Accounting technicians scheme west africa
Health and Safety at Work
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- Navigate this page:
- What is Safety and Health
- 8.10.1 Importance of Health and Safety at Work
- 8.10.2 Health and Safety Regulations and Legislations
| 8.10 Health and Safety at Work Despite the level of development in a country like the United Kingdom, it was estimated that over 500 people are killed at work every year and several hundred thousand more are injured or suffer ill health (Armstrong, 2006). The equivalent figures for West African countries will be much higher. This underscores the importance of effectively managing health and safety at work. In this segment, we will discuss causes of accidents and sources of danger at the workplace and how they can be prevented. We will also discuss various legislations relating to workplace health and safety. What is Safety and Health Webster defines a) Safety - as freedom from danger, injury or damage security. b) Health - as physical and mental well-being; freedom from disease, pain or defect normality of physical and mental functions soundness. c) Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) "To assure as far as possible every workingman and woman in the nation, safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources. 8.10.1 Importance of Health and Safety at Work (i) It is important to achieve the highest standard of health and safety at the workplace because ill-health and injuries result in loss and damage for the organization. Losses could be as a result of legal fees, fires, compensatory damage, lost production, lost goodwill from workers, customers and the wider community. ii) Health and safety at the workplace is also important because it safeguards the health and safety of workers. Morally, no worker should be made to work where his/her welfare is at risk. iii) Inmost countries, there are statutes on health and safety issues which organizations must comply with. Failure to do this, might attract government sanctions. 8.10.2 Health and Safety Regulations and Legislations National Policy on Occupational Safety and Health (2006) The National Policy on Occupational Safety and Health, a guide to Occupational Safety and Health in Nigeria is the government’s approach for achieving a National development philosophy of building a united, self-reliant and egalitarian economy through minimising so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes and effects of hazards 352 inherent in the working environment in response to her ratification of Convention 155 on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Environment. The Policy came into force in November, 2006. The goals of the Policy are to a) Facilitate improvement of occupational safety and health performance by providing the framework for participative occupational safety and health protection of workers including the most vulnerable groups in all sectors of economic activities. b) Ensure harmonization of workers rights protection with regional and international standards in a private sector-led economic growth thus, focusing the role of the competent authority in facilitating an enabling environment and regulating various provisions for securing safety, health and welfare of workers in Nigerian workplaces. The objectives area) To create a general framework for the improvement of working conditions and the working environment. b) To prevent accidents and departures from health arising out of or in the course of work. c) To ensure the provision of occupational safety and health services to workers in all sectors of economic activity. The scope of the Policy covers both the formal and informal sectors of the economy protection of all categories of workers from undue persecution, effective communication and cooperation amongst all stakeholders prevention and control of hazards from all forms of occupational exposure provision of health surveillance and emergency medical services training in the area of occupational health and safety and the gathering and storage of information pertaining to occupational safety and health amongst other area of focus. In Nigeria, Health and Safety legislation are found in the common laws, Factories Act Cap 26, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 and the Workmen’s Compensation Act Cap 470, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990. Nigeria is also a member of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and is a signatory to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 155 titled Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981. Apart from common laws of Ghana, health and safety issues are dealt within the Factories, Offices and Shops Act, 1970, Labour Act of 2003 and the Workman Compensation Act. Like Nigeria, Ghana is also a signatory to the ILO convention 155 of 1981 on health and safety at work. Download 3.37 Mb. Share with your friends:
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