Month: October 2021

What Should Be the Role of NGOs in Promoting Health & Safety Culture?

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The manner tasks are performed at the workplace, particularly shared terminology and what matters to managers and employees, is referred to as work environment. Instead of relating to a company’s particular safety policy, safety culture refers to the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors in the workplace, executives, management, and owners with regards to workplace safety. A strong and effective health and safety program rely heavily on healthy safety culture in the workplace.

Every culture is distinct, with subcultures based on level, profession, tenure, and ethnicity. Leadership, managerial, and supervisory styles and objectives, peer pressure, workplace circumstances, and design and production logistics are all variables that impact workplace culture. Culture is a mysterious aspect that emerges from a mix of deliberate and unintentional cause and effect outcomes.

The significance of culture:

There are so many clichés about the value of company culture that the concept of a strong culture has become a cliché. We frequently just nod and go on. However, it is significant. Many of our accredited companies already have solid OHS management systems in place, as well as high levels of OHS training, top-of-the-line equipment, and efficient monitoring mechanisms. Despite this, events involving safety continue to occur. Trend research among these organisations frequently uncovers similar basic reasons, which are frequently centered on a lack of safety culture.

Enhancing Your Company’s Health and Safety Management system:

Enhancing health and safety practices has a beneficial impact on health and safety culture, which leads to a work environment that values health and safety.

Strengthening an organization’s health and safety management system and productivity clearly demonstrates that the organization values:

  • Injury prevention
  • Risk reduction
  • Occupational health and safety issues are being addressed.
  • Investing in prevention and control measures
  • Enlisting the participation of the entire workforce in health and safety initiatives
  • Transparency and openness when it comes to health and safety
  • Leading the way in terms of health and safety performance and striving for continuous improvement

Top 6 Signs That Your Company’s Health and Safety Culture Is Broken:

1. Security does not begin at the top:

Once your senior team is fully committed to safety, the rest of the firm will follow. People are influenced by what they see. It will, on the other hand, bring your entire safety culture to a halt. Ensure that all of your executives, managers and supervisors are following your safety strategy.

2. Inadequate communication among divisions or branches:

Make sure you have a clear plan in place that outlines specific duties for each department and team member. Uncertainty leads to flaws in your safety strategy. Ensure that plans are reasserted on a regular basis and that each department is informed of every aspect of the plan, with the end objective of the complete safety system’s success.

3. Accident and event reporting that has not been completed:

It was observed that the majority of workers failed to inform their supervisors of any safety issues. Allow your employees to remedy or at the very least report safety problems before they occur. Your company should accurately report any incidents and occurrences, as well as assist in the improvement of your safety plan and the strengthening of your safety culture.

4. Assigning blame:

It is widely assumed that individuals directly involved in an accident bear culpability. Everyone should be responsible for their own safety. Individuals are frequently blamed when injuries occur.

5. Expense and a totalitarian focus on profitability:

In some organizations, profitability is the only thing that matters. Safety and health are regarded as extra expenses. Corporations do not want to spend money on suitable PPE and other equipment, overworked personnel, or a cost-cutting strategy. In the long run, an emphasis on safety will save businesses money. Investing in your safety policy, both economically and culturally, is always a good idea.

6. Following up or improving after an occurrence is avoided:

Accidents can happen at any time, even with the best training and precautions. If an accident occurs on your job site, you should assess your safety culture and take steps to prevent future incidents. This will help to promote the good culture of your company. The majority of the time, companies merely document the mishap and file it away without conducting any further investigation or follow-up.

“Correspondence based on mutual trust shared ideas of the significance of safety, and trust in the efficacy of preventative actions” describe organizations with a positive safety culture. This viewpoint has led to a growing awareness of the need of addressing safety culture, and good management of safety performance will undoubtedly assist you in improving your organization’s health and safety culture. Check out the health and safety software.

For progress, global health research is critical. The unequal distribution of scientific research and finances directed toward communities experiencing the world’s most serious health problems is a big concern. This disparity is encouraging huge efforts to refocus research on low- and middle-income countries’ health issues. The Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) began to examine the role of NGOs in global health research after the Coalition for Global Health Research – Canada (CGHRC) was established in 2001. This article examines some of the current thinking and aims to elicit new ideas on how NGOs may play a more active role in this area.

NGOs are involved in all stages of the research cycle, helping to ensure that the study is relevant and effective, as well as identifying priorities and translating knowledge into action. They play an important role in stewardship (promoting and campaigning for important global health research), research resource mobilization, knowledge generation, utilization, and control, and capacity building. However, NGOs’ participation in research is usually in the aftermath of knowledge production, and it typically consists of a collaboration with universities or specific research bodies.

There are subgroups based on rank, occupation, tenure, and ethnicity in every culture. Workplace culture is influenced by a variety of factors, including leadership, managerial, and supervisory personalities and objectives, peer pressure, workplace situations, and design and production logistics. Culture is a strange phenomenon that results from a combination of purposeful and unintended action and reaction results.

