Occupational Risk Prevention: Health and Safety in the Workplace
Inducing Goals of the Law on the Prevention of Occupational Risks (PRL)
- Prevention of occupational risks for the protection of health and safety.
- Elimination or reduction of risks arising from work.
- Information, consultation, participation, and training of workers on preventive measures.
What Features Make a Prevention Officer?
A prevention officer must be able to exercise specialized functions in terms of risk prevention at work.
What is the Purpose of the Single European Act?
The purpose is the protection of the safety and health of workers.
Action Plans of the European Commission
- Safety and health at work.
- Ergonomics.
- Work hygiene.
- Education.
- Information.
- SME Social Dialogue.
Meaning of Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the science that studies the work environment in order to adapt the workplace to the worker.
Key Points of the Community Charter on the Rights of Workers
- Free movement of workers.
- Right to work and fair wages.
- Improved living and working conditions.
- Proper social protection.
- Freedom of association.
- Bargaining and negotiation.
- Training.
- Equal treatment between men and women.
- Information, consultation, and participation.
- Protection of children and teenagers.
- Seniors.
- Disabled individuals.
Who Owns the Guarantee of Safety and Health of Workers?
Company policy puts the employer as the first responsible for the safety and health of their employees and requires the completion of a series of actions involving the company in its guarantee. These preventive actions should be applied through organization and prior planning.
Actions to Ensure Correct Information for All Employees
The employer must take measures to ensure correct information for all workers on:
- Risk prevention measures.
- First aid.
- Firefighting.
- Evacuation plans.
Technical Instructions in the REBT Related to Health and Safety
The Regulations and Technical Guidelines on the legal regulation of safety and hygiene in the electricity sector include: ITC-19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.
Regulation of Prevention Services
The regulatory mechanism includes assessment procedures for risks to the health of workers, the modalities of organization, functioning, and control of prevention services, and the capabilities and skills that must be met by workers and their prevention.
Definition of Risk and Danger
Risk: Risk refers to those work situations that can break the balance between the physical, mental, and social well-being of people. According to the LPR, it is the possibility that a worker suffers an injury resulting from work. According to UNE, it is a combination of the frequency or probability and the consequences that could result from a hazard.
Danger: Danger is an intrinsic property or ability of something that can cause damage. According to UNE, it is a situation capable of causing injury, property damage, environmental damage, or a combination thereof.
Definitions of Accident, Prevention, and Security
Accident: An accident is an abnormal event, which presents itself unexpectedly, is usually avoidable, interrupts the continuity of work, and can cause injury to people.
Prevention: Prevention is the set of measures taken or planned in all phases of a company’s activity, in order to avoid or reduce the risks of labor.
Security: Security is a set of techniques and procedures performed in order to eliminate or reduce the risk of accidents occurring.
Integrated Security and Participatory Security
Integrated Security: Integrated security is that which commits managers, technicians, and workers to successfully perform any work or production process using the criteria of security, in its conception, design, and execution.
Participatory Security: Participatory security allows workers to collaborate actively in defense of their health rights, as corresponds to them by law.
Technical Security: Design and Correction
Design: Design is applied when security is issued in any project, design, or method of work.
Correction: Correction is applied after detecting dangerous jobs with characteristics outlined in facilities, equipment, or working methods; it acts to improve these characteristics.
Comparison: Design is more effective and less costly. Correction is easier to implement.
Stages of Preparedness of Security of the Company
- Detection of risks.
- Risk assessment.
- Establishment of adequate controls.
Success of the Detection of Risks
Detection involves identifying:
- Material conditions that may present unsafe materials, facilities, or machinery in their correct operation and use of the workplace.
- Unsafe or careless actions of workers before any material item.