True Cost of Poor Workplace Safety
True cost of poor workplace safety can be significant and very harmful to everyone interacting with the business with poorly managed Health and Safety. It can be a reason for significant business costs. More importantly, it can have distressing human costs.
Implementing and managing Health and Safety procedures in the workplace is not an optional addon to regular business activity. It is a legal requirement. It is also a moral and ethical obligation. Excuses, such as ‘health and safety is not necessary in our case’, ‘it’s just bureaucracy and unnecessary paperwork’ and ‘we don’t need it – we know what we are doing’ are not acceptable. All workplaces should strive to achieve a workplace which is a safe workplace as much as it is feasible. All work related injuries should be brought as close to zero as possible.
It is sometimes that employees themselves approach Health and Safety procedures lightly. Even if warned about dangers, they might abandon correct Health and Safety procedures to ‘speed up’ or avoid doing ‘extra work’. This is often guided by the misconception that they will be able ‘to see’ if anything dangerous starts developing and adjust themselves to avoid disaster’ – which is almost never true. In fact, danger started to develop the moment Health and Safety policies were ignored.
The Ultimate Price of Poor Workplace Safety
There is no such a thing as ‘light’ work-related injury. All injuries can take a heavy toll to everyone involved. Unfortunately, some injuries could be fatal. Sadly, this is the ultimate true cost of poor workplace safety.
In 2022 there were 26 workplace related fatalities in Ireland. 26 people left their home, their families never to return home. You can read more about Workplace Fatalities from 2017 to 2022 in our blog entry from 30th June 2023 Health and Safety in the Workplace.
Workplace accidents and their prevention are key priorities of anyone at work. This is not only true for employers but employees as well. You can read more about Workplace Accidents and Their Prevention in our blog entry Health and Safety in the Workplace from 21st April 2023.
From the PRESS
The following contains few of countless examples that demonstrate true cost of poor workplace safety:
Man, 20s, dies in Carlow road tragedy after reportedly falling from truck
A man in his 20s has died following a road traffic accident in Carlow when he reportedly fell from a truck.
The tragic incident took place in the College Green area of Carlow town on 16th August 2023 at 1:30pm on Wednesday afternoon.
Gardaí are investigating the circumstances of the man’s death to determine the exact cause.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána told The Irish Mirror: “It’s reported that a male in his 20s received fatal injuries after falling from a truck during the course of his work.
Male worker, 26, dies after suffering ‘severe head injuries’ in ‘heavy machinery incident’ at construction site of Everton’s new stadium – the football club says everyone is ‘heartbroken’ by the death as investigation is launched (UK)
A 26-year-old construction worker has died after suffering ‘severe head injuries’ in an incident at site of Everton’s new stadium.
First responders were called to the site at Bramley Moore Dock around 12.32pm on 14th August 2023 following a ‘major incident’ that allegedly involved heavy machinery.
The worker was rushed to hospital but despite medics’ best efforts, he died.
Construction company Laing O’Rourke confirmed to MailOnline the man was carrying out work at the time of his death as Everton FC described the news as ‘heartbreaking’.
Investigators with Merseyside Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) remain at the scene as they ‘continue with the early stages of the investigation’.
Workers from the site at Bramley Moore Dock said they were informed of the incident and then asked to leave the area, but couldn’t share more details, The Liverpool Echo reported.
Local reports indicate the incident involved heavy machinery and the 26-year-old suffered head injuries.
Farm Safety Week 2020 – Elizabeth’s story
Elizabeth Ormiston, a beef farmer from Co. Cavan suffered a farm accident in 2009 that resulted in her being placed in an induced coma. This is her story.
Farm Safety Week 2020 – Elizabeth’s story (YouTube Link). Run time 2m 19s.
Managing Health and Safety in the Workplace
The role of the Health and Safety Authority of Ireland (HSA) has an important role as they ensure that over 2 million workers (employed and self-employed) and those affected by work activity are protected from work related injury and ill-health. The Health and Safety Authority strategic priorities are to:
- Regulate: Increase focus on compliance through risk based inspection and enforcement.
- Promote: Support, educate and raise awareness to prevent accidents, injuries and ill health.
- Accredit: Grow the national accreditation service to enable and support enterprises and public services.
