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Occupational health and safety is the field of public health that studies trends in illnesses and

injuries in the worker population and proposes and implements strategies and regulations to
prevent them. Its scope is broad, encompassing a wide variety of disciplines—from toxicology
and epidemiology to ergonomics and violence prevention.

Historically, the focuses of occupational health and safety efforts have been on manual labor
occupations, such as factory workers. But the field now encompasses all occupations in the
United States. In addition to ensuring our work environments (from construction sites to office
buildings) have safety precautions in place to prevent injuries, experts in occupational health also
work to limit both short- and long-term hazards that could lead to physical or mental illness now
or in the future.

More than three million people suffer some kind of serious work-related injury or illness every
year in the United States. Millions more are exposed to environmental health hazards that could
cause issues years from now. Workers' compensation claims total more than a billion dollars a
week. That doesn’t even account for the loss of wages and other indirect expenses, such as
decreased productivity and the psychological toll of experiencing or caring for someone with an
injury.

With the exception of self-employed individuals and relatives of farm workers, nearly all
employers both private and public have a social and legal responsibility to establish and maintain
a safe and healthy environment. Some are happy to comply for ethical reasons or because
injuries and illnesses can lead to lost productivity, turnover, and higher employer-subsidized
health insurance premiums. It is common for larger employers to establish their own workplace
health and safety initiatives that exceed regulatory requirements.

Occupational health and safety (OHS) relates to health, safety, and welfare issues in the
workplace.

OHS includes the laws, standards, and programs that are aimed at making the workplace better
for workers, along with co-workers, family members, customers, and other stakeholders.
Improving a company's occupational health and safety standards ensures good business, a better
brand image, and higher employee morale.

Occupational health and safety is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the
safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all
occupational health and safety programs is to foster a safe work environment. As a secondary
effect, it may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, suppliers, nearby
communities, and other members of the public who are impacted by the workplace environment.
It may involve interactions among many subject areas, including occupational medicine,
occupational (or industrial) hygiene, public health, safety engineering, chemistry, and health
physics

Human resources professionals are assuming health, safety, and security responsibilities within
organizations. Such responsibilities include the identification of hazardous conditions and
practices, exposure control and mitigation strategies, legal compliance, development of a safety
culture, and measurement of health, safety and security program effectiveness

Interdisciplinary Relationships

Environmental Managers: are those trying to eliminate hazards from the workplace cause many
environmental problems.
Toxicology:
Is the science that studies poison and toxic substances and their mechanisms and effects on living
organisms. In other words toxicology is the study of adverse effects of chemical on biologic
systems, or when a substance has a capacity to produce undesirable physiological effect when the
chemical reached a sufficient concentration at a specific site in the body.
Toxicologists:
Are persons who study poisoning and responsible defining quantitatively the level of exposure at
which harm occurs and they also prescribe precautionary measures and exposure limitations so
that normal recommended use of chemical substance does not result in excessive exposure and
subsequent harm
Ergonomics:
Is a multidisciplinary activity dealing with the interaction between man and his total working
environment plus such traditional environmental elements as atmosphere, heat, light, and sound
as well as all tools and equipment of the work place
Chemical engineers
Are those who design process plant, they choose values, decide on how access will be gained and
how cleaning will take place.
Mechanical engineers
Are those who responsible for choosing materials handling systems or for specifying noise levels
on machinery.
Environmental health professionals:
Are those who apply their knowledge and experience, understand the environmental health
hazards, analyze the technical and social approaches and reduce and eliminate human exposures
and health impacts
Industrial hygienists
Are scientists, engineers, and public health professionals committed to protecting the health
people in the workplace and the community

The research and regulation of occupational safety and health are a relatively recent
phenomenon. As labor movements arose in response to worker concerns in the wake of the
industrial revolution, worker's health entered consideration as a labor-related issue.

In 1840 a Royal Commission published its findings on the state of conditions for the workers of
the mining industry that documented the appallingly dangerous environment that they had to
work in and the high frequency of accidents. The commission sparked public outrage which
resulted in the Mines Act of 1842. The act set up an inspectorate for mines and collieries which
resulted in many prosecutions and safety improvements, and by 1850, inspectors were able to
enter and inspect premises at their discretion.

