Question

Please explain the importance of effective consultative mechanisms in managing health and safety risks and describe what they entail.

Answer 1

Health and safety of employees is an important factor to be considered. At workplace workers are exposed to multiple risks. Effective consultation and communication mechanism is important in managing the risk associated with health and safety. Ensuring workers health and safety and eliminating the chance of hazards is a legal requirement. Two way communication with the employers and workers helps to identify the known and unknown risk. Effective consultation enables to notify the employer about the requirement of new equipments , traffic management on site, or to find any potential chance of risk. Such an effective consultative mechanism listen to health and safety issues and share concerns, ideas and solutions. Exchange information to improve health and safety. Taking inputs from workers before making decisions about health and safety .Consultation should happen when hazards are identified and while managing risk. It is important while proposing changes in the policy that could fix healthy and safety of workers, when introducing or reviewing work procedures, making decisions about work place facility and welfare of workers, or resulting disagreements on the health and safety issues.Communication is the key approach that could take any form such as casual meetings, consultations, tool box talks etc. Selecting a health and safety representative from among the workers could help to take issues directly to the concern of management. It is important because it offers multiple benefits such as improved safety leads to fewer injuries, reduced workers compensation premiums, increase productivity , improved morale and motivation among employees as well as reduce the problems of absenteeism and turnover. It is also important for ensuring a safe and healthy work environment . It create a feeling of sense of belonging and ensure work safety .

Effective consultative mechanism is an inevitable part in the management of risk associated with health and safety. It entail for a participative and cooperative working relationship with workers and management , also focus on the need for healthy work environment. Safety and healthy work environment positively affects the organisation. Work health and safety consultation, coordination and cooperation guides in developing policies and strategies that is acceptable and safe for workers . Installation of safety equipment and providing safety training to workers could minimize the risk. Such an effective consultative mechanism with workers act as a non financial motivator and improves morale and also in the better management of hazards.

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