- Influence: Partner and collaborate in support of healthy, safe and productive lives and enterprises.
All workplaces, from one-person farms to multinationals with thousands of employees must implement Health and Safety procedures guided by legislation and best work practices.
The HSA exists to assist and support achieving a safe workplace. This support is available to employers and employees equally.
Don’t Become a Statistic!
Online Health and Safety Training
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Electricity in the Workplace
Most people use some form of electricity in the workplace daily. It is this familiarity that leads to carelessness with electricity and a disregard for the risks associated with it. Common issues are overloading electricity outlets, maintaining electrical equipment while it is still connected to the power supply, using plugs fitted with the wrong fuse and using equipment that does not have a fused plug fitted.
The Main Hazards with Electricity
Electricity can affect the worker in a number of ways:
- Burns – electricity invariably burns (both entry and exit burns) and serious injuries can take a long time to heal.
- Flash – electrical flashes are extremely bright and can burn or damage the eyes.
- Shocks – electricity passing through the body can affect the heart. The consequences can be fatal.
- Fires – a significant percentage of fires in the workplace are caused by electrical faults.
The risk of injury from electricity is strongly linked to where and how it is used. In addition, there is greater risk in wet and/or damp conditions.
Once the human body comes into contact with the electricity, it can be impossible to let go of the source of electricity. If the person who is in touch with electricity gets touched by another person, the electricity will flow through the other person as well. The human body is a good conductor of electricity.
Every electric shock has the potential to kill!
Example of an Avoidable Accident
This incident was reported in the UK by the Health and Safety Executive.
Refrigerated display cabinet in a café
A 19-year-old man was electrocuted and killed when he touched a refrigerated display cabinet in a café. Investigation showed that the 13A plug had been incorrectly refitted to the cabinet’s main lead.
This meant the metalwork of the cabinet, which should have been safe to touch, was dangerously live at mains voltage. The man’s sister received two shocks from the cabinet before realising what had happened to her brother.
How to avoid similar accidents
You must ensure that your electrical installation and equipment is safe. Don’t cut corners – electrical installations must be installed by someone who has the necessary training, skills and experience to carry out the work safely.
Using Electrical Equipment Safely
To ensure safe use of electrical equipment:
- ALWAYS – Check the equipment before use.
- ALWAYS – Switch it off before unplugging the machine.
- ALWAYS – Report all faults immediately and remove the equipment from use so no-one else can use it and get injured.
- ALWAYS – Turn off the power when servicing electrical equipment.
- NEVER – Handle the plug with wet hands.
- NEVER – Use electrical equipment in wet conditions.
- NEVER – Use electrical equipment unless you have been trained in its use.
- NEVER – Overload electrical sockets.
- NEVER – Overload extension leads (don’t plug in a combination of appliances that will exceed the maximum current rating for the lead).
- NEVER – Attempt repairs unless qualified to do so.
Electrical Equipment Checks
Electrical cables, flexes, tools and equipment should be regularly checked and faults reported. Portable appliances should be checked periodically by a competent person.
A high percentage of faults with electrical equipment can be found by just looking at it. Everyone can play a role in improving safety by making quick visual checks of the equipment they use.
When carrying out preventive maintenance things to look for are:
- Damage to cables, e.g. cuts and abrasions to the cable covering.
- Damage to plugs, e.g. cracked casing or broken pins.
- Loose cables, e.g. the outer covering of the cable not being gripped properly by the plug.
- Signs of overheating, e.g. burn marks, staining or melted plastic.
- Bare wires (none should be visible).
- Coiled extension cables (make sure coiled extension cables are fully extended when in use).
If any of these faults, or any other unusual state of the equipment can be noticed, a qualified person should undertake any necessary repairs. No electrical equipment should be used if there is any sign of damage.
Additional information can be found on Health and Safety Authority website and their Electricity pages.
Dealing with Electrical Shock
A shock occurs when an electrical current passes through the body. This can interfere with the body’s own electrical impulses and may cause the heart or breathing to stop. Burns may be seen where the current enters and exits the body. There may also be deep internal damage which cannot be seen along the path of the current.
In the event of someone suffering an electric shock:
- Seek help and do not put yourself at risk.