NGOs are involved in all stages of the research cycle, helping to ensure that the study is relevant and effective, as well as identifying priorities and translating knowledge into action. They play an important role in stewardship (promoting and campaigning for important global health research), research resource mobilization, knowledge generation, utilization, and control, and capacity building. However, NGOs’ participation in research is usually in the aftermath of knowledge production, and it typically consists of a collaboration with universities or specific research bodies.

There are subgroups based on rank, occupation, tenure, and ethnicity in every culture. Workplace culture is influenced by a variety of factors, including leadership, managerial, and supervisory personalities and objectives, peer pressure, workplace situations, and design and production logistics. Culture is a strange phenomenon that results from a combination of purposeful and unintended action and reaction results.

How To Encourage Employees To Speak About Mental Health?

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Employees usually assume that their mental health problems will be treated differently than their physical health problems. For example, an employee may feel that if they take time off work – even substantial time off – for a medical condition, their employer will be more understanding. When an employee, on the other hand, admits to having a mental health problem, they typically fear that they will be recognized for it for the rest of their lives.

We all know that there are managers who believe that enduring very difficult work environments with punishing hours is a need for advancement.

How can you encourage people to speak up at work? We just attended a mental health first aid training, and it was obvious that some workers do not want to speak to their managers about their mental health for fear of it being recorded on their records. How can you encourage people to speak out at work?

Employees will only reveal their medical issues if they are certain that they will be understood, that they will not be unfairly evaluated, and that their careers will not be harmed as a result.

Many management teams have adopted an open-door policy in recent years, allowing employees to come forward with their issues. However, this does not always imply that every employee will feel comfortable speaking out when it comes to their mental health. Just have a look at the best health and safety software.

Poor mental health affects or has affected one out of every five persons. We spend the majority of our time at work, where we develop friends and earn a living. Having satisfying work can improve one’s mental health and well-being. Work, on the other hand, can sometimes be the source of poor mental health, leading to absenteeism. Employers, on the other hand, may do a lot to encourage employees to talk about their mental health.

The goal is to create an open and friendly atmosphere at work, where individuals feel comfortable speaking up about their mental health. There’s a lot you can do as an employer to assist your employees, whether it’s checking in with them or encouraging them to come to you.

It’s difficult for someone to speak up about their mental health, especially if you’re the first person they’ve told about it (as an employer). Make certain they are aware that you are willing to assist them. Talking honestly about mental health in the workplace can help it become a more common subject of conversation. You should ask your workers open-ended, non-judgmental questions and allow them to clarify their requirements.

In today’s business, listening is an extremely valuable ability. Employees are more likely to come to you when they need someone to listen to them if they believe you listen to them and act on their recommendations. The capacity to listen and take in information will inspire them to approach their mental health in the same way.

You may have a combination of external and internal services, which you should share with your staff, and HR departments are critical in assisting employers with mental health issues. Some businesses have also made it possible for employees to become Mental Health First Responders. Encourage any employee or colleague who is worried or displaying indications of poor mental health to seek help from the options available to them. There are also third-party resources available to assist. Health and safety software can easily manage all these things.

Mental health is a topic that is as personal as it gets. As an employer, you should make it clear from the start that any information provided by employees will be kept private. This type of sensitive information should only be shared with a small number of people (Easy to manage all these things in Health and safety software).

One-on-one catch-up sessions may be quite beneficial. Of course, depending on the scale of your organization, this may not always be practical, but they’re a wonderful way to start a dialogue about mental health. This time may be utilized to discuss a variety of topics, including work, personal concerns, and the employee’s mental health. Encourage them to seek help or share the help that is available to them if there is something that is hurting them.

Employees will understand that mental health matters and that transparency is vital if you build a working culture where you speak freely about mental health and all of the tools you have available. If you know someone who is suffering from mental illness, you might organize meetings to address the issue and just be there to listen and assist them. This will make your office a more friendly environment for everyone! Some companies have also encouraged workers to share their personal experiences to encourage others to do the same.

It’s usual for employees – and bosses – to become engrossed in their job and lose track of the hours of the day, which, if it becomes a habit, may negatively impact their personal lives. Your workplace should be professional, but it should also have a laid-back, patient, and upbeat atmosphere. Offering mental health benefits such as a Book Club or Yoga Club can be beneficial in reducing stress and providing an opportunity to unwind.

Employees should be encouraged to take their vacation time and work the hours that have been assigned to them. Of course, this does not mean that you are never permitted to work late, but if you observe an employee working longer than their authorized hours and appears to be suffering from their burden, it may be time to inquire about their situation and whether they want assistance. You need good health & safety management software to manage all these things.

When it comes to vacations and time away from the workplace, employees frequently follow their boss’s lead. If you are contacting and replying to clients while on vacation, they may feel obligated to do the same (regardless of whether you want them to or not).

Addressing mental health at work may appear to be a daunting undertaking, but it begins with modest actions to ensure that your staff feels comfortable discussing their mental health with you as if it were a physical ailment. To break the stigma around mental health, it should be discussed freely and honestly in all offices.

