Analysis of Communication Gaps in Occupational Safety

This assignment provides an in-depth examination of communication gaps in occupational safety, focusing on the Uzma Group case study. It highlights the significance of understanding workplace hazards and promoting safety measures through effective communication. The analysis also emphasizes the importance of adopting a dynamic approach to monitor and prevent accidents, as well as implementing strategies for successful campaigning. The assignment draws from various sources, including books, journals, and online resources, to provide a comprehensive overview of occupational health and safety management.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Overview.....................................................................................................................................3
Usage of mediums for clear understanding among employees about OSH campaign...............3
Importance of methods to communicate health and safety information at workplace................6
Factors affecting on reduction of effectiveness of campaign......................................................7
Approaches for safety and health program.................................................................................9
The most positive approach .....................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
This assignment is based on the exploration of occupational health and safety (OSHS) at
workplace in the Malaysian industrial sector. It is based on a scenario that includes about the
sudden upsurge of accidents in Uzma Group, which has accelerated the need of campaigning to
generate awareness among those seventy percent of foreign workers about their risk management
policies and procedures in context of work environment. It is also emphasised on the approaches
required in each OSH program to lay an understanding on the overall viewpoint of its
significance in maintenance of workplace to minimize risks and promote productivity.
MAIN BODY
1.
Overview
A safety campaign is important part for any organisation to safeguard and protect their
workforce with the flagship of awareness-raising activities. The focus is to enhance and maintain
the work environment by successful application of an integrated system to provide a safe,
healthy and active workplace. However, the essence of such campaigning must be instructed in
proper manner to all the employees for effective and longer term results.
Usage of mediums for clear understanding among employees about OSH campaign
Uzma Group must outline a strategic plan to make their employees, who are from five
different nationalities understand as well as realise the significance of knowing the Health and
safety policies at their workplace. Recently, Malaysian government has launched their own
Occupational Safety and Health Master Plan (OSHMP) 2020. Under this, there is a holistic
approach that enhances the national interests of safeguarding their employees health and has
been adopted by all the corporations, whether small or large scale industries (Burke,Clarke &
Cooper, 2011).
In regard to the same, they have started various programmes such as 'Door to
Door','Continuous Registration','WISE','Umbrella' and other related longer term strategies to
make the employees to make them aware about the various regulations in a centralised
information systematic methodologies. Moreover, these programmes lay emphasis on giving

additional information in context of handling of equipments, office behavioural facets which
might lead to mental stress, auditing of supply chain, technical policies and governance
Furthermore, this organisation's human resource management must develop and organise
appropriate workplace induction training with proper reporting procedure for communicating all
safety concerns through employing mitigating guidelines. This involves incident and hazard
reports, assessments of risk with training, statistics in context of performance, procedures and
policies, etc. Along with this, it is essential to have commitment towards this path so that
knowledge can be increased with respect to various dangerous spots at the workspace to promote
risk management with OSH compliance in legal terms.
ELEMENTS OF SAFETY
CULTURE
REQUIREMENTS VARIABLES INVOLVED
Employees engagement to gain
knowledge about training in
terms of operating and
enhancing skills
This is possible when
workforce is ready to adopt the
policies, rules, regulations and
reforms with utmost
competency
Here, it put insights on
following the guidelines to
work with tools, materials,
processes, machineries etc. in
safe and sound environment.
Periodic communication
sessions and demonstrations
with an open channel of
consultation
Encouragement must be
promoted to initiated for
reporting and also with
preparation of errors with near
misses to make the
management realise their
shortcomings in efficient
mode.
Sessions would provide a
platform to discuss, evaluate
and analyse the issues in
relation to OSH with regular
assessment of risk operating
methodologies.
Compliance of OSH
legislations through
developing a culture of
cooperation and trust with
consistent management
Company must invest in terms
of money on up-gradation of
resources and accepting their
support in laying a foundation
of a separate risk management
This part includes supervision
of performance of employees
by assessing the training
periodical and taking
feedbacks from employees for

attempts for controlling of
such accidents and hazards
department which could take
steps in combating any
emergency
any suggestion. Also, it helps
in displaying of personal
responsibility to work under
safe environment by adhering
to procedures, policies and
rules
Additionally, there are many internal methods that can be used by this organisation for
making clear interpretations among employees such as use of newsletters, emails, team meetings,
displays of posters and presentations to staff, employees, and upper management. Whereas, the
external techniques consists of enquires through telephone, or pop-ups, annual publications with
reports based on the government's submissions so that the employees get well versed with the
possibilities and must acknowledge the fact of their non-speaking background of regional
languages.
However,Uzma Group's management started campaigning can be implemented through
consolidation of manuals and handbooks to provide every guidelines while assembling or
operating and implementation of the inspection tools, commonly called as checking tools. It
would be beneficial in preventing any occurrence of mis-happenings, miscommunication or
accidents and enhances the decision making in context of hazard reporting, equipment operating
etc. Nonetheless, the management of this establishment must take few short term tactical
strategies to overcome this situation effectively. They should conduct training in bridging the
knowledge and communication gaps among the taskforce. This proactive approachability
component would assist them to get adjusted with the risk factors, danger or occurrence of any
such value. Furthermore, it enhances the employees' awareness towards this risk management of
elements like stress, hygiene, fitness, handling of materials and machinery and more.

