Paper Example on the Role of an OHS Manager in Ensuring Occupational Health and Safety

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), also defined as the Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) is a multidisciplinary field dealing with the health, safety, and welfare of individuals at work (Quinlan, Bohle, & Lamm, 2010). The occupational health and safety act outline the duties of all the workplace employees and right for the workers. It establishes a procedure to deal with workplace hazards as well as providing compliance. However, the occupational health and safety manager is entitled to various practices in an organization and overlooks the various compliance developments in the workplace. In most cases, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ensures the regulation of workplace safety. To ensure high effectiveness, the OHS manager should report to the highest level of authority in an organization. By the highest-level power in the workplace, it means that the OHS manager should report to the managing director in the organization or any concerned signatory authority on all quality levels. Often, reporting the human resource departments comes along with difficulties and challenges. For instance, when the OHS manager report to HR, there are chances that the human resource manager might not take the necessary measures and approach to address any developing issue. HR does not share similar priorities as the OHS manager, meaning that the OHS manager should consider a higher authority. Also, HR lacks the understanding of the science of health and safety since they do not have a specialization in health and safety in the workplace. Even though it could be challenging to access the managing director, he or she would be the most effective.

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With the location of the OHS manager under or below the managing director, there are various advantages. Often, the managing director is amongst the highest decision-makers in any organization as they are informed of the quality and OHS policies and have committed to workplace safety. In the location, the OHS manager can receive immediate help without having to wait and follow prolonged processes and address any issue of occupational health and safety. In every workplace, hazards are inevitable and could deliver a significant adverse effect on the workers. Frequently, concerns about occupational health and safety are an emergency as they require immediate and proper attention. With such a location, below the managing director, it allows the chance to communicate, among others. By this, the effectiveness of the OHS manager report is evident as it requires immediate attention and specialization as well. Further, the Heath, Safety, and Environment (HSE) covers the guidelines, rules, laws, and processes developed to protect employees, workplaces, and the public from harm. Such a location would ensure that the level of risks and hazards is reduced while at the same time ensuring compliance as the managing director can make decisions right away why prolonged meetings to resolve a health and safety issue. Also, this will improve performance and productivity as it reduces the costs associated with incidents and accidents of health and safety.

Important Skills for An OHS Manager

With a focus on the organizational issues, effective occupational health and safety manager needs to understand the fundamental principle and options for OHS structure. Therefore, there are essential skills that an OHS manager requires. These important skills include:

• Ability to identify hidden hazards existing within the workplace
• Capacity to identify verbal hazard communication.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical and organizational skills
• Knowledge of proper safety practices
• Knowledge of decontamination procedures
• Ability to motivate productive work relationship between workers
• Understanding of regulatory organizations
• Maintain a proactive approach
• Expertise in gathering and interpreting data
• Accountability

Reference

Quinlan, M., Bohle, P., & Lamm, F. (2010). Managing occupational health and safety. Palgrave Macmillan.