HEALTH AND SAFETY

DIND1

Rights To Safe & Healthful Conditions Of Work What does safety and health in the workplace mean?

Safety refers to the physical or environmental conditions of work which comply with prescribed Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Standards and which allow the workers to perform the job without or within acceptable exposure limit to hazards. Occupational safety also refers to practices related to production and work process.

Health means a sound state of the body and mind of the workers that enables the worker or employee to perform the job normally.

RULES AND REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 307ESTABLISHING AN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER IN THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION COMMISSION

Importance of health and safety in the workplace

Effective health and safety in your workplace can help to keep your employees happy and productive, and also reduce the human and business costs of injuries. help you retain staff

maximise employee productivityminimise injury and illness in the

workplace reduce the costs of injury and

workers’ compensationensure you meet your legal

obligations and employee responsibilities.

Occupational accidents and diseases cause human suffering and loss. Their economic cost is high, with some 2 million workers dying each year from work-related accidents and diseases, and the figure is on the increase in spite of efforts to make inroads.

The Philippine Government estimates that 2.2

million Filipino workers in medium and large enterprises enjoy effective occupational safety and health (OSH) protection and services. In other words, 17 of 18 persons in the nation’s workforce of 38.8 million do not benefit from acceptable working conditions. Studies substantiate that OSH conditions in micro-firms and the informal sector pose risks and hazards.

What is the minimum standard on safety and health in the workplace?

The OSH Standards provide that every company shall keep and maintain its workplace free from work hazards that are likely to cause physical harm to the workers or damage to property. Thus, the worker is entitled to be provided by the employer with:

Appropriate seats, lighting and ventilation;Adequate passageways, exits and fire fighting

equipment;Separate facilities for men and women;Appropriate safety devices like protective gears,

masks, helmets, safety boots, coats or first-aid kits;Medicines, medical supplies or first-aid kits;Free medical and dental services and facilities.

3 types of accidents in the workplace

Recommendations to avoid employee error:

Examples of Working Hazards

Health and safety hazards are not limited to workers.

Occupational Health

There is however progress in some aspects of providing health and safety in the workplace.

SOURCES

http://www.slideshare.net/BenedickLedesma/health-and-safety-15497811

http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/122/ http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/UserFiles/oshc2010/file/

OSH_Standards_Amended_1989_Latest.pdf http://www.ilo.org/manila/areasofwork/safety-and-health-at-work/

lang--en/index.htm http://www.ilo.org/safework/countries/asia/philippines/lang--en/

index.htm http://www.bwc.dole.gov.ph/index.php/2-uncategorised/51-rights-to-

safe-healthful-conditions-of-work