VETTER E learning course (EN)

As a resource, the workplace is considered effective when it promotes the achievement of organizational business goals, as well as supports employee work performance. Creating such a workplace requires a rich understanding of the organization itself — the day-to-day operations, the work styles of the employees, and the desired culture that will shape the organization’s overall direction. The workplace as a resource becomes more than the built office environment. It includes any location and any situation where an organization’s mission can be accomplished effectively and efficiently by its workforce. The workplace can be a powerful tool for accomplishing organizational business goals. Its success is dependent on an interconnected system of people, place, process, and technology.

Management systems and organisation and management models

As we previously saw in chapter 8, estimating risks and controlling safety systems are key considerations when talking of the organization of work. Every business must operate on the principle of risk reduction, minimizing exposure to the worst potential levels of health and safety dangers that might harm employees. To achieve this, a specific model or system of organization and administration of workplace safety must be adopted, and every employee who works for a company must actively participate in it.

But what does management system or business organization and management model mean? In order to be valid, a management system or an organization and business management model must ensure the fulfillment of all legal obligations relating to compliance with technical-structural standards, risk assessment activities, the nature of the organisation, surveillance healthcare, information and training of workers and supervisory activities, based on the acquisition of documentation, certifications required by law and periodic checks of the application and effectiveness of the procedures adopted. Additionally, in order for the system and the organization and management model to be effective, companies both must internally allow for appropriate registration procedures and guarantee that subjects with the requisite technical abilities are used to verify, assess, manage, and control risk.  To achieve one or more goals, it is first required to identify who does what, what are the responsibilities and authority of individuals who operate inside the structure. The accomplishment of any goal in the face of a plethora of factors that cannot be quickly considered and assessed indicates the complexity of the business and necessitates reasonably solid and enduring organizational behavior over time. Therefore, it is essential to understand the responsibilities and behavioral guidelines for all individuals involved in prevention in order to examine firm management. The company that decides to apply such systems or models plans and schedules the safety activities, optimizes the cost/benefit ratio, controls the evolution of the work on the basis of suitable indicators, reshapes the plans for the following year also in the light experience and budget analyses.

The various phases and activities are:

• Initial exam: it consists in highlighting the characteristics of the company, such as the context or the dimensions and the allocation, the activity carried out, the production typologies, the different tasks, etc. etc. to then arrive at the construction of both the function chart and the corporate organization chart to define the various tasks and roles, identifying the types and resources of the company;

• Security policy: it consists in defining the general commitments for risk prevention and the progressive improvement of health and safety, identifying the requirements of the applicable laws and regulations. To carry out correct planning it is necessary to be able to identify all the dangers, evaluate the risks for all workers, evaluate the processes, operational and organizational activities, dangerous substances and preparations as well as the machines used and also identify other potentially exposed subjects such as, for for example, self-employed workers, employees of third parties and occasional visitors

• The implementation of the model takes place by setting specific objectives, which are achievable and congruous with the general commitments defined in the policy, developing programs to achieve them by defining priorities, times and responsibilities. In this phase, it becomes fundamental and important both to assign the necessary resources and to establish, immediately, which will be the most appropriate ways to manage the programs and to make the corporate structure aware of the achievement of the pre-established objectives in terms of procedures and practices; Correct communication at various levels is also fundamental. 

• Monitoring and system review and improvement: for correct use of the system, it is essential to carry out its constant monitoring and review through verification and inspection actions to ensure that the system works, by initiating the appropriate corrective and preventive actions.

Finally, after reviewing the system, its adequacy with respect to the specific company reality and internal/external changes must be assessed, modifying, if necessary, the health and safety policy and objectives: this system is not closed, but constantly evolving.

Personal Protective Equipment: how to get safe at work

More than 800 people are injured at work every day. Although they do not eliminate hazards, personal protective equipment (PPE) reduces the consequences and help companies reduce the costs of accidents, offering from head protection to respiratory protection, eye protection, hearing protection, hand protection to foot protection and protective clothing. PPE includes all devices worn at work to protect against adverse health consequences. Personal protective equipment must not only ensure the protection of the worker, but must retain this capacity throughout the period of its use. And it goes without saying that the devices must also be properly maintained through specific procedures and controlled processes.

To prevent occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, some businesses combined PPE with other control measures to ensure a safe and healthy environment for their workers. Here are some benefits of using PPEs:

• Prevent unnecessary injury in the workplace;

• protect employees from excessive chemical exposure;

• prevent the spread of germs and infectious diseases including COVID-19;

• help businesses comply with regulatory requirements (e.g., The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 that’s recently been extended to limb workers); and

• improve employee productivity and efficiency.

However, even the strictest controls will not necessarily eliminate all the risks associated with most job tasks and this is where the need for PPE must be evaluated. A hazard assessment can help identify which specialized PPE will be required. There are numerous types of workplace safety equipment available depending on the hazard exposure and work conditions. The following are basic PPE that can help protect employees

:

• Face and Eye Protection: PPE includes safety goggles and face shields and should be used for tasks that can cause eye damage or loss of vision, sprays of toxic liquids, splashes, and burns;

• Respiratory Protection: PPE includes full-face respirators, self-contained breathing apparatus, gas masks, N95 respirators, and surgical masks are used for a task that can cause inhalation of harmful materials to enter the body. This includes harmful gas, chemicals, large-particle droplets, sprays, splashes, or splatter that may contain viruses and bacteria such as COVID-19, viral infections, and more;

• Head Protection: PPE includes hard hats and headgears and should be required for tasks that can cause any force or object falling to the head;

• Body Protection: PPE includes safety vests and suits that can be used for tasks that can cause body injuries from extreme temperatures, flames and sparks, toxic chemicals, insect bites and radiation;

• Hands Protection: PPE includes safety gloves and should be used for tasks that can cause hand and skin burns, absorption of harmful substances, cuts, fractures or amputations;

• Foot Protection: PPE includes knee pads and safety boots and should be used for tasks that can cause serious foot and leg injuries from falling or rolling objects, hot substances, electrical hazards, and slippery surfaces;

• Fall Protection: PPE includes safety harnesses and lanyards and should be strictly used for tasks that can cause falling from heights and serious injury or death;

• Hearing Protection: PPE includes ear muffs and plugs and should be used for tasks that can cause hearing problems and loss of hearing.