Free Promoting Safety In The Workplace Essay Sample

Abstract

The safety and protection of the workers should be made as the topmost priority of every organization. Health protection includes all activities that provide protection to workers from illnesses and injuries while health promotion includes all activities that improve or maintain the employees’ personal health. Personal health and safety are vital to a productive employee and a productive work environment. Incorporation of activities in the health promotion and protection in the workplace always comes in diverse forms and mirrors a broad range of goals and functions. Workplace health promotion and protection is the systematic and strategic integration of unique health, safety, and environmental programs and policies into a range of activities. When health protection and promotion are entwined and employed purposely to advance each other, better labor force becomes a more protected workforce. Integration of undertakings in the health promotion and protection in the workplace always comes in varied forms and emulates a comprehensive range of objectives and functions.
Keywords: safety, protection, health, promotion, workplace, employees, productivity

Introduction

In the past, health protection and promotion activities functioned independently in the workplace. While health protection encompasses the activities that offer protection to workers from illnesses and injuries, health promotion encompasses the activities that improve or maintain the employees’ personal health (Hymel et al., 2011). At present, research studies claim that the goals of health promotion and protection interventions are fully accomplished when they work together. Health promotion and protection in the workplace improves the employees’ overall well-being. Interventions in health promotion contribute to personal safety and health (Hymel et al., 2011).
Both personal health and safety are vital to a productive employee and a productive work environment. They are combined effectively in a symbiotic way that enhances the effect of overall productivity and health (Hymel et al., 2011). As health protection and promotion are entwined and used deliberately to improve each other, a better workforce, therefore, becomes a more secure workforce. Organizations can participate in this new approach by integrating safety promotions and environmental policies, processes, and programs (Hymel et al., 2011).
Incorporation of activities in the health promotion and protection in the workplace always comes in diverse forms and mirrors a broad range of goals and functions. An example of this is the evaluation of the health status of employees, addressing health risks, recognition as well as treatment of illness or injury, job safety efforts and initiatives to establish cultures of safety and health, prevention of disability, and environment safety and behavioral health initiatives (Hymel et al., 2011). Workplace health promotion and protection is the systematic and strategic integration of unique health, safety, and environmental programs and policies into a range of activities (Hymel et al., 2011).

Literature Review

According to Hymel et al. (2011), there are many reasons why companies should ensure the safety and protection of workers. First, chronic health illnesses are increasing in all age groups in America and are expected to cause additional burden particularly when the diseases involve conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Second, almost half of the population in the United States has one chronic health illness and from that group, fifty-percent of them have a number of chronic conditions (Hymel et al., 2011). In one research study,, it was discovered that over 80% of the medical expenditures are spent in the treatment and care for chronic illnesses. Health risks that lead to chronic diseases are likewise increasing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated a 20% rate of obesity in Colorado (Hymel et al., 2011). In a study conducted in 2001, it was found that the costs for medical claims for people who have five or more health risks increased twice the costs of those people who are healthier (Hymel et al., 2011). In older age groups, chronic illness that are most common often necessitate more care and are difficult to manage compared to chronic illnesses that are common among the younger generations.
Wong (2012) claims that about 36% of the adult population in the United States are not able to perform activities of daily living that necessitate fundamental writing, reading, and numeric skills. People who are in danger for low literacy in health have socioeconomic backgrounds and demographics similar to people who are considered susceptible by the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). Wong (2012) states enhancing literacy in health is a priority in public health. Occupational health nurses can perform a crucial function in helping employers establish a health literate group while enhancing the health of their workers.
Naumanen (2006) conducted a study that describes aging workers, as well as their health promotion in a qualitative way. Moreover, the study describes the significance of workplace, individual, and occupation health factors, the effect of health promotion as well as the contributions of co-partners enhancing the health of senior workers. These create the foundation for health promotion model. Naumanen (2006) claims health promotion concentrates on both the workplace and the employees. The health of the employees means holistic well-being, health habits, and workability related to better physical condition, vitality, and energy. The health of the community is demarcated as well-being at the work environment. Promotion of health implies minimizing, preventing, and eradicating health hazards at the organization, promoting and maintaining workability as well as developing work, work environment, and working approaches (Naumanen, 2006). In Australia, the major occupational health activities were the handling of activities related to health promotion, management of injuries and illnesses, and assessment of the work environment, health of the workers, research, rehabilitation, and training and education (Naumanen, 2006). Well-being, health, and quality of life, including an improved lifestyle habits for employees, a healthier and safer work environment, improved image of the work environment, and greater productivity, and increased tax revenues and savings are all believed to be related to intervention in health promotion (Naumanen, 2006).
Tadesse and Admassu (2006) claim health status of the employees in every nation has direct and immediate effects on the world and national economies. Overall economic losses because of occupational injuries and illnesses are massive. The International Labor Organization projected that in 1997, the total economic losses due to work-related injuries and diseases were around 4-5% of the gross national product of the world. Tadesse and Admassu (2006) state employees are the backbones of the nation’s progress. A well-trained, healthy, and motivated employees, enhances productivity and produces wealth needed for the good health of people at large. Nevertheless, millions of employees are working in hazardous and poor conditions. Based on the report of the International Labor Organization, over 1.2 million employees die of diseases and accidents in the workplace (Tadesse & Admassu, 2006). Over 160 million employees become ill because of hazards in the workplace (Tadesse & Admassu, 2006). Based on the estimates of the United Nations, 10 million occupational diseases happen globally. Frequency and severity are greatest in emerging nations. Children, women, and migrant employees are the most affected and least protected (Tadesse & Admassu, 2006). The reasons for hazards in the workplace include unsafe buildings, poor ventilation, old machines, inaccessibility to inspection, and noise.