Although work provides many economic and other benefits, a wide array of workplace hazards
also present risks to the health and safety of people at work. These include but are not limited to,
"chemicals, biological agents, physical factors, adverse ergonomic conditions, allergens, a
complex network of safety risks," and a broad range of psychosocial risk factors. Personal
protective equipment can help protect against many of these hazards.
Physical hazards affect many people in the workplace. Occupational hearing loss is the most
common work-related injury in the United States, with 22 million workers exposed to hazardous
noise levels at work and an estimated million spent annually on worker's compensation for
hearing loss disability. Falls are also a common cause of occupational injuries and fatalities,
especially in construction, extraction, transportation, healthcare, and building cleaning and
maintenance. Machines have moving parts, sharp edges, hot surfaces and other hazards with the
potential to crush, burn, cut, shear, stabor otherwise strike or wound workers if used unsafely.[16]

Biological hazards (biohazards) include infectious microorganisms such as viruses and toxins
produced by those organisms such as anthrax. Biohazards affect workers in many
industries; influenza, for example, affects a broad population of workers Outdoor workers,
including farmers, landscapers, and construction workers, risk exposure to numerous biohazards,
including animal bites and sting from poisonous plants, and diseases transmitted through animals
such as the West Nile virus and Lyme disease. Health care workers, including veterinary
health workers, risk exposure to blood-borne pathogens and various infectious diseases,
especially those that are emerging.

Dangerous chemicals can pose a chemical hazard in the workplace. There are many
classifications of hazardous chemicals, including neurotoxins, immune agents, dermatologic
agents, carcinogens, reproductive toxins, systemic toxins, asthma gens, pneumoconiosis’ agents,
and sensitizers. Authorities such as regulatory agencies set occupational exposure limits to
mitigate the risk of chemical hazards. An international effort is investigating the health effects of
mixtures of chemicals. There is some evidence that certain chemicals are harmful at lower levels
when mixed with one or more other chemicals. This may be particularly important in causing
cancer.

Psychosocial hazards include risks to the mental and emotional well-being of workers, such as
feelings of job insecurity, long work hours, and poor work-life balance. A recent Cochrane
review - using moderate quality evidence - related that the addition of work-directed
interventions for depressed workers receiving clinical interventions reduces the number of lost
work days as compared to clinical interventions alone. This review also demonstrated that the
addition of cognitive behavioral therapy to primary or occupational care and the addition of a
"structured telephone outreach and care management program" to usual care are both effective at
reducing sick leave days.

Specific occupational safety and health risk factors vary depending on the specific sector and
industry. Construction workers might be particularly at risk of falls, for instance, whereas
fishermen might be particularly at risk of drowning. The United States Bureau of Labor
Statistics identifies
the fishing, aviation, lumber, metalworking, agriculture, mining and transportationindustries as
among some of the more dangerous for workers. Similarly psychosocial risks such as violence
are more pronounced for certain occupational groups such as health care employees, police,
correctional officers and teachers.

Healthcare workers are exposed to many hazards that can adversely affect their health and well-
being. Long hours, changing shifts, physically demanding tasks, violence, and exposures to
infectious diseases and harmful chemicals are examples of hazards that put these workers at risk
for illness and injury.

Human resources professionals are assuming health, safety, and security responsibilities within
organizations. Such responsibilities include the identification of hazardous conditions and practices,
exposure control and mitigation strategies, legal compliance, development of a safety culture, and
measurement of health, safety and security program effectiveness.
Occupational health and safety is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety,
health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all occupational health
and safety programs is to foster a safe work environment. As a secondary effect, it may also protect
co-workers, family members, employers, customers, suppliers, nearby communities, and other
members of the public who are impacted by the workplace environment. It may involve interactions
among many subject areas, including occupational medicine, occupational (or industrial) hygiene,
public health, and safety engineering, chemistry, and health physics.
Since 1950, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO)
have shared a common definition of occupational health. It was adopted by the Joint ILO/WHO
Committee on Occupational Health at its first session in 1950 and revised at its twelfth session in
1995. The definition reads: “Occupational health should aim at: the promotion and maintenance of
the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the
prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the
protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; the
placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological
and psychological capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to man and of each man to
his job”.

What does this mean for HRM?

It’s expected that the shift in the HRM paradigm will continue into the 2020s. The driving
forces behind the change include changing technology and changing attitudes toward
talent retention. Another major factor in the change is emphasis being place on succession
planning. With so many CEOs, Presidents, and other major players in companies and
corporations approaching retirement age, the focus on succession planning to ensure
smooth transitions has taken great importance in the role of the HR professional.

