Occupational health policies aim to protect workers from hazardous work environments, including clean work areas, protective equipment, and proper training. Employers must maintain safe workplaces and employees are expected to follow safety guidelines. Violations can result in fines or criminal charges. The introduction of these policies can be controversial, but studies show that companies benefit from lower labor costs and fewer compensation claims. Most industrialized countries have occupational health policies in place to protect workers.
An occupational health policy is a plan of action which is primarily concerned with protecting the health, safety and well-being of people at work. Policies are typically designed to protect workers from hazardous work environments by ensuring clean work areas, the use of protective equipment, and ensuring employees are properly trained. Policies may also include provisions to protect customers and nearby communities. Government agencies, such as the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) in the United States, often monitor and enforce regulations around the world.
The standards set by an occupational health policy require employers to provide a safe environment for their employees. This usually includes, but is not limited to, protection from hazardous materials, excessive noise, unsanitary conditions, and mechanical hazards. Standards vary according to local or regional regulations set by a ruling government. Agencies typically enforce their rules with inspections.
Occupational health policies normally require employers to maintain certain workplace standards. The usual requirements revolve around maintaining a generally safe environment, wearing protective gear when needed, and training employees in the proper use of handling equipment. Employees are also expected to maintain a safe environment. Violations are typically punished with fines that increase with the risk the intrusion poses to workers. In extreme cases, criminal charges may be filed.
The introduction of an occupational health policy usually leads to controversy. Business owners and employers fear that the cost of complying with regulations outweighs the benefits of a safer work environment. Studies have shown that employers generally overestimate the cost of such improvements. Others criticize the agencies for their ineffectiveness. Calls for tougher penalties and the criminalization of some violations are often the most common complaints. Conversely, studies have shown that companies that follow the policies benefit from lower labor costs and fewer workers’ compensation claims.
Before the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970 in the United States, American workers had little protection in the workplace. For the employer, creating a safer environment was often more costly than replacing an injured or dead employee. Technological advances have posed even greater threats. Two years before the bill was passed, 14,000 workers died doing their jobs and another two million sustained injuries. After a long and heated debate in the United States Congress, the bill went into effect on April 28, 1971.
Most industrialized countries have developed an occupational health policy that protects the safety of their employees. The European Union Occupational Safety and Health Administration (EU-OSHA) was established in 1996 in Bilbao, Spain. The Korean Safety Organization, known as KOSHA, went into effect in 1986. Industrialization usually leads to more dangerous conditions for workers, and measures to protect them become significant.
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