WHS Management

Understanding WHS Management

Before the industrial revolution during the 18th-century, workers were subjected to unsafe working conditions that led to the loss of life of about thousands of workers. The revolution brought about a drastic change in the industrial world, forcing employers to be more considerate with their workers. Coming down to the 21st century where modernisation and civilisation have resulted in many changes, workers now have more privileges that give them job security and safety, one of them being work safety and health (WHS).

WHS management involves hazard management, injury management and incident management. It also consists of emergency procedures and how to manage work health and safety generally.

Hazard Management

There are difficulties usually associated with working conditions. These conditions are called hazards because they tend to cause injury or illness and may occur at the workplace from operating a piece of equipment or plant. To manage hazardous situations, the risk factor must be evaluated and assessed. After evaluation, a plan is devised to remove them.

There are different types of controls, including risk elimination, substitution, isolation, administrative and engineering controls, and PPE.

Injury Management

This includes compensations given to incidents of victims and rehabilitation. Each jurisdiction has its procedure for helping victims get back to work; therefore, we must individually examine it.

As regards compensation, each state or territory has her compensation law – Workers’ Compensation Act. It usually covers medical bills, periodic payments for loss of income, damages paid for loss incurred and rehabilitation costs.

A good compensation plan must have a clear and concise procedure and ensures confidentiality. There is usually an injury management coordinator who assists victims to get back to work.

Incident Management

Although there are guidelines on workplace safety and health, eradicating casualties seems impossible. In different placements, they are known as incidents. They include injuries, unexpected events, and damages, among others.

In managing incidents, two major steps are taken. The first is reporting, and the second is an investigation. We must report all incidents in line with laid down guidelines. It also involves different offices which do not exclude the PCBU or the supervisor. When reporting has been filed, the site is then being investigated.

The victim’s workplace supervisor usually conducts the investigation alongside the victim within 24hrs of such incident or a team in rare cases. The investigation usually involves facts finding and analysis, proffering solutions and implementation and review of such solutions.

Emergency Procedures

An emergency is an action that calls for a prompt response. Emergencies may include fire explosion, damage etc. An emergency plan is put in place to ensure safety and reduce the risk of damage.

Emergency procedures include:

  • An effective solution
  • Recognising those that are in offices
  • Immediate response to emergencies
  • Resolving medical issues
  • Good communication and mutual understanding between the person administering the emergency services and all workers.

Managing Workplace Health and Safety

We are driven by our passion for ensuring safety at work and healthy living in general. Everyone has responsibilities under the WHS laws. Nonetheless, different models have been formulated to ensure work safety and health. They are hazard management, injury management and incident management. We must adequately map out all plans.