OHS management

Posted: October 17th, 2013

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1. Occupational Health Safety

Occupational Health Safety (OHS) is a discipline engaging in creating a working environment, which is safe. It engages in the affairs of the employees concerning their welfare, health and safety. In secondary effects that align with OHS include the protection of fellow workers, neighboring communities, suppliers, customers, employers, family members and other public members who come into contact with the particular working environment because of one reason or the other. OHS also aids in the reduction of costs of disability, sick leaves, medical care and other costs that relate to poor safety and health measures (Business Government, 2012).

2. Specific Roles

Health and safety representatives play the role of representing the staff in a given work place or work group. They are consulted by the employers if there are any changes to be made, in risk assessment, OHS policy development, hazards investigation, and in training, instruction and OHS information related issues. The role of a supervisor is to make sure that the designated policies and measures are followed. The supervisor endures that workers comply with the safety and health rules, equipment are in place, workers’ advice, writing the instructions being followed by the workers and protect the workers. Health and Safety Committees health and safety committees play the role of the advisory body. They also obtain information about hazards as they identify them, state the corrective actions, resolution of work refusal cases and workplace inspection.

3. Hazards at school, Home, Work and St. George

The main hazards at school include the equipment and machinery used in the extra-curricular activities. The chemicals used in the learning processes and the cleaning chemicals also pose a hazard risk to the students. Dust is a health risk for both the healthy and the students suffering from respiratory diseases. Electrical wirings and appliances pose a safety risk to the people. The buildings and structures are also posing a safety risk if they are incorrectly put up (Education, 2012). Electrical appliances and wiring pose a safety hazard at home. Leaky pipes also pose a safety hazard. Cleaning detergents and other pose a health and a safety hazard. Medication poses a health hazard at home. The kitchen poses a safety hazard since there are fires, cutlery and other gadgets that pose safety risks.

The machinery at work poses a safety hazard in the workplace. The chemicals and other materials used during the production process pose a health hazard. The position of such sensitive areas as the kitchen and the cafeteria pose a health hazard. The worker’s infection of a contagious disease poses a health hazard. The disposal of waste products especially in the production unit poses a health hazard to the employees. The drainage system poses a health and a safety hazard at St. Georges. Some old structures pose a safety hazard to the people. The natural disasters such as the floods pose a safety hazard.

4. OHS Motivators

Injury and illness prevention, industrial relations, and financial reasons become internal motivators for the development of systematic approaches to managing OHS because they negatively affect an organization. The illness and the injury of an employee will cause an organization to lose a resource, finances and it may attract a law suite. Organizations lose many finances due to law suites, healthcare; lose of labor amongst other repercussions of poor safety risk and health management.

5. Sources of OHS

Sources of OHS information under legislation, codes of practice and an organization’s OHS policies and procedures may be retrieved from government’s sites under the desired organization. Information may also be retrieved from union sites.

6. Why visit such sites

When doing manual handling, protective clothes such as gowns, gloves amongst others should be worn. Masks and protective gear should be offered when dealing with hazardous substances. This is the same case applies to hazardous processes. The exposure time should also be limited. The respective personnel (especially those trained in first aid) should do first aid to the injured. The injured should then be taken to the hospital. The health care should be catered for by the organization and other compensations done. The responsibility of OHS is to ensure that the officials are present in order to ensure that health and safety risks are minimize, if not eliminated (Workcover, 2012).

Works Cited

Business Governemnt Australia. Occupational Health and Safety. Business.gov.au., 2012. Web. 14 April, 2012.

Queensland Education. Hazards in School. 2012. Web. 14 April, 2012.

Work cover. Publications. Workcover.nsw, 2012. Web 14 April, 2012.