- Make sure the contact with the electricity is broken before you touch the casualty. Turn off the power at the mains or unplug the appliance if possible. Do not touch anything that is metal or wet.
- For high voltage supplies (such as overhead power lines) do not allow anyone within 18 meters of the casualty.
- Once the power is disconnected safely, someone with first aid knowledge can give first aid. This may involve giving CPR or treating any burns or injuries.
- Take the casualty to hospital for a check up (even if they have apparently recovered). Call 999/112 for emergency help if the casualty has been unconscious or has electrical burns.
Online Health and Safety Training
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Health and Safety in the Workplace
Effective Health and Safety management in the workplace is an important element of every organisation. Every year, accidents at work cost the Irish industry billions of euros. The effects of the injuries sustained vary from minor to major injuries. In some cases, employees will be needing an extended period of time off work. In other cases they will never be able to work again. Unfortunately, in some cases they will receive injuries that would be fatal. The fact is, many of these accidents are avoidable and should have not happened.
Much of Health and Safety relies on ensuring that the appropriate risk precautions are in place. Additional information about workplace hazards are available in our blog entry from 21 April 2023 Workplace Accidents and Their Prevention. If individuals are aware of potential hazards and adopt safe working practices, they can control the risks and reduce the number of accidents and injuries.
Workplace Fatalities from 2017 to 2022
The work-related injuries include any injuries incurred by workers in the course of their work. These injuries can range from minor injuries to the most serious injuries that resulted in death. According to the Health and Safety Authority of Ireland and the Health and Safety Statistics they publish, the following is workplace fatalities statistics for years 2017 – 2022:
- 2017 – 47 fatalities.
- 2018 – 39 fatalities.
- 2019 – 48 fatalities.
- 2020 – 54 fatalities.
- 2021 – 38 fatalities.
- 2022 – 26 fatalities.
There have been 230 fatalities in Ireland since 2017.
Health and Safety in the workplace is an important aspect of any organisation. All work related fatalities are preventable through vigilance and effective Health and Safety management. All employees and persons affected by business activities deserve to go home after their work day has ended.
Common Causes of Accidents in the Workplace
Whilst not all workplace accidents result in death, the majority of them will result in an injury. Common causes of accident in the workplace are often:
- Slips, trips and falls.
- Poor lifting and carrying.
- Being struck by vehicles or moving objects.
- Falls from height.
- Misuse of machinery.
- Incorrect use of harmful substances.
Work related activities can also be responsible for diseases and ill health. These, in some cases, can have long term, irreversible effects. For example:
- Hearing loss from noisy workplaces.
- Stress
- Skin disorders.
- Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).
- Back pain.
- Asbestosis and cancer as a result of asbestos exposure.
- Work-related lung diseases and cancers.
These hazards can be controlled by assessing risks and putting in effective controls. Effective health and Safety practices will not only minimise the pain and personal consequences to individual employees, but also reduce the financial impact on employers and services funded by the taxpayer.
Business and Human Costs of Ineffective Health and Safety in the Workplace
The costs on the business for ineffective Health and Safety in the Workplace can be significant:
- Legal advice and insurance costs.
- Legal action, possibly resulting in compensation.
- Sick pay.
- Lost production and sales.
- Equipment and stock losses and damage.
- Time and money spent on investigations and improvements.
- Recruitment and payment of cover/replacement staff.
These, however, can fade into insignificance when weighed against the human cost:
- Pain and suffering.
- Disability, possibly long-term.
- Health care and rehabilitation.
- Loss of earnings.
- emotional and financial burden on family.
- Potential loss of life.
Safe working conditions are a prerequisite for a healthy and productive workforce.
Ineffective Health and Safety in the Workplace – From the Press
The Health and Safety Authority reported on 26th June 2023 that the company was fined €750,000 after fatal fall from height in workplace. The fatal incident occurred when a worker stepped onto a fragile surface. The fragile surface that sealed a vertical service duct which gave way and the worker fell from a height.
Mark Cullen, Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority, commented, “Where there is a known risk in a workplace, in this case working from height, employers in control of that workplace have a duty to ensure that the appropriate precautions are in place. This will protect employees and others who may be carrying out work activity at the place of work under their control. Failure by the employer in this case has led to the tragic death of a worker. We urge employers to carry out risk assessments and engage with their employees and others to ensure that incidents like this one are prevented.”