Methods

Methodology pertains to ways of acquiring, organizing, and examining data (Mamabolo, 2009). The decisions involved in methodology rely on the research question. In research, methodology can be perceived as the concept of accurate scientific conclusions. Methodology includes the setting, sample, design, limitations, and analysis of data collected (Mamabolo, 2009). Selecting a methodology is a confusing and daunting procedure. When working on a research subject, several qualitative research methodologies may be used to fit the study. Hence, focusing on what the study hopes to achieve is essential.
The primary aim of this research is to determine how promotion of employees’ safety and protection is exercised in organizations and identification of the different factors that impact health and safety promotion. First, this paper determines the different health and safety promotions which organizations can use to reinforce employee well-being. Second, this paper identifies the different approaches employed by organizations to ensure the safety and health of their employees.
The application of qualitative research aids in achieving the objective of this paper. Past research studies are used and analyzed and linked to the way organizations promote the health and safety of employees. Past studies are used to explore the topic concerning health and safety in the workplace. The descriptive method of research is applied in this study. Descriptive method of research is a study that involves fact-finding with accurate and adequate interpretation of the finding (Kothari, 2005). It describes what is. It describes with emphasis what exist, including current conditions, situations, practices, or any phenomena.
In this paper, the study conducted by Naumanen (2006) is used. A pretested questionnaire that have structured as well as a number of open-ended questions was utilized to create the qualitative data. The study made use of 150 works, and 93 of them returned the questionnaires. Using qualitative methods, the results of the responses were analyzed. Moreover, the study computed statistics data using means and frequencies.

Results

The outcome of the study demonstrated that more than 90% of the respondents believe that individual arrangements, health habits, a good work environment, health checks, access to counseling and nursing care were significant elements for promotion of health. In addition, the factors that affect health promotion include improved health (99%); employee motivation (96%); and satisfaction of work (95%). Moreover, the most significant co-partners include rehabilitation organizations (93%) and safety and health organizations (94%).

Conclusion

Activities that promote health protection and safety are critical in the workplace. When organizations promote and protect the health, employees’ performance is also improved. Personal safety and health are essential to a productive work environment and strong workforce. The diverse forms of chronic diseases are becoming a problem in every workforce. Health literacy is important in every organization. Low literacy rates entail danger to health. The health of the workers entails not just individual but also holistic well-being. The health habits and ability to work is associated with great physical health, energy, and strength. The health of the people is equivalent to well-being at the workplace. Promotion of health suggests reducing, averting, and getting rid of health hazards at the organization, promoting as well as maintaining work capacity and developing work, work situation, and working methods.

References

Hymel, P., Loeppke, R., Baase, C., Burton, W., Hartenbaum, N., & Hudson, T. et al. (2011). Workplace Health Protection and Promotion. Journal Of Occupational And Environmental Medicine, 53(6), 695-702. doi:10.1097/jom.0b013e31822005d0
Mamabolo, LRC. (2009). Chapter 3 Research design and methodology. pp.40-77.
Occupational Health Surveillance. (2014). Workplace Health & Safety, 62(1), 3-4. doi:10.3928/21650799-20131220-01
Wong, B. (2012). Building a Health Literate Workplace. Workplace Health & Safety, 60(8), 363-369. doi:10.3928/21650799-20120726-67