Safety at Work

Safety is freedom from harm or the danger of harm. The word safety also refers to the precautions people take to prevent accidents. Accidents are a leading cause of death throughout the world. In the United States, for example, about 94,000 people die every year as a result of accidents. About 9 million people are seriously in­jured. Accidents also cost vast sums of money annually in medical expenses and lost income.
Experts called safety engineers work in the field of ac­cident prevention. They design structures and equip­ment to make homes, schools, jobs, roads, and commu­nities safer.

Nevertheless, safety starts with you. Living safely does not mean a dull existence. You can live an active, acci­dent-free life that is full of fun and achievement But you must be aware of possible hazards and take sensible precautions. Most mishaps can be prevented by follow­ing basic safety rules. see also Construction Site Accidents (Fatal).

Safety at work

Workers suffer a variety of disabling injuries annually while at work, lob mishaps result in many lost workdays and cost vast sums.

The careful use of tools, including scissors, knives, hammers, and screwdrivers, is important for all employ­ees, regardless of where they work. Use the right tool forjthe job, and use it correctly. Keep tools in good con­dition, and store them in a safe place. You should also lift heavy objects properly to avoid sprains and strains. Bend your knees to grasp the object, hold it close to your body, and use your leg muscles rather than your back to lift the load. Safety experts recommend special steps to reduce the number and cost of injuries in facto­ries and offices.

In factories. Employers in many countries protect their workers with a wide range of safety devices and regulations. For example, some machines have guards over their moving parts. Many factories also have sprinkler systems or other devices to control fire, barri­ers to prevent falls, and equipment to get rid of dust and fumes. Many workers in factories are required to wear protective equipment, including goggles, ear protec­tors, safety helmets, fire-resistant clothing, and steel­toed shoes.

Professional safety engineers work to control or elim­inate hazards in many factories. They perform regular safety inspections and recommend steps to remove any dangers they find. Safety engineers also conduct safety- training classes for employees. In factories that do not have a full-time safety engineer, committees made up of workers and managers perform safety inspections.

Workers in factories must share the responsibility for safety. They should inspect their workplace and report any hazards that might cause an accident. Employees also should operate machinery correctly and never smoke in no-smoking areas.

In offices, the level of safety is higher than in facto­ries. Nevertheless, office workers must obey basic safety rules. For example, they should walk, not run, on stair­ways and must operate machines and other equipment correctly. Fire safety is especially important in high-rise buildings. Many companies hold fire drills to help em­ployees become familiar with emergency exits and the procedures to follow in case of danger.

In some countries, office staff receive instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), an emergency pro­cedure performed on victims of a heart attack. This tech­nique can keep a person alive until medical help arrives.

Creating a Safety Culture 

By Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye

TheStar/Educate/Sunday, 30 October 2016

THERE have been many accidents involving schoolchildren in recent months. Such accidents have hap­pened in school premises, on roads near the school, and while travelling to and from school.

Incidents of teachers, students and staff being injured or killed due to collapse of building struc­tures, ceiling fans, goal posts and toilets have also been reported over the years.

Recent incidents of primary school pupils dying after being hit by cars or heavy vehicles while crossing the road in front of their school should not be taken lightly, nor should fatal accidents involv­ing children riding on motorcy­cles on their way to school and back.

All relevant parties must draw up an effective action plan to ensure the safety of school chil­dren.

Safety awareness needs to be inculcated among students, teach­ers and other employees such as canteen workers, laboratory assis­tants, security guards, gardeners, cleaners and school crossing guards.

If everyone makes safety their priority, many accidents can be prevented. Through safety and health education, every school will be more capable of dealing with emergencies that might occur.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in its effort to make our schools safe places for study and work, is conducting the “OSH In School” programme to comple­ment initiatives taken by the Education Ministry to make the school a safe place for students, teachers, other staff and visitors such as parents.

The “OSH in School” pro­gramme, which has been introduced in a number of schools, aims to create awareness of safety and health at an early age. It is one of NIOSH’s ongoing corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects and is implemented with sponsor­ship from the corporate sector.

During a recent meeting, Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid agreed to NIOSH’s suggestion for the programme and said he would ask the minis­try’s director-general to take the necessary action.

The programme views the school as a workplace in accord­ance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994.

A school or educational institu­tion is considered “a place of work”, therefore according to the OSHA, employers have to make schools safe and healthy places of work for teachers, students, administrative and support staff as well as visitors.

The programme aims to:

Ensure safety, health and wel­fare for those at work.

Protect the students against risk to safety and health in con­nection with the activities of per­sons at work.

Establish a safe and healthy working environment in schools including the office, laboratory, canteen, toilet, hostel, and fields.

OSH awareness in school can be promoted through OSH educa­tion, information dissemination, training and exhibitions which are NIOSH’s core activities.
The programme will help cre­ate a safety culture in schools.

Students in schools with the OSH programme will have practi­cal knowledge on which they can take with them when they join the workforce.