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Work Method Statements and their Role in Occupational Health and Safety thumbnail

Work Method Statements and their Role in Occupational Health and Safety


September 5, 2010

A business organization has a number of facets. It can be a provider of merchandise in addition to services for the regional community. It’s also an income generator for the actual business owners. An equally important role of a business is that regarding an employer, which has a obligation to help keep it’s employees safe whilst in the work place. The significance of occupational health and safety should not be stressed enough. Anyone should not need to risk life and limb while at work. There are plenty of of ways of ensuring the well-being of employees. Different safety programs might be introduced that include safety instruction, supervision and frequent inspection. Paperwork such as work method statements may also help increase awareness among personnel, which could greatly reduce workplace injuries and deaths. Importance of Work Method Statements A Work Method Statement is a set of instructions to help you avoid unnecessary hazards for people while in the place of work. Whether it’s laying down instructions on the use of devices or providing the proper process of a certain task, a Work Method Statement can significantly decrease incidents of injuries and fatalities at work. Most of the time, gov departments centering on occupational health and safety require employers to generate and put into action a Work Method Statement. Having Work Method Statements in place is normally required before a company can operate. The absence of the necessary work method statements often leads to fines. Occasionally, it can lead to suspension as well as cessation of business operations. The reason behind these sactions is clear: without having these measures, the government may incur costs in the form of medical treatments or social security payments for injured staff. Even with no government mandate, it’s incumbent on any boss to put together work method statements for every single task carried out and equipment used in the workplace. Promoting a safe work environment impacts not only the employees and their families, but the company’s customers, suppliers, and neighboring communities too. Having a set of work method statements may also serve as a continuous reminder to employers to make safety important. For workers, it might affect behaviour on the job by making them a lot more conscious of their well-being. For the organisation overall, it could cultivate a culture in which values safety above anything else. Crafting an Effective Work Method Statements It seems simple to make a work method statement. Nonetheless, it is not as easy as it looks. It involves addressing important issues. Are the instructions thorough enough to allow the safe performance of a task or use of a certain equipment? Does it include instructions on the steps to take just before and after operation? Does it examine the required personal protective equipment a worker has to put on or have? Does it include precise directions on what the education and supervision of workers are conducted? Is it regularly updated to meet the most recent regulatory or legislative requirements? Many of these questions should be considered to accomplish one goal: to guarantee the worker’s safety constantly. A gung ho attitude has no place in any work site, as the well-being of workers is not a matter to be taken lightly. Therefore, having a work method statement just isn’t enough. Each and every employer must set up a comprehensive document in which satisfies the legal requirements as well as guarantees the safety and health of everybody in the workplace.

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