Why Health And Safety Programs Are So Important In The Workplace

According to OSHA, nearly 2 million injuries occur on the job each year. This means 50 injuries per minute. Even more staggering, 4,400 people die on the job each year. While these numbers are tragically high, they were even higher in the past when workplace safety programs were not enforced. This fact alone shows us just how important health and safety programs are.

In this article, we will outline exactly what a health and safety program is and how such a plan benefits businesses and workers.

What is a health and safety program?

Essentially, a health and safety program is a well-defined plan or set of operating procedures that aim at eliminating workplace injuries. Each plan is specific to the workplace in question.

A common example of a work environment in which a safety plan would be required would be one in which individuals are working close to an unrestrained edge. An employer would implement a plan in which workers are required to wear some type of fall arrest equipment when working within a defined distance of an unsecured edge.

“Another workplace setting in which a health and safety plan would be required is one in which hazardous or otherwise harmful substances are used. All labs and manufacturing firms that deal with these types of chemicals have practices set in place to reduce or eliminate accidents,” says Carl Simons, a health writer at UK Writings and State Of Writing.

Health and Safety plans also help to set standards in the workplace. These standards can include items such as how long employees are allowed to work in certain environments, how long they can be exposed to certain conditions, as well as the minimum accepted quality of safety equipment.

Benefits of implementing a health and safety program at the workplace

The most apparent benefit of health and safety programs in the workplace is the minimization of work-related injuries and deaths. Aside from this, there are several easily quantifiable benefits to the employer as well. Over the last few decades, employers have begun to realize the importance of safety, not just for the health of their employees but also for the profitability of their business. Let’s look at some of the most apparent benefits.

Injuries cost money

The last century has seen major innovations in the realm of labor laws and workers’ rights. Never have workers been so protected. This means the potential of large financial liabilities for employers should an employee become seriously injured or killed on their watch. Individuals who have suffered severe injuries or families who have lost a loved one, while working in unsafe conditions are often entitled to large sums of money as compensation. By implementing a health and safety plan not only does an employer minimize the chance of a costly injury or death, but it also helps them mitigate some legal liability in the unfortunate event that such an event occurs.

Increase in productivity

Employers spend a large amount of time and money training employees and providing them enough time to gain the experience necessary to operate productively. “When an employee like this cannot come to work due to injury they must be replaced by a new, inexperienced, individual, or in some cases not replaced at all. This is particularly evident in the realm of professional sports,” explains Hillary Phillips, an HR at OXEssays and Essay Writing Service. Teams spend lots of time ensuring their star players are in good health because replacing them will be very costly.

Employees who feel safe at work are also much more likely to perform better than those who are concerned about their well being.

Decrease insurance premiums

Companies that have few injuries over long periods end up paying less in insurance costs. What a company invests in a safety program and its implementation can be recuperated in part by lower insurance premiums.

Better public perception

A major injury or death is simply bad optics for a company. For example, mining companies that have a poor safety record often have a harder time receiving community support in some areas than those that have an excellent safety reputation

As outlined above, a health and safety program is not only important for the well being of workers but it also has tangible benefits for employers. The investment that companies make in the development and implementation of such programs is always recuperated through increased productivity and lower legal liabilities.

Bea Potter is a marketing professional at Do My Assignment and Assignment Help Perth.

She writes about safety in workplace and education. Also, Bea is a content manager at Assignment Writing Service.