Impact on occupational safety and health for higher labor productivity Occupational health and safety is about ensuring a safe workplace. For resource recovery facilities this includes staff employed at the factory as well as contractors and the public. Occupational health and safety is a discipline with a broad scope involving many specialized fields. In its broadest sense, it should aim at: * The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; * The prevention among workers of adverse effects on health caused by their working conditions; * The protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; * The placing and maintenance of workers in an occupational environment adapted to physical and mental needs; * The adaptation of work to humans.
The costs to employers of occupational accidents or illnesses are also estimated to be enormous. For a small business, the cost of even one accident can be a financial disaster. For employers, some of the direct costs are: * Payment for work not performed;
* Medical and compensation payments;
* Repair or replacement of damaged machinery and equipment; * Reduction or a temporary halt in production;
* Increased training expenses and administration costs;
* Possible reduction in the quality of work;
* Negative effect on morale in other workers.
Some of the indirect costs for employers are:
* The injured/ill worker has to be replaced;
* A new worker has to be trained and given time to adjust; * It takes time before the new worker is producing at the rate of the original worker; * Time must be devoted to obligatory investigations, to the writing of reports and filling out of forms; * Accidents often arouse the concern of fellow workers and influence labor relations in a negative way; * Poor health and safety conditions in the workplace can also result in poor public relations. Overall, the costs...