Occupational Health and Safety Is a Cross-Disciplinary Area Concerned with Protecting The

DEFINATIONS

Occupational health and safety is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the fccccsafety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. 2) Is a discipline which specializes in the social, mental and physical well being of employees or the person at the workplace. 3) It can also be defined as the physical, mental and social wellbeing of an employee.

The goal of all occupational health and safety programs is to foster a safe work environment.As a secondary effect, it may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, suppliers, nearby communities, and other members of the public who are impacted by the workplace environment. It may involve interactions among many subject areas, including occupational medicine, occupational (or industrial) hygiene, public health, safety engineering, chemistry, health physics, ergonomics, toxicology, epidemiology, environmental health, industrial relations, public policy, industrial sociology, medical sociology, social law, labour law and occupational health psychology.

Since 1950, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have shared a common definition of occupational health. It was adopted by the Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health at its first session in 1950 and revised at its twelfth session in 1995.The definition reads: "Occupational health should aim at: the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations;

- the prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health;

-the placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job."

The general area of concern in employment which covers the physiological and psychological well-being of persons engaged in work. Employers have a common law duty to take reasonable care to guard their employees' health and safety at work.

Why OHS is importance.

Work is central to people’s lives. Many workers spend at least 8 hours per day in a total of 5 days per week. An estimated 120 million occupational accidence occur every year and at least 200 000 of the results is death. It’s difficult to have statistics in developing countries since these countries do not have accurate record keeping for accidents and diseases. Constantly high fatal accidents rate in developing countries call for the development of OHS programs that focuses on prevention.

Zimbabwean Case with Regard to OHS.

Current Statistics on OHS (January-June 2010). Serious Accidents – 2 244. Occupational Deaths – 44. 19 Deaths Mining Sector. 12 cases from incurable pneumoconiosis contracted from dusty occupation, as was revealed by the 5 103Xray. Between 2004 and 2009- the country recorded 456 deaths from 80 430 serious injuries. NB. Remember the Kandama Hwange Colliery which experienced an unparalleled disaster where 427 miners perished following methane gas explosion at No 1 Mine Shaft on 6 June 1972 (10am)

Statistics on Major Causes

90% human behavior

8% equipment & Machinery.

2% being the work of God. (Page 2 of Chronicle 21 July 2010)

2004 NSSA annual report on occupational injuries 10449 injured workers in 2004 alone. 129 of of these accidents were fatal. Transport and equipment operation had 13 deaths in the same year. They were mainly due to road traffic accident, fall of material or objects. Workers were injured during the following process, handling, loading, lifting or carrying, operating machinery or doing manual work without hand tools.

Injuries occurred mainly to the following body parts fingers, ankles, toes and feet. The other picture to image is that injuries occurred in the following places warehouses, workshops, and factories, brick fields, inside buildings, in living or working places, public roads and streets including railways.

The top 5 industrial sectors with high incidents rate were basic metal production, forestry electricity, fabricated metal products, mining.

ILO declaration of fundamental principles of and rights of workers.

Zimbabwe is a member to ILO. It has an obligation arising from its membership with respect, promoted and realizes in good faith and in accordance with our constitution the ILO principles concerning the rights of workers as follows.

Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the rights to Collective Bargaining.*links OHS in that employees air out their views through TUs in areas where there are health hazards since they are allowed to form associations, hence they gain managerial respect.
Elimination of all forms of compulsory or forced labour.*Through ILO declaration workers know their rights. They can refuse to work under precarious conditions.
The effective abolition of child labour.*
Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment or occupation.*reduces stress, ill health

Pre- requisite for success in OHS at National level

OHS activities at national level should support the relation of basic human needs and rights of workers and promote social justice, peace and the undisturbed operation of production.
The government’s role is to ensure the balance between the rights, duties and interest of different groups particularly employers and employees by providing a national policy, national program and also legal framework and administrative instruments and policy implementation.
Establish and maintain a competent authority of policy implementation e.g. NSSA.
Inspection and compliance
Establish training and information facilities on OHS.
Government must also establish appropriate incentive and sanctions that support implementation of OHS.

At organizational or enterprise level.

A company wide policy on OHS is required.
Assessment on an organization’s OHS risks and needs must be done as an ongoing exercise.
Workers should be informed and educated on hazards present at work..
Full participation of workers in all OHS activities.
Integrating OHS with production systems like setting attainable targets provide protective clothing, educating workers, maintaining machines.
Creating of a safety culture, behavior based safety culture i.e at Zim alloys.
Should be competent expertise in OHS and support operation.

At individual level

Training and development on OHS to raise individual awareness.
OHS issues to be linked to performance management when appraising employees. Have a 360 degrees feedback.
Improvement of working conditions i.e stress.
Positive attitude behavior.
Safety talks in all meetings.

