FEATURES - HEALTH AND SAFETY
Health and safety in a timber processing environment can be a challenge . Image : Pixabay
Safe and sound
– worker health and safety
Nothing is more important to this industry than the health and safety of its workers .
By Kelly-Ann Prinsloo
Workplace health and safety can be a challenge . If you work in a processing factory , you probably work with large and complex machinery , or unusual environments . You might work on a conveyor line , for example , and experience time pressures and production deadlines , repetitive work movements , heavy lifting , and sharp tools ( such as blades ). A workplace injury can have a huge effect on your whole life . For people working in a processing factory , some of their body parts most often affected by injury are the hands , finger and thumbs . Wrist and shoulder injuries are also very common .
Keeping yourself safe , and doing your part to maintain the safety of the environment around you , is vitally important .
The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires employers to bring about and maintain , as far as reasonably practicable , a work environment that is safe and without risk to the health of the workers . This means that the employer must ensure that the workplace is free of hazardous substances , such as benzene , chlorine and micro-organisms , articles , equipment and processes that may cause injury , damage or disease . Where this is not possible , the employer must inform workers of these dangers , how they may be prevented , and how to work safely , and provide other protective measures for a safe workplace .
However , it is not expected of the employer to take sole responsibility for health and safety . The act is based on the principle that dangers in the workplace must be addressed by communication and cooperation between the workers and the employer .
A BURDEN SHARED
The workers and the employer must share the responsibility for health and safety in the workplace . Both parties must pro-actively identify dangers and develop control measures to make the workplace safe .
Your employer has the main responsibility for health and safety at your workplace . Your employer must ensure that your factory is safe and will not damage your health or that of your co-workers . This means :
• Providing a safe workplace . This includes your physical work environment and the equipment and any chemicals you use , as well as the work methods and processes you use to do your job .
• Checking your workplace regularly for anything that may cause illness or injury , and fixing any problems as soon as possible .
• Providing you with the information , instruction , supervision and training you need to do your job safely .
• Talking with you , or talking to your elected employees ’ safety representatives about health and safety issues .
52 FEB / MARCH 2017 //