CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
Construction industry is known as one of the utmost hazardous activites (Hassan, 2007). In Malaysia, construction of skyscrapers and infrastructure had rapidly constructed due to the rapid influx of human workforce into the construction sites. (Omran, 2010). The increase in mega projects in Malaysia lead to more participation of the human workforce for the past few decades. (Omran, 2010). Hence, the influx of high participants had led to a high fatality rate in construction sites. (Omran, 2010). Health and safety awareness in construction industry is critical nowadays. The construction industry injury statistics reveal that the number of construction workers are injured and killed each year (Hinze, 2013). Besides that, the construction industry also characterized as one with a poor safety culture globally (Omran, 2010). Therefore, health and safety awareness level on construction sites have to improve in order to minimize the fatality rate in the construction industry.
This chapter covers the literature review pertaining to the aspects of health and safety awareness in Malaysia. This literature review covers the definition of health and safety, as well as the term “awareness”. Besides, Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (OSHA) will also be discussed in this chapter. The OSHA will be divided into sections to be discussed, which included OSHA coverage, OSHA record keeping and reporting, OSHA standard, as well
Task 4Ensuring health and safety is an important responsibility not only for the Managers but all associated with the premises. Evaluate your organisation’s health and safety policy and procedures in line with legislative requirements and propose recommendations on how health and safety should be managed
The health and safety at work Act shows that the workplace is fully responsible for providing training and information about health safety and security, a safe work environment (which includes equipment). In order to provide all these responsibilities the workplace needs to develop health and safety procedures such as fire evacuation procedures, train their employers to follow health and safety and use safe equipment, carry out through
Any care practitioner needs to develop awareness about health and safety law and to works in ways that follow the health and safety guidelines, procedures
Due to the high rate of illnesses, accidents and injuries in the industry, the organization further developed a hazard recognition program. This was greatly supported by the directives and the standards the organization drafted. The organization also set a safety and health program. This mainly depended on the credibility of management’s involvement in the program. This program provided for the inclusion of the employees in the program. The program also provided for the inclusion of the employees in the different decision making processes such as the safety and health decisions. The employees were also to be included in the decisions that involved change in the work site practices and conditions. The program addressed hazards despite failure by the government standard to regulate it (Brain Mass, 2010).
2 Explain how and when to report potential health and safety risks that have been identified
When employers hear the word OSHA they fear the worst. However, the purpose of OSHA is to provide a safe working environment for all personnel (Bernardin & Russell, 2013). The majority of the time companies that panic over OSHA is organizations that are lacking knowledge regarding rules and policies. The OSHA website has an abundant amount of resources available for both employees and employers to conduct research as well as training. After visiting the www.OSHA.gov website, the additional recommendations are given to the Dynamic Duo Inc. owners to ensure the company is establishing a safety culture among their employees.
Specific health problems associated with the workplace have contributed to the development of Particular health issues connected with the work environment have added to the advancement of the cutting edge safety and health development. These issues incorporate lung infections in diggers, mercury harming, and lung tumor attached to asbestos. Occupational and Environmental Health Professionals have an above normal extent of all day employments. For Occupational and Environmental Health Professionals working all day, normal week by week hours are 42.3 and profit are high - in the ninth decile. Unemployment for Health Professionals is underneath normal. H&S Professionals have an expansive extent of specialists amongst individuals in the 25-34 age section, making it an energetic and dynamic workplace. The unavoidable consequence of the expanded consideration given to safety and health is that bigger organizations are utilizing safety and health professionals and all organizations big or small are relegating these obligations to existing representatives.
To appoint a recognised and competent contractor. Western Health and Social Care Trust have appointed McLaughlin and Harvey. Western Health and Social Care Trust need to appoint a recognised contractors because if they appoint someone who is not a recognised contractor and something goes wrong with either the building or someone getting hurt then it would be the client getting the blame.
This paper is intended to provide an organized approach for managing Workplace Health and Safety through the development of a management system compliant with the Australian Standard AS4801. In addition to this paper the explanation of relationship between BHP Billiton Limited for the provision of safety related services via a Corporate Service Agreement and specifies responsibilities and accountabilities for the parties.
It is important it have a written work Health and Safety Policy for the organizations and businesses which have management systems. The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 addresses Major Hazard Facilities in Regulation 558 and Schedule 17(1.2) and requires that the Safety Management System includes a Safety Policy, including the operator’s broad aims in relation to the safe operation of the major hazard facility, and that the safety policy must include and express commitment to ongoing improvement of all aspects of the safety management system. A Work Health and Safety Policy is an explicit statement of business commitment to work health and safety. It will include a statement outlining the importance which is placed on work health and safety and how it is to be implemented.
Researcher reviewed that adoption of health and safety measures is important to implement in any workplace as it promotes well-being and disease free environment. As per Health and Safety Act 1974, workers can be assigned for individual responsibility and it can be applied to both employers and employees. This act also ensures that any safety tool or measures cannot be hampered as it is for general interest of staffs, clients and visitors (Zanko and Dawson, 2012).
To guarantee the safety of employees and help prevent injuries and exposure or contact with hazardous or toxic materials on the job, employers must be familiar and comply with the rules and regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and provide a hazard-free work place. The protection of employee health and safety is regulated by the government. Non-compliance or violations of OSHA standards could find employers subject to costly fines, and even worse, injury or death of an employee. This can easily be prevented by employers familiarizing and educating themselves and their employees about creating and maintaining a safe working environment by providing training and having materials easily accessible to employees.
According to a poll taken by Time Magazine (2016), construction workers have the twelfth uppermost dangerous jobs in America. (Johnson, 2016). Construction workers come to their job, with the assumption that they are safe and can perform their job with ease. They do not anticipate getting hurt on the job, but often are subject to injuries or even fatalities. The Occupational Safety and Health act states that employees have the right to a safe work environment, and must ensure that safety measures are provided for these employees. (OSHA.gov, 2016).
In the United States, construction has always been one of the most dangerous industries to work in. The number of fatalities that occur in this industry year after year demonstrate this. In 2014, 19.6% of worker fatalities, in private industry, were in construction (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015) despite the industry comprising only 6.8% of the total work force. This epidemic is not unique to the United States. Essentially every country faces similar problems regarding construction safety. For example, in 2004 the Australian construction industry employed approximately 8% of the countries workforce. However, workers compensation statistics indicated that the industry’s incidence rate was 28.6 per 1000 employees,
An Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) is a planned, documented and verifiable method of managing workplace hazards and their associated risks (Pillay, 2016). An OHSMS provides a structure that allows an organisation to identify and control health and safety risks within the organisation. The implementation of such structures promotes a safe and healthy working environment which, in turn, will reduce the potential for accidents in the workplace whilst aiding legislative compliance and improving the overall performance of the organisation. Comparing and contrasting OHSMSs through the analysis of available literature allows one to determine the most appropriate management system for their organisation.