Educating your employees................................................................
Laws and regulations in all sectors insist that companies train their employ-
ees in the basics of workplace safety. Depending on your industry, employees
may need to learn how to handle hazardous substances or operate heavy
machinery and dangerous electrical appliances. Whatever the case, health
and safety briefings also teach them about the risks they encounter on the
job and the measures that are required to avoid them. Typical briefings teach
employees about current industrial hygiene and safety and accident-prevention
regulations, too.Accident prevention briefings nearly always take precedent, however, touch-
ing on technical and organizational safety measures, such as installing pro-
tective grids or establishing fully enclosed systems, may be included.
Because many accidents result from people behaving in a way that isn’t safe,
safety education is a key to preventing them.182 Part III: Going Green
OSHA, by any other name, around the world
Most first-world countries have a framework of
health and safety law that is backed by a means
of enforcement. In addition, people injured as a
result of their work generally have the right to
sue their employers in the civil courts for negli-
gently causing such injury.
Almost all countries have their own legislation,
frequently within widely differing court systems.
The British, for example, have the Health and
Safety at Work Act of 1974 (it is set, however, in
the context of the European Union, whose laws
take priority over those of the member states).Here are a few of the Act’s requirements (those
in other countries are similar, give or take dif-
ferences here and there). Under this Act,
employers must:Provide a healthy and safe workplace
Take reasonable precautions for the safety
of themselves and of others (including, of
course, contractors, visitors, and paying
customers)Prevent onsite operators from emitting toxic
substances into the general atmosphere
Ensure that their products are reasonably
safe, and provide information on safety pre-
cautions to be taken in their useAllow for the appointment of trade union
or employee safety representatives and
set up safety committees, if requested by
representatives