Importance of methods to communicate health and safety information at workplace
There is requirement of various levels of knowledge and awareness in this sector for
effectiveness in the risk management at Uzma Group. It involves many methods of
communication such as the following:
Management of Safety and health websites: This includes sending frequent emails on every
employee's company's email id to keep them updated. Along with, the official website must also
keep sharing posts and latest news in context of this subject for imparting awareness and
encouraging in terms of following the safety measures in appropriate manner.
Formation of committees: This paved the path to provide employees as per the department they
are working in. along with, additional information if help will be required from them at the time
of accident.
Organising meetings among taskforce: The establishment formed a separate body to make their
employees, staff and upper management about the OSH regulations by taking regular meetings
and session through incorporating presentations, posters and other such mediums.
Use of bulletin boards and signage: It is one of the important means to communicate about the
provisions, guidelines, medical aid and latest up-dations to the employees through proper
display. Along with this, they highlighted the utility of knowing the signs with their complete
meanings.
Conductance of tail-gates at workplace: In this, the managers conduct monitoring of demos that
are taken to address specific operations and its related hazards. This is done to serve their
employees as a reminder on how to face the situation when takes place in real time.
Illustration 1: Steps involved in successful campaigning
(Source: Stein, 2014)

Orientation of new employees': This element has facilitated the management to plan the training
by designing the entire OSH management in effective terms to all the new and existing
employees as well.
With reference to the same, it has been demonstrated that these methodologies have
widespread reach in bridging the knowledge gap through enhancing the understanding of filling
out forms in case of emergency, knowing location of tools, medical aid, fire hydrants etc.;
meaning of signs and also following rules and policies strictly and others (Sinelnikov, Inouye &
Kerper, 2015). Further, it has become imperative to assess the information in effective manner
by seeking help to solve the communication problems that have occurred in this organisation
case.
As per the scenario, the foreign speaking language or non-English background people
face more difficulties in understanding the local language. When the managers of Uzma Group
decide to organise training and induction program, the foremost thing is to prioritise the issues
and segregate it on the basis of time efficiency, cost effectiveness with focus on the outcomes.
They must try to use a sequential pragmatic sequential relation for providing the risk assessment
to such population in the best possible manner by including the safety initiatives. In addition,
effective feedback is a tool that deals with the behavioural outlook of such group of people in
order to recognise, analyse and prevent such hazards and risks through making them identify the
specified preventive measures. This will help in alerting them regarding new risks with possible
threats.
Factors affecting on reduction of effectiveness of campaign
There are various factors other than communication which can act as obstacles and has
affected the effectiveness of campaigning in context of occupational safety and hazard at Uzma
Group managerial level.
Financial factor: It is the most important element and the entire campaigning is dependent on it.
Moreover, this internal expertise lacks sufficient capital and funds as well that affect the entire
budgeting set for this department as it needs proper equipment with medical aids.
Lack of motivation: Mostly, employees do not have the awareness of this department's
competencies and this lack of negligence lead to occurrence of accidents and prone to such mis-
happenings. Nonetheless, the taskforce concentrates on the other benefits and incentives leading

to misguide them related to the need of knowing these policies and signage and ignore to attend
the sessions and demos.
Literacy issues: It impacts the entire organisation in negative manner and decelerate the growth
by posing serious threats. Either the foreign born native workers or migrants from other foreign
land start working, they heavily rely on their mentors or subordinates for assistance. Although
this is ineffective in terms of providing training because it is more practical based and not
depended on the written matter, which is again related to pictures, key-points and many white
spaces.
Structural challenges: This element put light on the relationship status of employees at workplace
which gets affected due to gender biasdeness, wages indifference, or language issues. It includes
that proper induction and orientation program must be conducted to make the workforce
understand the OSH awareness so that it can be mitigated on time with the allocated resources.
Moreover, they can eliminate such risks by evaluating the situations and working conditions
beforehand (Robson & et.al., 2012). On the other hand, this set do not follow the organisation's
management sessions and meetings on weekly basis by hiring an interpretor to make such
migratory workers at home and providing them guidelines in simple yet coherent manner to
remove the ambiguous cultural differences.
Lack of interest due to constraint of time: For such large corporations, the workforce work in
shift basis with long working hours. However, this system is necessary to complete the tasks on
estimated time as such companies work continuously due to the on-going production processes
which needs constant monitoring and supervision. Therefore, there will be no time to engage
such staff in demos and OSH simulations and training, leading to more hampering than benefits.
Computer based instructions: With globalisation and open economy, it has been clear that this
OSH training can be effective only when it is clearly conveyed to all the employees. However,
such computer based instructions are difficult for people who are working in the lower level of
the hierarchy. This can lead to an atmosphere of passive adoption of techniques and programs
which cannot be understandable and can result in more confusion. Thus, the response rate gets
affected deeply due to ambiguity prevalence to decode the messages, signs etc. for overall
evaluation.

