Understanding Occupational Health & Safety

By Etienne P Smulian

This book, is a MUST read for the novice, student and experienced alike. Why do I say that? Because many of us, don't fully comprehend the "design" behind the thoughts and philosophies  of occupational safety. This awareness-information, will go a long way in establishing a more definitive understanding and training guide, on this matter.

 

To pin-it-down: safety is an attitude. In other words, safety is as much a concept of protection against mishaps of any kind as it is the human approach to the very-nature of thinking, and thinking in terms of how-to safeguard and protect our human bodies, possessions, loved ones and our businesses, homes and work places against injury, disaster  or ultimately, death or loss. This said, the focal point of our study will deal ultimately with the business or place-of-work environment.  Various parts of legislation govern our place of employment. We will however focus mostly on the general Occupational Health & Safety Acts or Regulations, across board.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Etienne P Smulian
• Release date: Aug 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223431473

Book preview

Preface

This book, is a MUST read for the novice, student and experienced alike. Why do I say that? Because many of us, don’t fully comprehend the design behind the thoughts and philosophies  of occupational safety. This awareness-information, will go a long way in establishing a more definitive understanding and training guide, on this matter.

Please note - The Author makes brief reference to the Act and Regulations but holds to the general flow of most sections, as presented within  the-OHSAS 18001, NEBOSH & ISO 45001 environments. Most countries have their own guidelines, however most are compliant to these-three, major world standards.

Understanding Occupational Health & Safety

Chapter 1 – So what is safety?

The answer to this simple-question may be more complex than first imagined. To pin-it-down: safety is an attitude. In other words, safety is as much a concept of protection against mishaps of any kind as it is the human approach to the very-nature of thinking, and thinking in terms of how-to safeguard and protect our human bodies, possessions, loved ones and our businesses, homes and work places against injury, disaster  or ultimately, death or loss.

This said, the focal point of our study will deal ultimately with the business or place-of-work environment.  Various parts of legislation govern our place of employment. We will however focus mostly on the general Occupational Health & Safety Acts or Regulations, across board.

The Historic Context

Be-it or not, it’s important to look back at the achievements of the past and to appreciate how far we have come. This might come as a surprise to many, but occupational health and safety dates back to the early part of the 20th century, actually to the very first commission that looked into mine safety in the year of 1902. (This is but just an example, taken from the South-African backdrop, but many countries in the world will have very similar history) This transpired into the first Factories Act, Act 28 of 1918, amended in 1936 and later establishing the Factories, Machinery and Building Act, Act 22 of 1941. However, it was all of 42 years later that the Machinery and Occupational Safety Act, Act 6 of 1983 was introduced. This act paved the way for the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Act 85 of 1993, that we are regulated too and compliant with today. Note here, regardless of the local Acts or regulations, across most of the world today, the standards are related to the-OHSAS 18001, NEBOSH and ISO 45001 guidelines. We are here dealing with