The tripartite partners in OHS

Zimbabwe Occupational Health and Safety council (ZOHSC) is a national tripartite body which ensures that there is national consensus of OHS in the country. The council consists the 6 delegates from the government, 6 from employers, 6 delegates from employees (ZCTU & ZFTU). The council is chaired by the minister of Public Service and Labour Welfare which is mandated with employment and labour issues in the country.

Mandate of (ZOHSC)

Promote internationally accepted principle and standards in the management of employees in Zimbabwe.
Provide a platform for securing consensus national issues and the development of national policies and programs on OHS in Zimbabwe.
Consider a number of occupational health and safety subjects such as the ILO conventions or any international labour standards and implementation in the country eg abolishing child labour.
Assist in providing advice to the minister of Public Service labour and Social Welfare and the NSSA body on OHS promotion on the prevention of occupational diseases, advice on the research, training and enforcement activities.
Recommend the reviews or the formations of legislation in order to improve OHS standards in the country..

Ministries represented in the council, ministry of health, mines and energy, transport and communication, industry and international trade, land and agriculture, public service and social welfare.

Institution involvement

Safety Organization at the workplace.

According to SI 68 of 1990, workers compensation and accident scheme prevention notice. This SI say that the employer is obliged to establish a safety committee at the workplace and offer assistance for the committee to carry out its mandate. A safety committee shall be established in all work stations. The size of the committee will depend on the size of the workforce and shall aim for representation from all work sites or departments or divisions within the organization. Composition of the safety committee representation of the management who should constitute less than 50%- representation of workers who should constitute more than 50%. A safety supervisor who is a management representative and a health and safety representative shall be the members of the safety committee. Manager would appoint other members who should go into that committee. It is recommended that a senior member of management should be able to sit in that committee to reach important decisions.

It is also recommended a safety committee should also have a representative from a health professional like a doctor or nurse or such people who are competent in administering OHS legislation.

The health and safety representative in the committee should be elected by the workers, with the assistance of the trade union in that industry and once the committee have elect it should elect a chairperson and a secretary among themselves.

Duties of a safety committee.

Keep itself informed of the legislation and standards of OHS enforced.
Adopt written policy that addresses the health and safety problems at the workplace.
Receive relevant OHS information relating to the workplace.
Develop and maintain a program for the development and maintenance.
Monitor the state of work conditions at the work place.
Investigate all accidents near accidents and occupational diseases, keep a record of them and make a recommendation aimed at preventing their occurrence in the future.
Perform period inspection of the work and give recommendation of improvement.
Plan and follow up the training program management and employees of OHS.
Operate with the government, employer representative in following up inspections and supervise the implementation of the inspection and recommendations.
Keep written records of all meetings and inspections.

Safety supervisor

Represent management in all matters relating to OHS.

Familiarizing with law and regulations relating to OHS in that organization,
Familiarize with working conditions and workplace and follow all OHS developments
Ensure that management receive necessary information
Take part in factory inspections and accidents investigation and other surveys relating to the work OHS at the workplace
Investigating of accidents and report any hazards or occupational diseases occurring at the workplace.
xEnsure necessary inspection of machinery and other OHS related inspection and surveys are carried by the workplace safety personnel.
Stop work that endangers the workers.

Workers health and safety representative

Law says they shall be elected at all workplaces and the representatives become the member of the safety committee.
Once elected they must receive appropriate training to ensure them to carry out their mandate.
Familiarize themselves with who committee at work place.
Follow OHS development.
Take part in factory inspection accident investigation and other surveys.
Take part in training other workers in OHS issues.
Inform the safety supervisor about the absence of or defects in the workplace endangering workers.
Co-operate with the safety committee factory inspectors and other person related to OHS, they are also mandated to stop work that can endanger workers.

Legal framework.

It provides employees with their basic rights relating to health and safety at the workplace.

Health and Safety Legislation.

Factories and Works Act (Chapter 14.08)

Provides fir the registration and control of all factories.
Provides for the legislation of conditions of work in factories and other related places.
Supervision and use of machinery.
Sets precaution against accidents to persons employed in structural act and for matter related to the act.

Regulation Address the following

Regulation and control of factories.
Building and excavation works.
Deal with elevators and escalators i.e. standard weight, how it can be serviced, and the number of people.
Regulation in relation to boilers, machinery, pressure vessels and electrical

Pneumoconiosis Act

Means any diseases of the respiratory organs doe to the in halation of mineral dust. The act sets a board with the following functions,

Make investigations and invite the affected persons to submit claims
Notify the employer of the person affected and prohibit his future employment in any dust occupation.
Specify the conditions under which the affected workers may continue to be employed by the same organization.
Evaluate the dust hazard and risks of pneumoconiosis in any dust occupation.
Report and advice he minister on issues pertaining to the diseases.
Make arrangements with compensating authorizes.
Also calls for the establishment of a medical bureau team of special doctors appointed by minister to give report opinion on medical conditions of workers. Its role is to make recommendations as might be required by the act.
Conduct or direct all medical examinations under this act.
Issue certificates to workers under the act.
Certifying persons suffering from the disease.
Provides for the establishment of the medical body of appeal composed of 3 medical practioners appointed by the minister.

