Workplace Health & Safety

• Published date: 08 December 2020
• Law Firm: Safecall
• Author: &nbsp Safecall

What do we mean byWorkplace Health and Safety?

Workplaces can be dangerous places. Workplace Health and Safety should be taken seriously and approached in a professional and pragmatic manner. While related it is important to make the distinction between workplace 'health' and 'safety'.

Health - It is possible for illness to be caused or worsened by our occupation. Between 4-5% of workers suffer from work related ill health at any one time. Common work-related health conditions include;

• Anxiety and depression - can be brought on or exacerbated by chronic work stress.
• Hearth and lung disease - can be brough on by inactivity or particulate exposure (e.g. asbestos).
• Musculoskeletal disorders - can be brought on by poor posture and ineffective equipment.

Safety - workplaces can be dangerous places and injuries can happen. Around 2% of workers suffer workplace injuries each year. Common work-related injuries include;

• Slips, trips and falls
• Handling, lifting and carrying
• Struck by moving object
• Acts of violence

While we all accept that people get ill and accidents happen there is a duty on all organisations to control and minimise risks to the health and safety of people engaged in...