the organization are requested to abide by the company rules in place (Hollenbalback, 2007). b. Worker Participation Zip Company ensures that the employees are involved in the OSH management system of the organization. Zip Company strives to ensure that workers and their safety and health representatives are informed, consulted and trained on all aspects of OSH, including emergency cases associated with their work. The company has ensured employees and their safety and health representatives to take the time and resources to participate actively in the processes of organizing, design and implementation of the OSH management system. Zip Company has ensured the establishment of an efficient operating of a safety and health committee in accordance with state laws and practice (Salvendy, 2012). Organizing a. Responsibility and accountability Every employer in the company has a responsibility for protection of other workers' safety and health and provides guidance for OSH activities in the organization. Zip Agencies has allocated responsibility, power and authority for the development, and performance of the OSH management system and the implementation of the relevant OSH objectives. The company has ensured that there are provisions in place, which should: Ensure that OSH management function is known and accepted at all levels of the company Identify, alert and inform all members of the organization the task, responsibility and authority of persons who understand or control OSH risks and hazards (Muto, 2010). Ensure effective guidance to enhance the safety of employees’ safety and health. Enhance cooperation and communication among employees of the organization, including workers and their representatives, to implement the OSH management system in the organization. Fulfill the objectives of OSH management systems contained in relevant national guidelines or volunteer programs, to which the agency inscribes. Ensure and implement a comprehensive OSH policy and realistic objectives. Establish strategic arrangements to identify and eliminate or control work-related risks, and promote health standards at work. b. Competence and training Every member of the company is required carry out the safety and health details of their duties. Each employee is supposed to be competent enough in order to identify and control work related risks and hazards (Fang, 2006). To ensure competence among the members of the organization, Zip Company carries out right trainings. The trainings; Cover all organization members Are conducted by qualified persons Provides required skills at different levels Involve the employees of Zip Company and every member of the organization has to be conversant with them as assessment is done on a frequent basis. The training programs, are made to ensure efficiency and readiness Get delivered according to gender age and physical fitness of individual employees. Every employee of the organization has the right to acquire the trainings at his or her own will. But it is the responsibility of the management to ensure it is available to all members (CCH Editors 2009). c. Occupational safety and health care system documentation The company ensures the OSH training and activities are documented. The documents covers; • The OSH design and policy of the organization; • The allocated significant OSH leadership roles and responsibilities for the implementation of the OSH management system; • The regular OSH hazards and risks arising from the organization's activities, and the procedure for their prevention and control; and The OSH management system documentation is clearly written then presented in a way that is easy to understand by those who have to use it. It is continually reviewed, revised and easily accessible to all affected members of the organization (Hollenback, 2007). Planning and Implementation a. Initial review Review in Zip Company is carried out by authorized representatives from the senior management. They ask the workers in the company and their representatives. The representatives determine the applicable laws regulations and the requirements to which the company is subscribed to (Richthofen, 2002). They understand and assess the various risks and hazards to the employees’ safety and health arising from the prevailing work environment. Their purpose is to determine whether the existing or planned measures are competent in countering the risks and hazards. Planning in the company ensures continual improvement in the OSH effectiveness (Konwowski, 2005). b. Hazard prevention Zip Company has employed administrative control measures, which reduce the hazards and risks. The company has provided personal protective equipment to the employees. The workers have gas masks and aprons provided to them by the company free of charge. This is an attempt by the company to reduce or eliminate the risks and hazards (Muto, 2010). The management of the company has ensured that the company is complying with federal laws and regulations. The framework reflects good practice as far as corruption is concerned. The company carries out work place hazard determination if there is a modification or change in the working methods or tools. In case of change, it ensures that all members of the company are informed and well trained (Pardy, 2009). c. Emergency prevention, preparedness and response Disaster avoidance and reaction preparations need to be recognized and upheld. The organization’s preparations recognize latent catastrophes and disaster incidences. It follows that they address the decrease of OSH dangers related to the accidents. Conducting measures are in accordance to