Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in the workplace. Essay

occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in the employment requires co-operation from both employers and employees to ensure that the engage office staff is a healthy and honest milieu. Both employees and employers ar required to co-operate by the rights and responsibilities that atomic number 18 set for them.OH&S is the safety procedures in place in every enterprise to ensure both the health and safety of individually and every employee.It is the responsibility of employers, who are legally (due to the OH&S fiddle 1996, 2001 amendment) and chastely obliged to provide a safe and healthy environment. It is also the employees responsibility to co-operate with employers in maintaining health and safety at pass away.Read more(prenominal) Measures that prevent fires from starting essayEmployers are required to-Provide a safe and healthy workplace-Provide and maintain a safe system of work-Provide the required resources (safety clothing & equipment)-Provide information and training for employees to work in a safe and healthy environment-Provide a process to identify, assess and past eliminate unsafe practices and make believes-All relevant laws must be followed-Ensure that employees carry step to the fore workplace rules.In the same way, employees have the right to be provided with the above-named elements from their employers.It is also the employees obligation to abide by these regulations. Any employee who fails to bump their responsibilities can be disciplined under award conditions.WorkCover is also accountable for safety in the workplace. They are required to conduct regular checks in the workplace to ensure that the OHS act is being followed and that hazards are kept to a minimum.In most states, workers are represented through either an OHS typical or an OHS Committee depending on the size of the enterprise.Hazards are categorised into 4 different sections Physical, Chemical, Ergonomic and Biological.It is important to be aware that a hazard do es not have to be seen for it to exist. Quite often hazards you cant see such as ultra violet radiation, are plainly appreciated when it is alike late to prevent damage.Many hazards have been make seen in the workplace. Some of these includeExposed wiresPower leads on groundEquipment in walkwaysTemperature often too hot or too coldGlare from windows and lightsThese hazards can be fixed by ensuring that the OHS direction is kept informed of these problems, and they can then ensure that they are fixed, in cases such as exposed wires. Things such as anti-glare screens can solicitude the prevent the glare on the computer screens, and also moving employees desks away(predicate) from the air-conditioning vent can help with the temperature problems.Another cause for concern is the ergonomic factors. People do not sit in their chairs correctly and are causing backaches and injuries. To prevent injuries you should haveFeet flat on the floorKnees at a 90 degree angleBack at 90-100 degr eesRelaxed shoulders and arm supportEmployees should take regular breaks and use their workstations ergonomically so that fewer injuries occur. there are also a few more Acts such as the anti Discrimination Act (1977) and the energize Discrimination Act 1984 and Workers allowance Act 1987, which are all there to protect employees in the workplace.The Anti Discrimination Act aims to protect all employees in the work environment from being discriminated against on many things such asRace intensityReligionGenderAgeSexualityIf an employee feels as though they are being discriminated against, for any of the fore mentioned things then they should first try to come out the perpetrator and ask them to stop. If this behaviour continues, or they feel they cannot approach the perpetrator then they should report immediately to their employer or supervisor for further action.The Sex Discrimination Act aims to protect employees from being familiarly harassed by someone in the workplace. Sexua l harassment is any unwanted attention in an incorrect manner, whether it beMaking sexual commentsMaking sexual gesturesAsking someone out on a date unceasinglySending inappropriate materialsAgain if this happens, you should approach the perpetrator and let them know how you are feeling. If this behaviour continues, or they feel they cannot approach the perpetrator then they should report immediately to their employer or supervisor for further action.The Workers compensation Act is where employers insure workers against the possibility of suffering injury arising out of or in the course of employment. If an injury does occur the worker can apply for Workers fee where they can receive money to cover their losses, and to pay for medical treatment. Workers Compensation can also be paid to the families of workers who die because of a work injury.In conclusion, it is evident that co-operation from both employers and their employees is needed to ensure that the work place is a healthy a nd safeenvironment, with the help of legislations along the way.