Every company and organization in the world promulgates health and safety codes and regulations to eliminate the incidence of work-related accidents. Employees have the prerogative to be protected against injury, illness and all other types of accidents. The right to security is one of the most fundamental for all businesses. However, this does not mean that accidents have been completely eliminated from the workplace.
In fact, many things still need to be improved, and the path to achieving 100% safety in all workplaces is still arduous, not least because there are many variables that must be taken into account depending on the sector or of the business niche in which the company operates. opera.
Here are some of the aspects that must always be evaluated when it comes to accidents at work, either to declare them or to reduce their incidence.
Should it be reported?
Not all workplace accidents are serious. While some leave the victim with lasting health damage and can significantly reduce quality of life, others are so minor they may even go unnoticed. For example, you could trip and fall or cut your hand slightly while operating machinery. You might be tempted to think that these injuries should not be reported, as the physical discomfort is minimal and there are usually no long-term effects to worry about.
However, even if your injuries are not as serious, it is still important to discuss them with management. For example, being injured while working on machinery may have been a minor issue for you, but another employee may be injured more seriously due to a machine malfunction that you failed to report. Informing your manager of the problem ensures follow-up and an objective assessment of the situation to determine the reason for the accident.
Suppose you believe your injury is the direct result of your employer’s or supervisor’s negligence. In this case, you can contact https://www.accidentclaims.co.uk/ to discuss the amount of compensation you may receive. The amount depends on the part of the body affected, as well as whether or not there is lasting damage associated with your injuries that affects your quality of life.
The number of injured
All over the world, countries and administrative regions have comprehensive data on the number of workers injured on the job in a given year. In the European Union, there have been 2.7 million non-fatal work accidents that resulted in four or more days off work to allow workers to fully recover. Tragically, more than 3,000 workplace accidents have been fatal. The values were, however, slightly lower than those recorded in 2019. However, this could also be explained by the reduction in activity in several sectors as a result of the pandemic.
In the UK, health and safety statistics show that nearly 2 million people suffer from work-related illnesses. Of that number, a significant portion, more than 900,000 workers, believe their workplace has caused them to suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. Nearly 480,000 have developed a musculoskeletal disorder as a result of their work environment, while 123,000 say they have been exposed to COVID-19 and contracted it while working. Around 3,000 of them ended up with serious lifelong complications from previous exposure to asbestos in the workplace.
The figures stand at 36.8 million working days lost due to accidents and occupational diseases, figures which are also correlated with the fact that the employees concerned have to face lower wages. The estimated costs associated with injuries are nearly £20 billion. These statistics show that even though the number of people injured on the job has decreased over the years, the percentage of people who are injured on the job remains significant.
Industrial disasters can cause hundreds of deaths and disable many employees for life. In India in 2021, a federal minister informed parliament that at least 6,500 people have lost their lives in work-related accidents in mines, ports, factories and construction sites over the past five years.
Prevention
While the complete elimination of accidents may remain an impossible task, this does not mean that preventing them as much as possible and trying to reduce their number is a futile quest. Raising awareness and demand for safer work procedures ensures that more workers can perform their jobs safely.
Conducting risk assessments on a regular basis is one of the most important aspects, especially in the case of companies that are constantly developing and whose processes are constantly changing. Audits should include the equipment used, the workload each employee must perform, as well as risks specific to certain demographic groups of employees, such as pregnant women or people with disabilities.
Workers should also have proper training before beginning any task. If your roles within the company change, additional training should be provided. This is essential both for your personal safety and for the health and safety of everyone else working with you.
If risks are identified during the assessment, they must be dealt with quickly and effectively. Neglecting a minor problem with machinery, for example, can make it worse and potentially cause major damage. Employees must also actively participate in this effort. After all, they are the ones who directly and regularly run the processes.
Artificial intelligence
With technological solutions becoming more and more common in all industries, it is natural to expect new tools to be incorporated into the workplace safety process. The integration of artificial intelligence in the field of occupational safety can reduce the number of potential risks in the workplace. The system can collect and use data to determine the most likely causes of accidents and eliminate hazards before they even occur. Reporting tools can also become more efficient, making procedures much faster overall, as well as much more secure.
The importance of workplace safety measures cannot be overstated. When companies value safety, they create a better working environment and can even save lives.
Latest posts by Answer Prime (see all)