Online Health and Safety Training
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Prolonged Static Sitting at Work
Prolonged static sitting at work has become a norm in the modern economy and the way many jobs are performed. The rise in home-working due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic has probably exacerbated the situation as many employees are not commuting to work anymore. Whilst commuting to work is generally considered a ‘lost time’, this is not the case if the commuting was done through walking, cycling or any other physical activity. In this case, the time spent on commuting counts towards personal physical activity which has numerous positive health effects.
Prolonged static sitting at work, however, brings numerous negative health effects.
What is Prolonged Static Sitting at Work
Prolonged sitting can be defined as being sedentary for 2 hours or longer at a time. This has three main characteristics:
- low energy expenditure;
- a seated body posture;
- static loading (physical exertion to maintain the same position).
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work published an insightful report Prolonged static sitting at work: health effects and good practice advice which delves into the issues associated with prolonged sitting at/for work.
Tips for Mitigating Prolonged Sitting Risks
To ensure a good sitting position at work, a number of factors must be looked at. These factors according to the Canadian centre for Occupational Health and Safety are:
- workplace design (including tasks, workstation, and chair design),
- job design,
- education and training.
None of these factors are more important than the other. To ensure a best possible sitting at work arrangement, all these factors must be looked into. The eLearn Safety VDU/DSE course provides invaluable employee training that explores issues arising from tasks related to sitting; and it looks into workstation arrangement and chair adjustment.
Some of the tips to prevent adverse effects associated with sitting at work are:
- Stand up and walk every hour for a few minutes.
- If there are sit-stand desks, alternate posture regularly between the two. A typical example is to sit for 30 minutes, stand for 25 minutes and walk for 5 minutes every hour.
- Try to change position frequently between sitting, standing and moving around.
- When sitting, change position frequently – so called ‘dynamic sitting’.
- Take your lunch away from your work desk.
- Provide high tables in meeting spaces and so people can stand for meetings or breaks.
- Create a climate and culture in the organisation that promotes more active working.
- Drivers should take plenty of short breaks.
- Drivers should step out of the cab or vehicle whenever possible, take a short walk during stops and do some stretches.
- Drivers, pilots and office workers should move their feet from heel to toe when sat down to encourage blood circulation.
The Law
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 5 of Part 2 outline the requirements that must be adhered to in relation to Display Screen Equipment and Workstation. According to the Regulations 2007, the workstation is defined as
an assembly comprising display screen equipment, which may be provided with a keyboard or input device or software, or a combination of the foregoing, determining the operator and machine interface, and includes—
(a) a work chair and work desk or work surface,
(b) any optional accessories and peripherals, and
(c) the immediate work environment of the display screen equipment.
The employer must carry out a Risk Assessment of employee workstations and implement relevant measures to mitigate risks. This information must be collated to employees. The Risk Assessment is an ongoing activity, and all workstations should be regularly assessed to reflect any change of equipment and/or emergence of new technologies and practices that might mitigate some of the risks associated with the use of workstations. In addition, the employer must provide relevant VDU/DSE training in the use of to them applicable workstations. This training must take place before the work commences and/or whenever there is a modification of the workstation.
Preventing Adverse Effects of prolonged Sitting
Risks associated with prolonged sitting are numerous. There is ample evidence that suggests that this can be prevented by light regular physical exercise. At least 30 minutes of daily exercise is recommended. This can be any activity, such as walking, jogging, cycling, or exercising at home or at the gym.
Regular exercise can keep people fit and it burns calories. The majority of people with daily exercise routines also report improved sleep and feel more rested after waking up. In addition, regular exercise promotes a healthy heart and keeps weight down. This in turn reduces risk of a number of poor health conditions, such as various musculo-skeletal disorders (low back pain; neck and shoulder complaints, etc.), cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes, high cholesterol and even cancer.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) published useful Physical Activity Guidelines to consider for getting healthy and staying healthy.
Online Health and Safety Training
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Workplace Accidents and Their Prevention
Workplace accidents and their prevention are key priorities of anyone at work – employers and employees alike. Prevention of workplace accidents helps organisations prevent injuries and ill-health at work, damage to property, lost of productivity. In addition, workplace accident may cause significant legal issues. whilst accidents are usually regarded as unplanned and uncontrolled events, this is often not the case,. The truth is that many accidents can be avoided. An accident is an incident that may cause:
- Major or serious personal injuries or damage to the workplace.
