Section

Chapter: Management of the Working Environment

OBJECTIVES After reading this chapter, you should be able to answer the following exam type questions: 1. What should the SHE policy contain? 2. Devise a SHE policy statement. 3. Describe some preventative measures to reduce the frequency and severity of accidents. 4. List some typical hazards found in the workplace. 5. How can you say that fire is one of the greatest work hazards and what steps can be taken to prevent it? Understanding SHE Safety, Health and Environment should be a concern for both management and workers. Each year around the globe thousands of accidents occur in large and small organizations. Apart from losing many man hours organizations also bear economic cost of accidents. These accidents can be avoided by ensuring safe working environment for workers and by enforcing health and safety rules and regulations. Both parties i.e. the employers and the employees should follow health and safety regulations so that work hazards can be avoided. Surveys show that the highest number of fatalities occur in construction, transportation and public utilities, agriculture, forestry, and fishing services/businesses. SHE Policy Statement The SHE policy should contain a statement of intent by the employer to safeguard the safety, health and environment law in letter and spirit. A notification of responsibility i.e. in the event the management is responsible for safety and protection of the employees and the environment they work in. Detailed health and safety arrangements as applicable for dangerous work and harmful substances. General aspects of working methods, such as keeping the work area tidy, regular inspection and testing of equipment, medical facilities, procedure for reporting accidents, hazards etc.

Management of the Working Environment

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SAFETY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT POLICY STATEMENT The mission of SNS (Pvt) Ltd is to produce quality garments, to meet the clothing requirements of fashion seekers, to maximize the share holders value with safe and environmentally friendly approach. SNS attaches greatest value to its personnel namely the employees who constitute its most productive asset. SNS further believes that the safety and health of its personnel are a matter of paramount concern and accords it the same importance and priority as for production of garments. SNS strives to prevent all possible accidents, incidents, injuries and occupational illnesses. SNS, through participation of its personnel, will make continuous and dedicated efforts to protect the environment. SNS is committed to: 1. reflect its commitment to excellence in Safety, Health and Environment (SHE). SHE policy promotes garments manufacturing in a manner that protects the safety and health of its personnel and the public. 2. give priority to SHE in the planning and execution of all production activities and maintain compliance with all relevant and applicable state/provincial regulations. 3. provide the training to all the personnel on SHE in their respective areas of work. 4. create awareness on SHE and develop the required level of skills and knowledge in all personnel through need based training and internal communication. 5. maintain good house keeping practices in the factory premises. 6. eliminate, minimize and control adverse environmental impacts and occupational health and safety risks by adopting SHE practices at all levels of function. 7. prevent all work place injuries and illnesses, environmental incidents, and property losses or damages. All personnel have a personal responsibility to prevent injury and loss to themselves and a duty to care for others. 8. provide a safe place in which to work with safe means of access and egress. 9. arrange for the safe use, handling, storage and transport of articles, materials and chemical substances. 10. develop appropriate management procedures and consultative arrangements to monitor SHE Policy. While the ultimate responsibility for the factory safety and environmental health rests with the Director SNS, responsibility is devolved to all Heads of the Departments and Section Managers to ensure adequate implementation of the institute SHE policy in their respective areas. ABC Director SNS

Management of the Working Environment

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Efforts to reduce risks Though there is loss of human life if accidents occur at workplace, but apart from this organizations have to bear the economic cost also. It is therefore important for managers to make efforts to reduce risk factors. Some of the measures that might reduce the frequency and severity of accidents include the following: 1. Implementation of safety rules and regulations. 2. Effective participation and discussion of managers, workers and health and safety experts. 3. Written and verbal safety instructions for workers. 4. Encouraging workers having good safety record. 5. Designing systems that reduce risk and minimize dangerous material handling. 6. Developing a good maintenance program, creating safety awareness and arranging training sessions for workers. Typical workplace hazards Although there is no comprehensive list of hazards that occur in the work place, however the following are some of the typical work hazards: 1. Tables, chairs and desks that are placed too close to the doors 2. Trailing electrical wires and unsafe electric plugs 3. Torn carpets and uprooted wooden floors 4. Poorly lit corridors, staircases, production halls and rooms 5. Top heavy filing cabinets 6. Untrained workers handling machines that may cause injuries if handled improperly 7. Unmarked transparent glass plate doors and window panes 8. Lifting heavy objects 9. Removing safety guard or other precautionary devices on a machine 10. Wet floors 11. Uncomfortable stools and chairs 13. Temporary blockage or closure of fire exit doors 14. Noise 15. Heat, humidity and improper ventilation 16. New technology hazards like, VDU characters, brightness, movement and glare Fire the greatest danger Fire is probably the greatest danger we face, both at work and in the home. One spark, forgotten burning cigarette or an electrical fault is all that is needed to start a disastrous fire. A small spark can turn a fifty storey building to ashes in few hours. Rightly said that if one plays with fire then one may get burnt. Several measures can be adopted to prevent workers and the workplace from this hazard, some of them are listed below.
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It is important to equip buildings and work area with warning equipment, this may be manual like ringing bells or automatic like modern heat detector control systems. Fire fighting equipment including extinguishers, sand buckets, hosepipes and sprinklers must be arranged in a working order. This equipment may not be enough to fight fire therefore fire brigade must be called for the purpose. Escape routes must be identified, proper exit doors and corridors leading to them must be labeled and signposted. All obstructions should be removed from the passages Employees must be given training to escape the building in case of a fire.

Management of the Working Environment

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