Cultural disparities: It reflects an individual's background with emphasis on its work ethics,
principles and moral values. Thus, sometimes it acts as a hurdle when regionalism gets affected
by the rejecting the westernization medical procedures and can lead to extreme outcomes like
death. Additionally, it impedes the promotion by dynamics laid due to gender, age and other
blind beliefs related to health.
In regard to the above factors, one must understand the needs of quantitative and
qualitative methodologies that must be implemented to eliminate such reductions on the
effectiveness of such components. There many examples that can be included in the qualitative
methods like joining focus groups consisting of diversified people, debriefing sessions etc. that
are dependent heavily on the situational analysis of an individual and the zeal to overcome these
challenges in appropriate order. On the other hand, the quantitative methods such as surveys,
open interviews and more can impact the employees' perception with respect to such hazards and
accidents and assist in making them realise about their participation to face this conditions in
more paramount approach.
2.
Approaches for safety and health program
A strategic framework of tools that assist the system in attaining the objectives and goals
by delegating and prioritising is called as approach. Therefore, the following three approaches
must be established to use proper solutions in the case of safety and health at Uzma Group,
(Approaches for Improving Occupational Health and Safety,2013).
Active Approach- This is one of the tools to give the employees experience in relation to the
safety issues. Here, those individuals who have been met with any accident or incident are
contacted to give an overview on the adoption of safety measures in more proactive means by
staying positive and motivated. In addition to this, there are many characteristics that must be
included in it. In regard to this, the enterprises must be ready to invest in substantial amount to
maintain the productive atmosphere and giving a platform of world class facilities involving
prevention techniques for conducting the operational activities with improved guidelines. Also,
the workforce must be encouraged and boosted to participate with full enthusiasm by
empowering them with correct safety concerns to assess the culture of behavioural safety that

involves the mental health, depression and more. Nonetheless, this active approach has to be
documented for future references and must be enforced in proper mode.
Static Approach: This is one of those steps which is adopted by most of the companies that view
this as an informal additional approach. Here, the management has a constant technique to
execute and manage the safety processes with an attitude of payment as per the usage. This infers
that the mitigation measurements have been taken only after the mis-happening or accident
occurs. This not only put additional pressure on the administration but also escalate the entire
scenario in multiple height by focusing on the problem for a good amount of period and leading
to affect the supervision of the management in unhealthy manner (Zanko & Dawson, 2012).
Along with, the employers conduct sessions, meetings and discussions when that accident has
already happened and adding to the futility of resources and employers' woes.
Dynamic Approach: This is the most positive approach in terms of addressing the safety and
occupational health hazards. In this, the corporations, both larger, medium or small scale put
their investments for effectiveness and productivity in terms of employees' engagement and
performance management. Moreover, this approach emphasis on the utilisation of all the
practises in relation to OSH and the training required for making the workforce understandable
on the assessment of the risk management. Additionally, the management which uses this has a
concise and coherent approachability to deal with the safety hazards in terms of business metrics.
They focus on the safety of such incidence cases through proximity. It includes strategic
distribution of capital with considerations for improvisations in this department. Nonetheless, the
employees also undergo proper documentation procedures by attending regular demonstrations
and presentations for progression in handling the materials and equipment by minimising the
losses that are incurred due tot such accidents. This approach not only support in improving the
employer and employees' relationships but also put an overview of possible hazards that can take
place due to ignorance or avoidance because of recklessness.
The most positive approach
Dynamic Approach is the most positive approach that must be adopted and promoted by
Uzma Group. It would have helped to monitor their poor conditioning of machineries
beforehand. Furthermore, this must be adopted in all industrial sectors as there will always be
chance of any injury, incident or illness and employees' must feel empowered to face such

conditions appropriately and must make them a safety conscious at an individual and community
level as well.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarised that overall significance of this case study on Uzma Group has
been explained briefly by analysing the factors affecting the communication gaps to overcome
any accident. Although several campaigns have been implemented at larger scale, yet there is
scope of improvements in making the migrated workers understand the policies, regulations and
safety measures to overcome any salutation in the future. Moreover, the Malaysian
establishments followed an integrated and concrete methodology for promoting the preventive
measures of the occupational safety health hazards to lower down the cases. Lastly, it
emphasised on the approaches and its contribution in taking appropriate solutions for
withstanding the risks associated with OSH.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Burke, R. J., Clarke, S., & Cooper, C. L. (Eds.). (2011). Occupational health and safety. Gower
Publishing, Ltd.
Robson, L. S. & et.al. (2012). A systematic review of the effectiveness of occupational health
and safety training. Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, 193-208.
Sinelnikov, S., Inouye, J., & Kerper, S. (2015). Using leading indicators to measure occupational
health and safety performance. Safety science. 72. 240-248.
Zanko, M., & Dawson, P. (2012). Occupational health and safety management in organizations:
A review. International Journal of Management Reviews.14(3). 328-344.
Online
Approaches for Improving Occupational Health and Safety,2013. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/prevention/strategy/approach.php>.
Stein,C., 2014. Simple steps for successful Campaign Planning. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.networkforgood.com/nonprofitblog/successful-campaign-planning/>.

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