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Muhammad Azmeer bin Abd RahimBachelor of Business Administration (Risk Management & Takaful)

Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kampus Gong Badak,Terengganu, Malaysia

E-mail:[email protected]

EMPLOYEES AWARENESS ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY ANDHEALTH (OSH) ASPECTS IN EDUCATIONAL INDUSTRIES

Abstract

This paper aim to study employees

awareness on occupational safety and health

aspects (OSH) in educational industries. This

paper provides information about what are the

educational industries awareness aspects that

employees need to be aware on occupational

safety and health (OSH).

Keyword: Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), Awareness, Working Condition

1.0 Introduction

An employee work in certain place called workplace. In any workplace, the safety of of

employees should be a priority. Whether the job is high risk or in low risk, the workplace

should be in a healthy and safe environment. A healthy workplace is a place where everyoneworks together to achieve an agreed vision for the health and well-being of workers and the

surrounding community. It provides all members of the workforce with physical,

psychological, social and organizational conditions that protect and promote health and

safety. It enables managers and workers to increase control over their own health and to

improve it, and to become more energetic, positive and contented (WHO). Employees need

to be aware and understand the aspects that need to be knowledgeable in their working

arena.

Safety and health in schools has often been approached from the viewpoint of pupils

(e.g. McLellan et al., 1999; Konu and Rimpela, 2002), school health care (e.g. Libbus et

al.,003; Tossavainen et al., 2004a, b) or, more generally, health education (Moore et al.,2004; Smith et al., 2004). Nowadays, efforts in enhancing the awareness on safety and

health among workers in the educational industries are focused. Without fully understanding

the awareness aspect of safety and health in workplace, workers are not fully be clarified as

an aware employee in term of safety.

In promoting workers safety and health awareness, development and research are

needed. This paper will show a framework of occupational safety and health model.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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2.0 Literature Review

In any workplace, the safety of employees should be a priority. Whether you work in

a low or high risk job, the company and its managers should maintain a healthy environmentwhere safety is taken seriously. Managing workplace safety is as important for the company

as it is for the employees. The law requires employers to provide, so far as is reasonably

practicable, a safe working environment for their employees. This includes providing such

information, instruction, training and supervision to employees as are necessary to enable

them to work safely.

Several studies like Robson et al. (2007), Fernndez-Muiz et al. (2008),) and ILO-

OSH (2001) indicates that the OHS based management systems not only reduce accidents

and injury rates but it also improves the business and productivity of an organization. Extent

of such view has increased considerably in the past few years. Fernndez-Muiz et al.

(2008) said that occupational accidents and unsafe working conditions not only have a badeffect on human resource but also it damages the material, reduces the productivity and

diminishes the motivation of workers.

It is presumed nowadays that workers who are employed in universities, offices or in

administration work in 'safe' workplaces thus the need for health and safety does not arise.

Recent developments according Verzosa (1999) are pointing out that these workers face a

number of hazards some of which have potentially very serious effects on their health and/or

safety. Occupational risks in educational industries workplaces as identified by her include

too much standing, too much sitting, too much arm stretching, too much bending, and

discomforts resulting from prolonged computer keyboard operation and exposure to dust anddirt, and other indoor pollutants, that linked to some respiratory illnesses, like asthma, and

certain types of skin allergy. The educational sector environment can put workers at risk for

various injuries thus workers should be aware of health and safety hazards aspects and

employers should provide solutions for limiting worker risk.


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Occupational health

and safety aspects

Worker and work

Working community

Professional competence

Working condition

Employees awareness

Figure 1: The relationship between independent variable and dependent variable is

summarized into a form of theoretical framework stated above.

3.0 Conceptual Framework

This paper discuss about the employees awareness on the occupational safety and

health aspects in their working environment. This is to meet the need of safety working

awareness and condition among the workers. Basically the framework is show below:

3.1 Workers and Work

The word workers and works covers the aspects of individual mental and physical

health. This is also relate to the workload and resource the influence the employees

occupational health and safety. The impact of physical stress among teachers of physical

education has also been explored (Sandmark et al., 1999). The employees mental and

physical health is equivalence with coping in daily working life and working community

needs. The employee itself is responsible in taking care their physical and mental health in

order to maintain healthy and safe working environment. This is because, healthy mental

and physical helps in improving employee sustainability, performance and thinking skill.

3.2 Working Community

This term effects job demand, job control and social support on occupational safety

and health.

Reforms and changes taking place in the organisation have often added to

workers stress and had a negative influence on occupational wellbeing, because workersmay have experienced a lack of control over their job and the organisation relative to the

demands of the job (Sparks et al., 2001). Support from the working community is an

important resource factor in shaping occupational wellbeing. This support includes having

good fellow workers, a good working atmosphere and active co-operation between the

workers as well as common meetings, discussions and possibilities for mentoring (Saaranen

et al., 2005).

3.3 Professional Competence

This includes professional skills, ability to maintain and improve this skill and limit

work according to need. Worker recognises the demands of his or her job and has


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possibilities to influence things and hence to develop in the job and to experience the job in

a positive way.

3.4 Working Condition

The title working condition consist of physical working environment and condition.

This can be shown such as sound insulation, working space, ergonomic posture and

equipment. According to the principals who participated in a study of working conditions in

Finnish comprehensive schools (years 2001-2002), nearly half of all school buildings were in

a poor or fairly poor condition (Perkio-Makela et al., 2002). Lack or less attention to these

factor may lead to under performance and will give bad impact to the safety and health of

employees and students.

4.0 Conclusion

This paper conclude that the occupational safety and health aspects that consists of

worker and workers, working community, professional competence and working condition

need to be aware and take note by the employees in the organization. All these aspects

results in the occupational safety and health either harmonize working condition or vice

versa. Each of the aspect must be knowledgeable by the employees in the educational

industries. Full knowledge about the aspects help employees to get ready and aware of their

safety and health. As for the employer, proper information communication skill needed to

ensure that all information about the occupational safety and health aspects can be

understand by all the employees.

5.0 Acknowledgement

First of all, thank you to Allah, the almighty, then appreciation to my lecturer Assoc Prof. Dr

Wan Norhayate Wan Daud for her guidance and constructive comments. Her guidance

helped me in all the time of research and writing of this concept paper. I also would like to

appreciate to my fellow friends that helps a lot in supporting me. Lastly, thank you to my one

and only beloved family for giving courage and supports.


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