Assignment 3: safety policies & regulations in organizations

Safety Measure in a Workplace Safety Measures In a Workplace The workshop of a technology school is the of this paper. I expected that certain hazards would be visible upon my visit to the facility. It is a good example of a workplace that carries a lot of risks for two main reasons: it is a very busy workplace and a lot of equipment and machinery are being used there on a daily basis. I was able to secure a visit to the said facilities after asking permission. A Technician was assigned who willingly guided me through the facilities and explained some of the equipments that they have been using. They also allowed me to take some pictures, since they were aware that this was a report about safety for educational purposes. I recorded some observations so I can review the points when writing this report. The most important thing in this report is to note the safe and unsafe practices observed in the area as well as determine if there are safety standards being applied. To further guide me on this report, I followed some guidelines on risk assessment. The first step in risk assessment is to walk around the place by making observations on possible sources of hazard that can cause harm to the workers. In order to substantiate the findings, I took pictures of situations where hazards exist. An example of this is a picture of wooden blocks scattered on the floor. The wooden blocks pose as a hazard to all workers passing by the said area. In addition to such picture, I also took pictures of all safety signs that were in place such as Emergency Stop, First Aid, Laser Hazard, Foot Protection must be Worn etc. By doing so, I am documenting control/measures in place. Picture below shows an example: The left picture clearly illustrates the procedure that must be followed in case of fire. The second sign indicates that there is laser hazard involved in operating a certain machine. Putting up appropriate signs provides warning or a guideline for a course of action. This is the reason why signs/labels are considerd controlling mechanisms. The implication is that employees become aware of their actions as a result of these visual reminders. Unfortunately, some technicians refused to have their picture taken for confidentiality purpose. The supposed picture was to show in this report that the personnel wear protective gear such as safety shoes gloves, and helmets. I also got to interview some technicians regarding the use of machinery or equipment. We asked them if they strictly followed the Instruction Manual of each machine/equipment. The answer was “ definitely”. The technicians emphasized that they were trained before they operated an equipment. Indeed, training is a controlling measure which can benefit both employer and employee. The implication is that incidence of injuries are lessened because operators are profcient in handling the machinery. This saves the company money and insurance premiums. Conclusion After conducting this activity, it can be concluded the workshop is a safe place to work in. There were minimal risks involved since the employees were conscious about safety practices. This is mainly due to the fact that the management diligently perform their duties to orient the workers. It must be realized by every business owner that they have a legal responsibility towards the safety of their employees. Accidents and injuries can result from neglecting the evaluation presented by the group. It is significant therefore for the supervisors of the laboratory to discuss the findings among the owners as well as officers. A committee can be created to monitor the changes that should be implemented as based on incident reports if there are any. The activity was rewarding learning experience since I was able to come up with a report that can help an existing workplace. Also, I realized that attitude towards safety counts a lot in creating a safety culture. It is for this reason that management is more accountable since it must provide direction and training to its employees. It can be done by creating manuals that contain policies which must be made clear to all employees. The collaboration of management and employees would determine the effective implementation of such policies. Indeed, this activity has raised my level of maturity towards safety. It is important that students like us undergo this process so as to appreciate the real-life applications of the knowledge we have received in class.