World Safety Day Blog

Leigh Duke

Today, on Friday 28th April we are celebrating a very important day, ‘World Safety Day.’ 

History of World Safety Day 

In 2003, the International Labour Organization (ILO), began to observe World Day to stress the prevention of accidents and diseases at work.

If we have a look at the statistics, we can understand why World Safety Day was needed.

Every day, 6,300 people die as a result of occupational accidents or work-related diseases, more than 2.3 million deaths per year. 317 million accidents occur on the job annually. Many of these resulting in extended absences from work. These absences not only effect the worker, but also the lives of those who depend on them.

Each year a theme is chosen for World Safety Day. Previous themes have included:
•    Investing in resilient occupational safety and health (OSH) systems 
•    Improving the safety and health of young workers
•    Collection and use of OSH data
•    Workplace stress
•    Building a culture of prevention in OSH

However, this year’s theme for National Safety Day is “Our Aim – Zero Harm.” The theme emphasises the significance of protecting society as a whole. The goal of the event is to cause as little harm as possible.

Zero compromise towards safety. Leave sooner, drive slower, live longer. Safety first and last longer.

How Amour Recruitment ensures the safety of our temporary workers

We take the health and safety of all our temporary staff and candidates extremely seriously. But as we have both an Engineering and Technical Division and an Industrial and Driving Division, there are extra health and safety rules that we need to have in place. We need to know that the work environments that we are sending our workers into is to the same high standard that we would have ourselves. We do this by ensuring that the companies we work with have the following safety precautions in place:

•    We issue a hirer order form which asks the hiring company for an in-depth job description and to detail any risks known to health and safety and what steps have been taken to reduce the risks. We also ask if Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required for the role and who is responsible for issuing the PPE.
•    Staff working in warehouses are issued with and made to wear high vis vests and safety boots.
•    Our drivers have an extensive health and safety checklist that must be adhered to.
•    Risk assessments are carried out for material and tool handling (such as using a band saw) and lifting. These must be carried out by a qualified member of staff and be reviewed within strict timescales. Workers will also be given training via manual handling videos and other training materials.

What can you do to make your workplace safe?

We understand that not every company has obvious hazards in the workplace. For example, for obvious reasons people who work in offices would seem to be safer than workers on an oil rig. But every workplace has its risks, so what can you do to ensure health and safety in your workplace:

•    Have policies and procedures in place to minimise risks. This may include ensuring that all equipment is properly maintained and that dangerous materials are stored safely.
•    Provide employees with the training and resources they need to stay safe. This might include safety manuals, first aid kits, and regular safety briefings.
•    Create a culture of safety by encouraging employees to report hazards and near misses. For example, that carpet tile that is curling at the corner, tape it down, or order a replacement. Don’t leave it until someone trips on it.

As ‘World Safety Day’ has now been celebrated for 20 years some companies go above and beyond to commemorate the day. Here are some examples of activities that take place.

•    Creating an “occupational safety and health” bulletin board at their workplace.
•    Having a safety poster contest between employees with prizes for the winner. The winner’s poster was then printed and placed in prominent places around the workplace.
•    Arranging a safety scavenger hunt with staff members answering a quiz and then finding the safety equipment on the answers

For further information, advice and help on Health and Safety in the workplace, please click on the links below:

www.hse.gov.uk/
www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/videos/lift-video1.mp4
www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/videos/lift-video2.mp4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIMSsJunXB4

And finally, a Health and Safety quote for you…

“Safety isn't expensive, it's priceless.” – Author unknown. 

We hope you enjoyed our blog about the reasons for and the history of ‘World Safety Day.’ If you have a need for any temporary staff or are looking for work in any or our divisions. Please get in touch admin@amour-recruitment.com.

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