Over 2.3 million individuals die each year because of work-related accidents and illnesses. Injuries at the workplace occur at a rate of 317 million per year, many of which ends in lengthy absences from the workplace and there is an enormous human and financial expense to this everyday challenge.
Although work provides many economic and other benefits, a wide array of workplace hazards (also known as unsafe working conditions) also present risks to the health and safety of people at work. These include but are not limited to chemicals, biological agents, physical factors, adverse ergonomic conditions, allergens, a complex network of safety risks and a broad range of psychosocial risk factors. Many people are affected by diseases such as skin cancer and musculoskeletal disorders, back aches and joint aches that develop as a result of exposure to workplace hazards.
Workplace health and safety has a substantial impact on businesses bottom line. Costs associated with injuries or incidents far outweigh the costs of prevention, before considering the negative publicity and its impact on customers and stakeholders. What’s more, when incidents occur, and the right measures are not in place, costly fines and penalties can hit hard affecting both the business and employees personally. According to research, economic recession or pressure to maximize profits cannot justify cutting corners in workplace safety. Failure to do so comes at a high price such as injuries and illnesses which can lead to loss of productivity.
We have learned from past crises that workplaces can be of vital importance to prevent and control disease outbreaks. Adequate safety and health measures at work can play a crucial role in containing the spread of the disease, while protecting workers and society at large. Each of us is responsible for stopping deaths and injuries on the job. As the government is responsible for providing the infrastructural frameworks — laws and services — necessary to ensure that workers remain employable and that enterprises flourish including the development of a national policy and programme and a system of inspection to enforce compliance with occupational safety and health legislation; employers are responsible for ensuring that the working environment is safe and healthy by being ergonomically compliant and mandating the use of personal protective equipment. As workers, we are responsible to work safely and to protect ourselves, not to endanger others, to know our rights and to participate in the implementation of preventive measures.
