How To Prevent Occupational Diseases – Caution for Employers

Often, employees sustain injuries or acquire diseases at work while fulfilling the duties of their role. These fall under occupational hazards or diseases; all employees have the right to claim worker’s compensation under certain circumstances. However, having proper preventive measures for occupational diseases in place always takes precedence over mitigating cure and damage control. This falls under the Safe Work policy in Australia that workplaces and companies are supposed to uphold.

This article is a comprehensive guide to the various measures businesses can adopt to prevent an upsurge of occupational diseases in their space.

1. Identify High-Risk jobs

One of the first steps is identifying high-risk jobs and simultaneously single out all risks associated with each role and occupation. Depending on that, each business’s occupational diseases and prevention protocols will differ. For example:

• Office jobs will need different safety and disease prevention measures than manual labour.
• A construction job will require safety measures like proper safety gear, training, and warning signs for hazardous areas.
• Medical workers in a hospital will have safety measures such as proper sharps disposal, frequent sanitation, wearing scrubs and gloves, etc.

2. Controlling Infection Through Training Employees

Workspaces are often contained spaces where people work in close proximity to each other. This makes a conducive environment for the spread of contagious diseases and infections that can lead to a large number of the workforce being affected simultaneously. Here are some interventions:

• Inculcating culture of washing hands for at least 15 seconds.
• Make sure broken skin is cleaned and dressed immediately and the surrounding area is sanitized.
• Wearing gloves while handling food, waste, or other items that can be contaminated.
• Keeping personal items separate.

3. Maintaining Workplace Cleanliness And Organization

Keeping the working environment clean and organized is one of the most important steps in occupational disease prevention. An unclean and scattered workplace can be a breeding ground for various infections and injuries. Solutions include:

• Regularly cleaning the floors, surfaces, bathrooms and common equipment and utensils.
• Installing safe furnishing that minimized risks of breaking or injuring the workers.
• Keeping warning signs ahead of the constitution or such areas that may pose threats to unguarded employees.
• Spot cleaning and disinfecting.

4. Improve Work Setup

Some of the most common types of occupational diseases occur due to sedentary working conditions where employees work at the same spot for a prolonged period without movement. This can cause diseases like tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and prolonged back issues. To prevent that, companies can:

• Invest in more ergonomic working equipment and setups for employees
• Provide well-timed breaks
• Uphold contractual working times and commitments
• Conduct safe job analysis

5. Uphold Model Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations

Another way to ensure workplace safety regulations is by enforcing and maintaining the Model Work Health and Safety Act or WHS. Australian Jurisdictions have WHS inspectors who can inspect workplaces to check for proper, fair, and safe working conditions, enforce WHS laws, and advise businesses on their models and working conditions.

6. Proper Disposal Of Wastes

One of the most important ways of maintaining workplace safety is through waste segregation and employing proper disposal methods. Wastes can pose immense sanitary hazards to any space. Some proper techniques of disposal would be:

• Segregating wet and dry wastes.
• Having a separate disposal for sharps.
• Having a separate space for disposing of objects with bodily fluids like mucus, blood, etc.
• Having reinforced waste bags.
• Following the EPA guidelines of your state or territory.

Summing Up

When it comes to occupational injuries or diseases, prevention always takes precedence over cure. While some injuries are minor, others can be permanent incapacitating or expensive. That’s why workers and employees must be aware of their rights and know when to claim their worker’s compensation by getting in touch with some of the best occupational disease lawyers Perth.

This is the financial insurance put in place by the Australian government that covers the financial cost of worker’s injuries and any other financial losses incurred in the process. Depending on the severity of the injury, the amount and payout time can differ. The payout schedule also differs based on the laws of your residential territory or state.

It is important to contact the best personal injury lawyer in Perth accessible to you to clarify and explain your rights and make the process easier. Contact our team for consultations today.