Question

briefly explain how the following state/ territory legislations relevant to individual support impact workplace regulations

1. hazardous manual tasks

2. Infection control

Answer 1

There are many legislations in every country to establish a safe occupational environment for the workers. Occupational health is defined as the physical, mental and social wellbeing of the workers in their workplace. The objective of occupational health is to promote safe and healthy working environment for their employees. Occupational illness is defined as any deviations/ impairment in the wellbeing of an individual due to the physical, chemical, or biological agent's exposure in their work place. Under the occupational health and safety act many regulations are implemented to protect the workers in their workplace. These include from basic needs like working hours to radiation protection

1. Hazardous manual tasks; A hazardous manual task means a task which require physical strength to do such as to pull, lift, push, lower, carry or need repetative force/ movement to complete that particular task. Every country has their legislations to protect workers from those occupational hazards. However, the primary responsibility to ensure the safety of workers is fall on the employer or company or the one conducting the business. Government or the concerned officials have the responsibility to make sure the employers follow the safety guidelines in their company. Workers are equally accountable to follow the guidelines to protect themself and adversely affect the health and safety of others during work. Early identification of risks and able to prevent those are the primary benefits of those regulations in the work place. It includes periodic inspection of equipment or machinery, replacing manual efforts by machines to make the work easy, wearing protective face shields while drilling or welding, using safety belts to prevent fall from height etc. Periodic health checkups and health educations help people to improve their health and identify hazards at the earliest. It is common rule for every work place to have a first aid kit and someone trained to use this. Now a days it is mandatory to have a medical team at work to manage any emergencies or work related health issues. These factors contributed workers to have a safe and healthy working environment.

2. Infection Control; Prevention of infection or communicable diseases are very important strategy in the health promotion of workers. Chances of getting infected or spreading an infection is high in work place as there are many people come in contact. There are legislations to prevent infection including washing hands before food and after toilet use, in case of medical proffesionals need special attention in hand hygiene to prevent cross infection. Individual gloves, gown or personal items to use in the work place, use of personal protective equipment while handling body fluids or infected persons in health care setting. Maintaining personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness prevents infection. this includes, washing the floor, bathrooms, toilets and surfaces regularly, using disinfectants to clean, spot cleaning if necessary and proper handling and disposal of waste. Medical waste and sharps need special considerations and need to follow bio hazards waste management protocols to prevent injury and illness. Health education programs for the workers about the sexually transmitted diseases and its prevention. Vaccines for the seasonal infectious diseases also improves the immunity of the workers.

These are the impact of state/ territory legislations on individuals in their workplace. Due to these occupational health care regulations employer as well as the employees are getting benefited.