- Minor damage or injuries.
- A near miss.
- Death.
Main Factors That Cause Accidents in the Workplace
Each workplace has certain hazards associated with its operation. Being aware of these hazards and the control of associated risks is essential for accident prevention. You can find out about workplace hazards in our Workplace Hazards blog entry form 24 February 2023.
There are three factors that can cause problems in the workplace:
- Occupational – injury or illness directly connected to work related tasks such as lifting and carrying or using tools and equipment.
- Environmental – conditions in the workplace such s heating, ventilation, lighting and space that can affect the safety of workers.
- Human – lack of training, inexperience, complacency, disregard for safety rules, haste, distraction and tiredness are examples of human factors that can contribute to accidents, Unfortunately many human hazards are very difficult to control. This is why relevant training and prevention is extremely important. For training courses to that might help with Human Hazard prevention, please check our online training school eLearn Safety.
Investigation of Workplace Accidents and Their Prevention process
It is vital that all managing staff creates a positive attitude to health and safety matters and to make sure all members of the team take health and safety seriously. Everyone in the workplace must follow safe working procedures and must report safety issues and defects.
Employers need to be made aware of occurrences so they can be prevented from happening again. All accidents, including near misses and all incidents and ill-health must be reported. This is so these events could be investigated and corrective action taken. This is however not to ‘punish’ anyone involved, but to prevent the accident happening again and to learn from it. Employees have a legal duty to report occurrences to their employer.
Accidents and incidents can be reported in the form of of an Accident Book, which should contain, for example, the following information:
- Date and Time of Injury.
- Name of the Injured Person.
- A description of the accident and Nature of the Injury.
- What Action was Taken and by Whom.
- Final Outcome (e.g., employee sent home, hospitalised, etc.).
- Person reporting an Injury (if it is not the injured person).
Accident and Dangerous Occurrence Reporting
Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2016 all employers and self-employed persons are legally obliged to report the injury of an employee as a result of an accident while at work. Injuries must be reported if an employee is unable to carry out their normal work for more than three consecutive days, excluding the day of the accident.
How to Report an Injury
The injury at the workplace can be reported:
- HSA Online Reporting Platform
- By filling Schedule 7 Notifiable Incident Form and sending it by An Post.
Workplace Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities (2020–2021)
The number of fatal incidents for 2020 was reported as 54. There were 38 work-related fatal incidents in 2021.
In 2021, 8,279 non-fatal injuries were reported to the Authority, an increase of 8% from the 7,652 reported in 2020. This may be due in part to revived economic activity in 2021 following the partial relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions. Of the 8,279 non-fatal injuries reported in 2021, 97% related to workers. The highest number was reported in the NACE economic sector of Human Health and Social Work Activities, which accounted for over 22% of all incidents. For non-worker incidents, the highest number was reported in Wholesale and Retail Trade (118) representing 46% of all non-worker injuries.
Workplace Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities (2020–2021) – Full Report.
Online Health and Safety Training
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Occupational Health
Occupational Health is the promotion and maintenance of physical and mental wellbeing of all staff. Health problems directly related to a person’s job are defined as an occupational illness.
Some hazards, such as skin contact with chemicals causing short-term irritation and/or rashes are known as acute illnesses. For more information try our fully online Chemical Safety course. Chronic illnesses develop gradually and their effects may be irreversible, e.g. loss of hearing. Some may even appear years after the time of employment, e.g. asbestosis. For more information try our fully online Asbestos Awareness course.
Specific Health Hazards
- Physical damage from noise, heat and radiation, e.g. hand arm vibration syndrome by machine operators using vibrating machinery such as strimmers, soil compactors and drills. For more information try our fully online Workplace Safety course.
- Chemical problems from harmful dust, liquids and/or fumes, e.g. dermatitis causing severe irritation and cracking of the skin in occupations such as cleaners or hairdressers. For more information try our fully online Chemical Safety course.
- Ergonomic problems from poorly designed work areas, e.g. work-related upper limb disorders, back pain or repetitive strain suffered by keyboard operators and tool operators. For more information try our fully online VDU/DSE course and Manual Handling Awareness course.
