Health and safety in the workplace is a topic which has been given greater attention and prominence over the last few decades. Ever since some of the first pieces of health and safety legislation which aimed to protect factory workers in Victorian Britain, successive generations have striven to change attitudes and introduce safety controls that protect people in a place of work and prevent them from becoming ill, injured or killed.
Whilst there are unfortunately still a large number of people who suffer an accident or illness either at work or as a result of their workplace activities, there is no doubt that in countries such as the United Kingdom where a multitude of laws and regulations have been introduced there has been a tremendous improvement to the working conditions and welfare of company employees, as well as a reduction in injuries, deaths and ill health.
Along with the legislation and regulations that have been introduced, the increasing provision of health and safety training means workers themselves now also have a much greater understanding of the dangers that are present where they work, for example from hazardous substances (coshh), electricity, manual handling, risk of fire etc.
Many employers will go above and beyond the minimum health and safety requirements stipulated by legislation in terms of their safety and welfare provisions. Many will also put existing employees through, or demand from prospective ones, recognised accredited health and safety qualifications such as the NEBOSH General Certificate, the syllabus of which is designed to cover a number of the most common dangers found in a wide variety of different industries and types of workplace. By attending courses and obtaining a qualification like the NEBOSH General, workers will not only be able to reduce the chances of suffering an accident or incident themselves, but also one which may adversely affect their fellow colleagues or members of the public who are on or near the site.
Whilst some may argue that certain health and safety regulations go too far or are excessive, the countless lives that have been saved as a result of new rules, regulations and the change in attitudes towards workers - no longer seeing them as simply an expendable commodity - cannot be denied.