The importance of following the Health & Security rules in the workplace around Facility Management
Whatever the subject of work, safety and health are the MAIN priority in all workplaces.
Every employee must return home safe and healthy, both physically and mentally.
Non-observance and application of health and safety rules can bring bad results and risk not only to the employee, but also to the people involved, the public, the company they represent, etc.
In Facility Management, as a wide range of services are provided (security, cleaning, landscaping, technical maintenance, catering), the risks vary. There could be injury from equipment, bone damage from poor posture, external factors, bullying, infections (toilets-wc), climatic conditions, (outside workers) bodily harm from third parties (guarding) etc.
The dangers that may arise in the workplace unfortunately cannot be precisely controlled because each point and situation is unique, depending on the circumstances, as well as the human factor. But what can be controlled is prevention, preparedness, and training in situations of potential danger or accidents.
Prevention and increased liability for compliance and enforcement of safety measures can reduce and eliminate occupational accidents from minor to very serious injury and even death.
To prevent and eliminate the above there is a series of activities and responsibilities from all those involved in the labor sector (combination of responsibility of employee, employer, and government).
It is the duty of every company / employer to provide a safe environment for its employees, to provide thorough training to the staff before starting work with all the details and the risks that may exist, to have created a climate of trust and direct communication, to provide the employee with the means of personal protection based on the style of installation and the services he provides, while at the same time ensuring the high quality of services.
Another responsibility of the employer is the control, ie if the training is properly observed and if it is deemed necessary to retrain or remove the employee in case it endangers the health of him or his colleagues.
Every employee before starting work must have received from the company representing the rules and training for the preservation of his physical and mental health and safety, the risks and dangers that he may encounter at work and consciously take his responsibilities and obligations.
The employee should have a conscious responsibility that he can cause an accident to himself and those around him, but also to trust his superiors and share any concerns about the integrity of his health and any intimidation from colleagues or co-workers.
The application of H&S rules is believed by many to affect productivity, but in fact the opposite is true.
The injury of an employee or his dismissal from work for reasons of ill health will indeed affect the productivity of the project, as well as its smooth development.
The APPLICATION of the H&S rules is the confirmation of productivity, the smooth development of the project and the confirmation of the trust relations of employee, partner, employer.
It is very important to understand that safety in the workplace is not an individual responsibility. Ensuring and enforcing health and safety rules is an obligation of all of us!
If you are an employee: LISTEN, SPEAK, SHARE YOUR CONCERNS WITH YOUR BOSSES, YOU ARE AS IMPORTANT AS EVERYONE AROUND YOU!
If you are an employer: LISTEN TO YOUR EMPLOYEES AND STAY NEXT TO THEM WHEN THEY NEED IT!
Author: Mrs. Kalli Firfilioni – Facility Services Coordinator at Manifest Services SA