- Biological hazards from infectious diseases and agents, e.g. hepatitis caused by needle stick injuries to hospital staff. For more information try our fully online Infection Prevention and Control course.
General Health Hazards
As well as specific health hazards there are some general things that may affect all workplaces:
Smoking
Smoking and passive smoking have been linked to lung cancer, irritation to the respiratory system and other harmful effects. The Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004 (No. 6 of 2004) placed a ban on smoking at all enclosed places of work from 29/03/04 to protect persons at work from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. This includes office blocks, aircraft, trains, company vehicles, health premises, schools, colleges, cinemas, theatres, licensed premises and clubs, if any of these places is your place of work. The smoking ban also applies to common areas within buildings. This means, for example, that corridors, lobby areas and reception areas of buildings such as apartment blocks and hotels are also covered. For more information, please consult Citizens Information service. In addition, try our fully online Workplace Safety course.
Alcohol
Alcohol increases the time it takes to react to situations, affects behaviour and reduces performance. For more information try our fully online Behavioral Safety course.
Drugs
Substance abuse may cause health problems and can cause safety hazards in the workplace. Many drugs are particularly dangerous because they cause mood changes and alter people’s perceptions. Even prescribed drugs may have a detrimental effect. As with alcohol, the condition must be addressed. For more information try our fully online Behavioral Safety course.
Violence
Verbal abuse, threats, bullying or assault can cause stress and concern as well as physical injury. Staff should be encouraged to report all occurrences to their supervisors who should record and objectively investigate the details and if necessary report to the relevant authority. For more information try our fully online Bullying Awareness course.
Stress
A large percentage of sick leave is due to stress, either due to personal reasons or the physical or emotional pressure of the job. Stomach and skin conditions, heart disease and depression have been linked to stress. Factors influencing stress in the workplace include poor working conditions, overwork, job insecurity, peer pressure including harassment, unrealistic targets and poor management.
Employees should be encouraged to report stress and management should be trained to recognise the symptoms and causes of stress such as inability or reduced ability to cope with normal tasks and situations, increased sick leave and/or poor time-keeping. For more information try our fully online Workplace Stress Awareness course.
It is very important to have an effective occupational health management system in place. There are sound economic reasons for reducing work-related accidents and ill-health, as well as ethical and regulatory reasons. Businesses that manage safety and health successfully invariably have a positive safety culture. Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
For online Health and Safety training solutions, please check our Online Health and Safety Training portal.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Recognising and Promoting Positive Safety Behaviour
For employers there is a legal duty to provide a safe place of work for their employees wherever the place of work maybe. In these COVID-19 times this can and does in many cases mean remote working from home. Health and Safety requires all the stake holders to actively participate in safe work practice and to understand what is involved to create a safe place to work. Giving staff the information and tools to do this is a first step. When on-boarding staff, it is important to carry out a risk assessment that is personal to the employee and their role. Making sure they have the correct training, and any necessary certification is the next step and thereafter the employer needs to monitor compliance and performance.
Office Ergonomics
An effective way of doing this is through an online solution that provides the records and training required. Having such a system that provides 24/7 access to information you can then go further to promote positive safety behaviour. By encouraging ongoing engagement with the core safety information and training you can see which employees are performing well and keeping engaged and up to date. You can incentivise staff to make sure they are aware of safe behaviour and you can encourage them to report unsafe issues that may arise.
It is true that a safe place of work is likely to be a more productive environment for the employee which all contributes to your bottom line. Promoting positive safety behaviour will reduce the risk of accidents and incidents and will reduce days lost to illness or accidents. It will also help you protect your company from the negative publicity and potential legal action arising from an accident in the workplace. Everyone in a working environment requires knowledge and training on safety behaviour and how to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. A desk bound job requires proper ergonomics and knowledge regarding breaks and what to do in an emergency. Even working in the home carries significant risks if a workstation is not correctly set up.
Our pattern and location of work is changing rapidly as a result of the pandemic and is likely to change permanently with a much larger degree of blended work where people attend the office on a part time basis. In this scenario it will become increasingly important to promote positive safety behaviour as the employer will have less control of the work environment while still being legally responsible for it. Even more reason to recognise and promote positive safety behaviour.