5 Dangers of Working Around Heavy Equipment and How to Stay Safe

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People who work with heavy machinery, or who supervise people who do, are aware that the tasks are inherently dangerous. When operating on or around heavy machinery, workers are frequently injured by rollovers, collisions, and being caught in or between collisions. Understanding the hazards and taking the necessary actions to mitigate them, on the other hand, helps keep individuals safe. Massive equipment and materials are employed in almost all construction projects to fulfill tasks and serve numerous functions.

Heavy machinery is an essential aspect of today’s construction projects, whether it’s for a new home or routine road repairs. Excavators and pavers are examples of heavy equipment that enable construction workers to complete more work in less time. Heavy equipment, while useful for getting more work done faster, can also be dangerous if not used properly. Check out the best occupational health and safety software.

Massive equipment and materials are employed in almost all construction projects to fulfill tasks and serve numerous functions. Heavy machinery is an essential aspect of today’s construction projects, whether it’s for a new home or routine road repairs. Excavators and pavers are examples of heavy equipment that enable construction workers to complete more work in less time. Heavy equipment, while useful for getting more work done faster, can also be dangerous if not used properly.

Here are five of the most serious threats, as well as the measures that can be taken to avoid them:

1. Operator Training for Heavy Equipment:

Employees should be taught how to use all of the equipment they will be working with safely. Classroom and practical hands-on learning should be used to deliver training. Safety, danger detection, equipment safety features, and safe heavy equipment maneuvering are just a few of the issues that should be discussed. Employees should be taught how to mount and uninstall equipment safely, as well as how to start it up properly.

They should be aware of the lifting loads and load capabilities of the equipment they will be working with. Restructuring and refresher programs should be provided as needed, particularly if an employee is caught operating equipment in a dangerous or unintended manner. For any reason, only trained personnel should be permitted to operate machinery.

2. Equipment for Entering and Exiting:

That would go without saying, but there is a correct and wrong method to mount and remove heavy equipment, depending on the number of accidents workers sustain each year. Maintain three points of contact when climbing onto equipment, just as you would when ascending a ladder.

When entering or exiting the taxi, never take anything with you. To exit, never leap out of the truck or off the gear. Entering or exiting machinery that is moving or in use is never a good idea. Make that the equipment is totally turned off, the parking brake is engaged, and any hydraulic pressure is released. To avoid any illegal use, make sure you take the keys with you.

3. Heavy Equipment Safety and Communications:

Risk control entails a set of instructions for dealing with potentially dangerous situations. Hazards should be avoided if at all possible, or at the very least replaced with something less dangerous. If this isn’t achievable, risk controls must be implemented to prevent or limit the risk of harm or injury. Workplace health and safety standards require that workplace risks and risk controls be communicated. Hazard communications must be used in the “highest order” according to the law.

High-order risk controls send out safety warnings right away. Non-mistakable signage that clearly indicates existing hazards and prescribes safe procedures for personnel exposed to them are examples of high-order communication. Lower-order hazard controls explain the safety precautions that workers must take when working near potentially risky equipment. A lower-level communication approach is prescribing the appropriate personal protective equipment. Specifying safe workplace behaviors such as de-energizing equipment and locking out activation devices is also important.

4. Having a Program for Employee Training:

You can set up a certification programmed if your employees aren’t already certified to operate heavy machines. Certification will verify that each employee is capable of manoeuvring and operating various units safely. In the event of an emergency, the software will also protect your firm. You’ll also want to teach your staff how to use each piece of machinery they’ll be using on the job.

To evaluate equipment safety features, identify risks, manoeuvre safely, and comprehend precautionary measures, an ongoing training programmed should involve both didactic and fingertips learning. Extra training is necessary, as are follow-up courses. You can examine one-on-one approaches and mandate more training if you think someone isn’t following the proper procedures. You can create a more in-depth approach to keep your team safe by creating an equipment safety plan based on your individual Jobsite applications and surroundings.

5. Before using the equipment, inspect it:

Before every usage, thoroughly check heavy equipment to make sure it is in good working order. Inspect for signs of damage on the tyres and tracks. Before starting up the machine for the first session each day, you should at the very least check fluid levels such as engine oil and hydraulic fluid and oil levels. Check for cracks and deterioration in hydraulic hoses, buckets, booms, and other components.

Ensure that all attachments are securely fastened. When the equipment is turned on, double-check that the lights, gauges, horns, and backup alarms are all operational. Ensure that all arms, shovels, buckets, and other tools are fully extended in all directions. Check to see if the cab can spin in all directions if it does. Never use machinery that isn’t working or appears to be broken. Not only must you affect the device further, but this could be a major safety concern if not repaired before use.

Other Things to Keep in Mind:

Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as mittens, eye protection, strong boots, and protective clothing at all times. Make sure you’re loading and unloading equipment on flat ground to minimize redemptions when getting it on or off the vehicle or truck. When repairing or doing maintenance on equipment, use lock-out/tag-out processes. Use fasteners to restrict the tires and make sure the parking brakes are applied. Occupational Health and Safety management software offer the most intuitive and comprehensive functionality on the market. Operating with or around heavy machinery should be included in your overall safety plan. The dangers and hazards of working with heavy machinery should be taught to all employees.