Duties of the medical body appeal

Confirmation of worker certificates issued by the medical bereu.
Give opinion as and when required by the body.
Help workers claim their benefits.
Pay compensation where required.
Release any workers required to appeal before the body.
Notify the body when the employee seizes to employ workers in dust occupation.
Send employees in dust occupation for prescribed medical examination.

National Social security Act SI 68 of 1990

Compensation and financial relief to employees who would have an injury at work.
Advisory service on health and safety.
Rehabilitation of disabled or injured employees.
Provision of safe equipment and materials.
Maintenance of equipment and protective devices.
Registration of business with NSSA.
Provides for the premium contributions to NSSA for insurance of employees.
Reporting of Accidents at NSSA.
Assistance to workers in claiming their benefits.

Duties of Workers.

Reporting accidents to employers.
Reporting unsafe conditions and acts to employers.
Undergo any prescribed medical examination
Comply with health and safety rules of the employer.

Environmental Management Act (chapter 20.27)

Provides for sustainable management of natural resources
Protection of environment.
Privation of pollution and environmental degradation.

Set up environmental agency with the following functions

Formulate quality standards.
Regulate and monitor the management of environment.
Keep records of permits and licenses issued in the organization
Carry out environmental audits.
Deal with inspection of environmental impact assessment reports.

Environmental standards

Issued buy the minister from time to time in relation to water pollution. Air quality, hazardous waste, pesticide and toxic substances, noise, littering and radio active material.

Duties of employees

Prevent pollution.
Submit information on the quantity and quality of effluent pollutions as and when required by the environmental board.
Obtain permit to discharge effluent into the environment
In store plants for treating effluent before it’s discharged into the environment.
Prevent the discharge of hazardous substances, chemicals and materials or oil into the environments.
Pay cost for reparations, restoration, restitution or compensations
Obtain relevant certificates from relevant government department that require EIA e.g dams, mining, storage and distribution.

Public Health Act (chapter 15.09)

Provides for appoint of health and medical offices.
The notification of infections diseases as prevention and suppression of the same.
International sanitary regulations.

Duties 4 ministry of health and local authority.

Enforce an act and regulation made under the act.
Inspection and examination of any sources of water and taking sample.
Inspection of premises and medical examination of any person.
Prohibit the sale, keeping preparations, transmitting or exposing of diseases or contaminated articles of food.
Inspection of premises and demolition of unfit premises.
Provision of safe and wholesome drinking water.
Provision of sanitary facilities.

Pieces of legislation to look at.

Atmospheric pollution prevention Act (chapter 20.30)

Hazardous Substance and articles (chapter 15.03)

Harmful Liquids Act (chapter 9.10)

Food and Food Standards Act (chapter 15.04)

State Service Disability Act (16.05)

Limitations of legislation and enforcement.

Turns to leg behind the social environment, political and technological changes in today’s dynamic world.
Standards only address specific categories like factories and workshops.
Workers in the pubic sector and informal sector are not covered by most of the legislations.
Penalties are limited or insufficient especially for employers caught breaking the low.
Insufficient resources available to enforce the law and inspect the work sites.
There is lack of up to date detailed regulation accompany the act.
May employers and worker organization are not familiar these acts and regulation.
Many standards are written so clearly from workers view point that they cannot be used to uphold the law.
Enforcement- not enough inspectors to visit every factory or workplace.
Many inspectors have limited training in the field of OHS.
Inspectors can only enforce existing legislation, which may not be powerful or protective enough to cover all sectors of the economy.

Occupational Health Hazards and Diseases

Hazards, risks, outcomes

The terminology used in OHS varies between states, but generally speaking:

A hazard is something that can cause harm if not controlled.
Danger to health, limb, or life that is inherent in, or is associated with, a particular occupation, industry, or work environment. Occupational hazards includerisk of accident and of contracting occupational diseases
The outcome is the harm that results from an uncontrolled hazard.
A risk is a combination of the probability that a particular outcome will occur and the severity of the harm involved.

“Hazard”, “risk”, and “outcome” are used in other fields to describe e.g. environmental damage, or damage to equipment. However, in the context of OHS, “harm” generally describes the direct or indirect degradation, temporary or permanent, of the physical, mental, or social well-being of workers. For example, repetitively carrying out manual handling of heavy objects is a hazard. The outcome could be a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) or an acute back or joint injury. The risk can be expressed numerically (e.g. a 0.5 or 50/50 chance of the outcome occurring during a year), in relative terms (e.g. "high/medium/low"), or with a multi-dimensional classification scheme (e.g. situation-specific risks).