In the industrial and manufacturing sectors, but also in construction, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is a major issue. To avoid risks to worker’s physical and mental health, it is essential to implement protective measures. The employer therefore has responsibilities and a specific objective: to provide a healthy and safe workplace. Nevertheless, the actions taken may not be sufficient. So how do you identify whether the system in place is excellent or poor?

What is a poor OHS?

• Not having OHS objectives: not having objectives is the same as implementing actions without a specific goal. Unfortunately, this often leads to failing results. Some companies, for example, set a “zero accident” objective and implement indicators to measure their progress in this framework.
• Not analyzing the risks and not having prioritized the risks: some companies ignore the need to assess the risks of accidents in their work environment. Yet, this is crucial since it is the main way to capitalize on health and safety. Also, this is useful in order to establish a single document of risk assessment (DUERP in French).
• Not informing the worker about the risks to which he is exposed: this is done first by an assessment of risks made by the company. Then, the results must be communicated to workers since this is among his rights. This includes the various risks such as hazards related to his physical and psychosocial health in the context of the company’s activities.
• Not knowing its legal requirements: laws have been put in place to ensure OHS. Ignoring these requirements exposes workers to workplace hazards, but also exposes the employer to problems with inspections. It is therefore essential for the employer to call in an auditor, for example, to verify that its activities are in compliance with the Labor Code and that it is doing due diligence, etc.
• Not securing its equipment: the Labor Code has defined certain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure the health and safety of workers (hard hats, respirators, safety shoes, etc.). If these materials are not properly used or maintained, employees are easily exposed to occupational hazards.
• Considering employee behavior as the sole cause of events: this type of problem is common, yet it can be avoided. For example, by establishing an OHS assessment, you can identify other causes of the issues. Sometimes the failure comes from a poor organization of the hierarchy, a poor training or a weak OHS communication system.

OHS Excellence Explained

• Have well-defined OHS goals: this can be a goal that concerns the company as a whole or a group of workers. In terms of Occupational Health and Safety, it is essential to note that contractors must now submit to obligations of result. This means that the company must have the objective of ensuring not only the physical health of workers, but also take into account their mental health.
• Training its workers and managers: training is among the main obligations of the employer. To deal with a hazardous workplace, workers must undergo learning that allows them to manage those risks. For example, they must be trained in the use of PPE, the use of certain machines, what to do if they come into contact with hazardous materials, etc. All these actions contribute to the establishment of a healthy and safe working environment.
• Carry out internal and external audits: many companies call on employees or a specialized firm to carry out an OHS audit. This tool is effective insofar as it allows to make an assessment of health and safety and identify vulnerabilities in this area.
• Determine its level of legal compliance: to do this, the employer can use a professional. The latter will inform him on his rights and duties, but also on the standards and regulations put in place in the context of health and safety at work. The organization would then be able to see if it is compliant or not and establish corrective actions.
• Possess preventive KPIs: Key Performance Indicators or KPIs are useful in order to measure if the objectives have been achieved or not. In terms of occupational health and safety, some examples of KPIs are: the percentage of OHS communication performed compared to that planned, the frequency of accidents and occupational illnesses, the cost of accidents to the company, etc.
• Tracking corrective actions of events : following a study of the results, you must be able to understand the causes of anomalies and failures. This will enable you to correct the root causes of events and inform you of the steps to take to avoid these risks in the future. On the other hand, it also implies the need for consistency between words and actions.

An effective way to achieve your OHS goals

Setting OHS goals may require some study and time. However, taking action to achieve them requires even more effort! Some companies therefore call upon external organizations to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. In order to carry out a risk assessment and a vulnerability assessment, the company can use an auditor or an auditing firm.

As for the application of the measures advised by these professionals, it is advisable to invest in training workers. This will help them be better prepared to put into practice the protective actions necessary for their activity. Global Formation provides qualified professionals to train your workers. Experienced, they are in the best position to teach employees how to apply protective measures and ensure better health and safety within the company. With the PAELO app, teaching is done online and uses tools that make learning even more effective and efficient!