Myelearnsafety.com can provide more information on this topic as well as providing a solution to safety training and compliance monitoring. We would be delighted to hear from you with any of your concerns or problems.
Article by Vincent Traynor
Please feel free to contact Cormac on 01 278 1938 or cormac@elearn.ie, if you would like to discuss your health and safety needs further, or take advantage of a complimentary course.
Why is Microlearning the Future for Health & Safety Training?
An accident at work is defined by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) as ‘An unplanned event resulting in death, or resulting in an injury such as a severe sprain or strain (for example, manual handling injuries), a laceration, a broken bone, concussion or unconsciousness. ‘An employer’s duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 includes the requirement for the provision of training.
Most businesses do have a provision for safety training in place and most employers have (especially given the current necessity) embraced online learning. This is a current trend. But what’s the trend for the future?
Long, clunky, eLearning pieces (I’m sure you’ve seen these too!) can be boring and laborious to employees. This is where microlearning comes into play.
What is Microlearning?
Micro-learning is a modern approach to delivering learning materials in small, bite-sized portions that target specific topics. The conciseness of these materials makes it easier to digest.
- Microlearning is performed in short time bursts.
- It requires little effort from individual sessions.
- It involves simple and/or narrow topics.
Millennials will make up a large part of the future workforce. Traditional models of eLearning just won’t cut it with this demographic, and will naturally be phased out. The popularity of microlearning is on the up as it’s the ideal way to ensure that learning is received, digested and engaged with.
How to use Microlearning Effectively
The following are some examples of how microlearning can be applied in practice:
Short and brief tips: When so much information is thrown at workers, the possibility of retaining all of it is very low. For effective transfer of knowledge, the microlearning objective should focus on just one concept.
Use interactive videos: The process of taking in information is better easier with the use of videos rather than bulky materials that cover an excessive amount. Even better if the video contains branching scenarios .
Use of short quizzes for checking progress: The employees are provided with continuous access to these materials, and as each section is completed, they are required to provide suitable responses to the questions.
Use of gamification: Short games, or some gaming elements within the microlearning can be used by companies to increase interactivity, add an element of competition, the end goal being to help train their staff in health and safety more effectively.
Shorter, asynchronous, interactive courses with the above elements can benefit all health and courses, from Food Safety (HACCP), COVID-19 Compliance Officer, First Aid, Infection Prevention and control, to name but a few.
If you are looking for an effective way to streamline your safety training needs, Myelearnsafety.com offers a suite of health and safety courses to cover you. We offer a free trial to those who are interested, so you can see the benefits for yourself.
For a free trial contact cormac@elearn.ie or call direct on 01 278 1938.
Employers Beware: COVID-19 and Remote Working Obligations
The Safety Health and Welfare at Work legislation boils down to the fact that Employers are obliged to provide a safe place to work.
There are significant sanctions for employers who breach the legislation including fines up to €3 million and imprisonment for up to 2 years for a serious breach. In 2019 in HSA v Walker the defendant was prosecuted for a breach of s11(1)(c)(ii) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and sentenced to 6 months with only 2 month suspended.
In these COVID 19 times a workplace can mean working from home for many employees. Employers have a duty therefore to check that their employees have the appropriate facilities and equipment to work safely. The big difference now is that people working from home are doing so for their full working day or at least a large part of their working hours. Appropriate desk, chair and work station ergonomics need to be considered. How do you keep in touch with your staff to check on their well-being? Is there inappropriate online activity? How is everyone’s mental health holding up? These are just a few of the considerations that you need to consider and find ways of dealing with issues that were previously dealt with in the office environment.
“Having a designated COVID-19 Compliance Officer within the workplace
is looking like becoming the new norm.”
Having a designated COVID-19 Compliance Officer within the workplace is looking like becoming the new norm. This person or persons will be tasked with ensuring businesses meet any instructions or rules issued by the Government in order to allow them to continue trading. Online training, health and safety awareness and carrying out up to date risk assessments can be implemented easily and at low cost. A simple example is asking your employees to send a photo of their workstation. This can then be reviewed by an appropriate qualified person to assess its suitability. Creating appropriate checklists and procedures can help employers and employees assess what needs to be done in everyone’s best interests.