Every one of us is entitled to work in a setting that is safe and healthy. Despite this, it remains a sad reality that annually, countless work-related injuries and sicknesses have led to the death of thousands of workers. The workplace has become one of the most perilous of places.

This is the reason why governments all over the world have passed laws and regulations to prevent work-related accidents and diseases in companies and organizations. They have strictly imposed these regulations in the workplace. Companies therefore are not only ethically responsible, but are legally obliged to provide a safe working environment to their work force. Workplace health and safety is a legal requisite.

Below are a few of the safety responsibilities of employers. They should:

• provide their employees with a workplace that does not have life-threatening hazards and follow all safety and health standards.

• rid of or cut down hazards and when needful, should take the crucial changes in working conditions to ensure safety. Most often employers commit deliberate laxity when they refuse to get rid of hazards and rely instead in masks, gloves, protective shields and glasses, and other personal gears of protection. What should have been done was to provide enclosures or enclosing processes to trap harmful fumes, to switch to safer chemicals, to provide appropriate ventilation, etc.

• keep accurate records of work-related sicknesses and injuries. There should be an easy reference that will provide essential health information whenever employees get sick or injured.

• post safety posters and what-to-do’s in cases of accidents and health emergencies in the workplace where these can be readily seen and referred from by employees. Employees must know how to keep themselves safe first of all.

• provide hearing and visual exams or other medical assessments to make certain that their employees are fit to work and are competent to perform their jobs well without endangering their health.

• inform employees about safety hazards through training, labels, alarms, color-coded systems, chemical informtion posters and other means.

• provide first aid paraphernalia, facilities and specially-trained people to respond to illness or injury. Approved equipments are chiefly provided by health-accredited stores and qualified personnel can be easily found in staff solutions services.

Workplace safety is not something that management should be lax about. The extent by which employers are willing to give for the health and protection of their employees is one of the top factors to staff satisfaction because it mirrors greatly their commitment and concern for their employees.