Occupational Health and Safety: Hazards and Risk Management

This presentation discusses the importance of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in minimizing workplace injuries and illnesses. It covers workplace hazards and risk management in different industries such as marine, construction, and hazardous industries. The presentation also emphasizes the importance of safety training and the struggle of HSE professionals. The course content includes Safety Integrity Level (SIL) target levels, risk matrix, and hazard management strategies. Attendees will gain a holistic understanding of OHS in the workplace.

Occupation and Health Safety

INTRODUCTION
Health and Safety Management System or HSMS is the systematic approach used by the
organizational heads to minimize the number of injuries and illness within an organization.
There are four determinants of workplace occupational health and safety such as the
• safety policy,
• the safety risk management policy,
• assurance protocol and
• safety promotion (Zanko and Dawson 2012).

Marine and Offshore Hazards
Singapore government recently implemented Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) 2018 in the
marine sector that aims to provide a progressive and pervasive culture to the marine sector of the
country.
The several marine and offshore hazards arises from hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon hazards
that can lead to major marine and offshore incidences. Such as-
• gas dispersion,
• fire or explosion (Hydrocarbon) and
• different transportation-related accidents,
• the collision of ships,
• accidents during occupational functions (non-hydrocarbon).

Marine and Offshore Hazards
The Course content on Marine and offshore hazards helped in understanding
• Safety Integrity Level (SIL) target levels,
• safety integrity level studies, and
• quantifying risks and risk matrix to determine the level of hazardous risk in marine and offshore
related workplace.
No difference has been found in hazardous risks, risk reduction and control measures between
marine and offshore industries and the others that mark hydrocarbon and related materials as
potential hazards and implement control measures as risk reduction strategy.

The risk matrix in measuring the level of risk, the probability of its occurrence and the
consequences of its severity can be determined and controlled.
Marine and Offshore Hazards

Health and safe environment in the construction industry
A prediction was made regarding the number of workers who are at life-threatening risk in the
workplace would be higher in the construction industry. The prediction was correct as in every 15
seconds, one of the workers of the construction site dies that makes the numbers up to 6500
construction workers daily. The safety measures and risk control strategies of the government is to
emphasize on the workers so that they can work safely without the threat of losing their lives.

Health and safe environment in the construction industry
There is a risk in the construction industry and the severity was different from other industries.
However, in the construction industry, the risk is associated with several things such as
• height,
• sharp objects,
• cutter,
• welding machine,
• electrical shocks and
• others that not only affect the working environment but leads the worker to death.

Health and safe environment in the construction industry
The risk control, hazard management and hazards were different in the construction industry. The
hazards that were properly identified are not using a helmet, unaware of sharp objects, open
electrical circuit and standing at a height without a safety belt or safety cable.

Safety training in hazardous industries
This course has helped in understanding the effect of falls, incorrect machinery usage, physical
injuries at the workplace, medical emergencies and others while working in different industries
and the way it could lead to disastrous results for the hazardous industry.

Safety training in hazardous industries
The different industries can use communication theories or training related games to train the
employees regarding risk management and control so that the employees can understand the
effectiveness of the real and the practical situation. 7-minute solution’ theory can be used to boost
the confidence of the workers and can be helpful in providing training.

Beyond the limit of HSE profession
This is an important concept as it provides each employee with the self-risk assessment training
would make them aware of the risky environment they are working in. The employees will be able to
mark the hazards and use safety precautions to overcome the risk associated with it.

Beyond the limit of HSE profession
Attending safety management and risk reduction related seminars and workshops are the effective
way of managing risks and also helps in reducing risks.

High-risk working environment
Thinking and attitude towards risk management requires a never-ending mental strength and
determination that helps people to never give up. Further, in any crisis situation if the employees are
determined and are able to think properly to figure the way out of the situation, they can figure a
way out.

High-risk working environment
It is important that examples of crisis can help employees to better gauge a crisis situation and will
be able to get out of the crisis situation quickly.

High-risk working environment
The positive aspect of course material was the presence of
• pictorial presentation of all the events and aspects of risk assessment,
• management, and strategies that were used by employees while facing crisis situation that had the
ability to lead them to death.

Conclusion
Occupational health and safety is an important aspect that every organization has to consider while
determining their worker's safety at work. In this reflective report writing, I reflected upon my
course readings that provided be the holistic knowledge about different working environments, their
associated workplace hazards, the safety training methods, the high risk working environments and
the struggle of a Health and safety environment professional while working with a group of
employees who are reluctant about the safety training. Further, I presented my thoughts, primary
ideas, changed concepts and loopholes in the course that I will be fulfilling through several means
to gain the idea about the occupational health and safety in the workplace.

Reference
Zanko, M. and Dawson, P., 2012. Occupational health and safety management in organizations: A
review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 14(3), pp.328-344.