Another very significant driving force behind the shifting paradigm within HR is that the
rules have changed. Amid corporate scandals and millions of dollars in misappropriated
funds, new laws and compliance standards were introduced. In addition, health and safety
legislation is always continuing to change and evolve. Keeping abreast of changes in
health and safety legislation is a key component of HRM administration, but not the only
part. Health and Safety legislation also requires that training records are adequately
maintained, and that program administrators are familiar with what laws apply to them.
This can be tricky because health and safety legislation differs between jurisdictions, and
not all businesses are covered by provincial legislation. It’s necessary for HR
professionals to know what legislation applies to their workplace, and then to further
understand how to operate within compliance of that legislation.

What does this mean for Occupation Health and Safety?

Occupation Health and Safety initiatives are part of a strategic approach to HRM. No
longer just a “thing” that companies have to comply with, health and safety is being used
as part of a company’s overall strategy for talent retention, overall objectives, and loss-
time prevention. Consider the benefits of loss-time prevention: the most obvious benefit
is to the bottom line. Healthy employees are productive employees, and productive
employees have very positive effects on the company’s bottom line. When employees
start to feel that their work is unsafe or that their employers do not care about their health
or well-being, productivity may start to slip. Witnessing injuries or having to cover jobs
while other workers are out injured can also impact productivity; as well as morale and
retention.

Investment in health and safety programs, including disability management, proactive


health and wellness programs, preventative measures, and a sound on-boarding and
training program, produces quantifiable bottom-line returns. By using health and safety
to prevent loss-times injuries and keep productivity at a premium, companies are using
health and safety programs to help achieve overall goals and objectives.

Not only can health and safety be a part of a company’s overall success strategy, but it
can also be used as a tool for talent retention. Employee health, safety, and wellness
management are important determinants of employee perceptions regarding fair treatment
by the organization. In fact, a bountiful and comprehensive wellness program can be a
powerful incentive for new talent to strive to work for your company, as well as a strong
retention tool. Health, safety, and wellness programs can include anything from training
and education opportunities, subsidized gym memberships, nutrition counseling, and/or
an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). What is included in a health and wellness
program is limited only by the imagination (and funding) of the organization.

This means that health and safety is in a shifting paradigm too. No longer just something
companies do to remain compliant and avoid tickets or fines, health and safety is
impacting the role of HRM in a company’s overall strategy in a major way. HR
professionals can’t get away with having little to no health and safety knowledge. In
evidence, the Human Resources Professional’s Association in Ontario requires successful
completion of an entire competency in health and safety legislation and program
administration before CHRP hopefuls can write their National Knowledge Exams.
How will this Evolving Relationship look in the Future?

The future is bright for health and safety and HRM. As each field continues to evolve, so
to do they continue to grow together to form one cohesive ideology that promotes
employee wellness and company achievement.

Trends indicate that in the future Human Resource Professionals will be more focused on
health, safety, and wellness than ever before. They will be seeking creative solutions to
reduce job stress, and prevent lost-time claims that are resultant from burnout, stress-
related illnesses, or for first responders; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Benefit plan administrators are also taking a proactive approach to health and safety,
offering many preventative programs to stave off health problems that may result in lost-
time claims down the road, such as nutrition counseling, smoking cessation programs,
and EAPs to help employees deal with a range of issues from work-related problems to
marriage troubles to drug/alcohol, or gambling addictions.

With the rise of Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs), ergonomics is now becoming an active
focus for HR professionals who administer health and safety programs.

The most significant trend in current health and safety is the focus and introduction of
legislation that aims to protect workers from workplace violence, harassment, sexual
violence, and/or sexual harassment. In conjunction with legislation, HR professionals are
putting an emphasis on protecting workers, and helping workers who may have
experienced any form of violence and/or harassment at work. The law mandates that all
workplaces must have a policy and a program to support the policy in place to protect
workers, and it falls to many HR professionals who look after health and safety to
administer this program as well.
Now more than ever, HRM and health and safety are being integrated. That is why it’s
becoming more urgent that HR professionals have a sound and working knowledge of
health and safety principles, program administration, and legislation. It is beneficial to
everyone – the company as a whole, the HR professionals, and the workers.

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