the size and type of agency. They: Guarantee that the necessary information and domestic affairs are available to assure protection for all people in the event of emergencies at the workplace. Present information to the pertinent, skilled agencies, and disaster reaction services Focused on first-aid kits as well as firefighting apparatus at workplace The corporation provided the appropriate information and training for its employees. These services are at all standards for awareness and retort activities. Management of change There is need to assess the effect on OSH domestic transformations as well as external factors of change. This relies on the fact that there are transformations on federal laws and policies, organizational mergers, and developments in OSH reports. As a result, necessary mitigation measures are imperative before implementation of the changes. It is imperative to carry out a work environment hazard identification and analysis before any modification or onset of new work methods, or machinery. Carrying out of this assessment should be in line with consultation of workers and their representatives as well as safety and health committee. Implementation of change should ensure that all the members of the company are well informed and trained (Salvendy 2012). Evaluation a. Performance monitoring and evaluation Zip Company has put in place Policies to ensure OSH system is modified and improved frequently to ensure its efficiency. The management of the company monitors the system to ensure safety of the employees. Monitoring in the company helps in determining the progress level in the safety policies and regulations. It helps in assessing the effectiveness of the system in ensuring the members safety. It also ensures all the potential risks and hazards are mitigated. • Includes active and reactive monitoring, b. Investigation of work-related injuries, ill health, diseases and incidents, and their impact on safety and health performance Zip Company investigates the main causes of work-related injuries, ill health and incidents. The company identifies the failures in the OSH management system, and they are documented The institution employs qualified persons to carry out investigations. It also involves the participation of workers and their representatives. The results are directed to the committee for required advice and recommendations. c. Audit The company conducts periodic audits to determine whether the OSH management system and its elements are in order, adequate, and effective in safeguarding the safety and health of workers. An audit policy and the program has been developed, which includes a specification of auditor competency, the frequency of audits, and reporting (CCH Editors, 2009). Actions for Improvement a. Preventive and corrective action From the audit report, the company board is aware of the potential risks and hazards so it takes precautions, and it corrects where it failed. It may devise new policies and regulations or adopt a new OHS system all together (Fang 2006). b. Continual improvement The company maintains the already existing measures and improves on them with the implementation of new policies and laws. The company does not convey new policies, but they keep making improvements to the already existing OHS policy. The company hires an outside team to inspect and audit the OHS then they work on the loopholes and develop the whole system (Pardy, 2009). Conclusion For the OHS management system to be effective and sustainable to an organization, it should include the following characteristics: It should have a transparent management system, which is a commitment to safety It should be Sound security and established strategy It should improve Safety to be a line management responsibility It must have acceptable security advisers to ensure its success It must hold high, clearly understood, safety standards It should incorporate techniques and procedures used to Measure Safety Performance Level in the organisation It must have reasonable safety targets and objectives for the organization It must include audits of safety policies standards and practices for the organisation It should develop effective and periodic safety training programmes in the organisation, which will insure competence among the employees. It should include a thorough investigation, research and follow-up of injuries & incidents It should increase strong incentive, advice and links to the members of the organisation (Koh & Sang, 2001). References Editors, C. (2009). Planning Occupational Health & Safety. Sidney: CCH Australia Limited. Fang, D. (2006). Proceedings of CIB W99 International Conference on Global Unity for Safety & Health in Construction: 28-30 June 2006, Beijing, China. Beijing: 清华大学出版社有限公司. Hollenback, C. (2007). Industrial Hygiene & Safety Auditing: A Manual for Practice. Chicago: AIHA. Kanwowski, w. (2005). Handbook of Standards and Guidelines in Ergonomics and Human Factors. Kentucky: Routledge. Muto, T. (2010). Asian Perspectives and Evidence on Health Promotion and Education. Beijing: Springer. Pardy, W. (2009). Integrated Management Systems: Leading Strategies and Solutions. labrodor: Government Institutes. Richthofen, W. V. (2002). Labour Inspection: A Guide to the Profession. Berlin: International Labour Organization. Salvendy, G. (2012). Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics. Beiging: John Wiley & Sons,. Sang, D. K. (2001). Textbook of Occupational Medicine Practice. Beijing: World Scientific,. Z10-Committee, A. (2005). ANSI/AIHA Z10-2005 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. Beijing: AIHA. Read More