Why is occupational health and safety important?
The protection of the health and safety of all employees is vital to the success of all organizations. Poor performance in occupational health and safety (OHS) can take a heavy financial toll on any business, not to mention the human cost of work-related illness, injury, and fatality. In our continually changing workplace environment, the effective assessment and management of OHS issues is paramount.
How can occupational health and safety be managed?
Organizations can help to protect themselves and their employees by implementing an occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS). Such a system helps to ensure that your business:
- Has an effective OHS policy and objectives
- Can establish, assess, and review its own OHS procedures
- Can demonstrate its commitment to OHS to others, via self-declaration or certification.
Reduce workplace illness and injury
This is the primary aim of an effective OHSMS. The implementation of such a system can also help your business to deal with the legal imperatives, ethical concerns, industrial relations considerations relating to workplace safety, and to improve its financial performance.
AS/NZS 4801:2001 is used as the benchmark to assess Occupational Health & Safety Management systems for organizations. Whilst this is an Australian/ New Zealand Standard, organizations in other countries have adopted the requirements.