In difficult times, effective occupational hygiene practices are so important.
Safe, compliant occupational hygiene practices is one of those things that many people take for granted. Staff rightfully expect their workplaces to be hygienic, hazard-free environments, where they can focus on their duties without worrying about the potential impact that onsite environmental conditions could have on their health. However, depending on the industry an organisation operates in, there are a wide range of potential occupational hygiene risks that workers could be exposed to, ranging from inhaling minute dust particles, exposure to dangerous chemicals, high noise level exposure, and so on. Exposure to unsafe environmental conditions such as these can detrimentally impact the health of staff in many ways, ranging from short-term illnesses to severe chronic conditions. That is why it is crucial that all businesses adhere to compliant occupational hygiene practices; this article will discuss this issue in more detail.
New health risks mean efficient occupational hygiene practices are often changing
Broadly speaking, occupational hygiene practices work at keeping staff and workplaces safe from the scope of exposure risks that may be evident at worksites, in the form of hazards such as dust exposure, loud noises, excessively bright lighting, mist exposure, and so on. It initially works at measuring the extent of worker exposure to these elements, to assess what level the risk factors are at. If it is determined that employees may be exposed to occupational hazards that exceed regulatory compliant levels, the business can then work at developing control measures to actively mitigate these risks, bring them down to compliant standards, and ensure that this level of compliance is maintained in the future.
One of the most fundamental ways businesses have changed during the pandemic is that companies now have a stronger focus and awareness of the importance of effective occupational hygiene practices. This means that there is a heightened understanding of the need for safe worksite conditions, including effective ventilation, sanitary workplaces, noise control, and so on.
However, companies may be struggling to get on top of their occupational hygiene obligations during the pandemic for several reasons, such as compliance standards may be frequently changing, businesses may have to take on new responsibilities, the occupational hygiene standards may differ between Australian states and territories, and so on. Although it may seem like a challenge to keep up with your occupational hygiene obligations, failing to meet them is much worse, as this can result in businesses incurring significant fines, staff feeling unsafe on worksites, and the businesses overall reputation being damaged.
A certified occupational hygienist can help businesses keep up with their responsibilities
That is why all organisations, regardless of their size or industry, should consider commissioning an occupational hygiene audit of their worksites. This process sees a certified occupational hygienist visit their worksite to assess all its occupational hygiene practices, to measure whether they are meeting compliance standards.
This auditing process will help businesses ensure that they are complying with all their occupational hygiene responsibilities, from safe air quality practices to compliant noise strategies, to appropriate, safe lighting conditions, and so on. Through this process, all the onsite occupational hygiene risks will be identified, and then assessed to determine whether they are operating within compliant levels. If it is determined that they are outside the levels of compliance, the business will be provided with a straightforward action plan for minimising the risks, bringing them down to acceptable levels, and ensuring they remain compliant in the future.
By undergoing this process, businesses are proving that they are committed to safe, compliant occupational health and safety practices, in accordance with existing legislation. In today’s highly unstable business environment, this can help an organisation get that competitive edge, and distinguish it from its competitors, as it provides staff, and both existing and potential customers with a reassurance about the validity of your business processes. Further, compliant occupational hygiene practices help organisations operate in a more efficient, effective manner, through minimising the downtime incurred from staff illnesses, and showing the public that the company takes its health and safety obligations seriously.
Contact our certified occupational hygienists for more information
Reading this article has probably left you wanting to find out more about the scope of potential occupational hygiene risks, how they could impact your operations, and what your business should be doing to protect itself from them.
To find out more about this issue, please contact our specialist consultants today by filling out this simple contact us form, or by phone on 1300 802 163, for a quick, obligation-free consultation about the occupational hygiene risks your business may be facing, and how this process can work at protecting the operations from them. By telling the consultants about the specifics of your operations, they can explain to you some of the occupational hygiene risks your business may be exposed to, and how they could impact your operations. They can then arrange for a certified occupational hygienist to travel to your worksite to conduct a hassle-free occupational hygiene audit of it, under COVID-Safe conditions, thus ensuring your business remains hygienic, compliant, and competitive. In today’s highly unstable business environment, doesn’t that sound like something worth learning more about?
