Why Occupational Health and Safety Is Important
9 days ago
3 min read

Why Occupational Health and Safety Is Important

Health and Safety Qatar
Health and Safety Qatar

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) fixes attention to protecting employees in the workplace from accidents, injuries, and exposure to dangerous substances. While accidents can occur anytime, it is still the employer’s obligation to ensure that they do something to decrease the risk of incidents and maintain a safe working environment. Giving priority to Occupational Health and Safety Qatar at your business or workplace has many vital benefits, including:

  • Decreased risk of accidents or injuries by pinpointing and extenuating hazards.

  • Increased efficiency and productivity because of fewer number of employees missing work from illness or injury.

  • Enhanced employee relations and morale (a safer work environment leads to a less stressful work environment).

  • Decreased costs related to accidents or injuries (healthcare and rehabilitative costs, loss of productivity, effect on employees’ health and happiness).

  • Decreased insurance premiums owing to fewer number of workplace incidents and workers’ compensation claims.

It’s a fact that all industries have safety hazards of some kind. The most important aspect of a good policy for Occupational health and safety Qatar is pinpointing these hazards and ensuring that workers receive the training, safety equipment, and different resources needed to work safely. Failure to put into effect effective policies and precautions can bring about injuries, decreased productivity because of the absence or loss of skilled labor, workers’ compensation claims; and probably penalties from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

There are various hazards workers are likely to be exposed to depending on their industry, such as:

Physical hazards - They are environmental elements that can cause injuries. These include exposed electrical wiring, falling objects, wet floors, and various conditions that can lead to slips, falls, cuts, or related injuries. Certain physical hazards don’t necessarily need to make physical contact to bring about harm, for instance excessive noise levels, heat, & pressure.

Biological hazards - They can bring about diseases, infections, and various serious health conditions. Mold and fungi, blood and other bodily fluids, bacteria, viruses, sewage, and vermin are some examples of biological hazards. The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is critical to help prevent exposure to biological hazards and to protect the health of workers.

Chemical hazards - They may be inhaled in the form of gases or vapors or come in contact with skin in the form of a liquid or solid. They can trigger skin irritation, burns, respiratory problems, blindness, and various serious health complications. Chemicals like cleaning products, acids, pesticides, & petroleum products must be handled properly with suitable PPE to prevent exposure.

Ergonomic hazards – They put strain on muscles, tendons, and various connective tissues of the body. They can be because of bad posture, not using dollies and other mechanical assistance, including repetitive or awkward lifting/movement. They can result in musculoskeletal injuries, for example muscle sprains, ruptured or herniated discs, and carpal tunnel.

The Sum Up

To sum up, for avoiding and mitigating all kinds of hazards at a workplace, it’s important that employers establish adequate measures for occupational health and safety at their business.