Health and safety of workforce in heavy industries is a burning issue that requires urgent attention. Despite regulatory frameworks and growing awareness among industry leaders, a lot is to be done to augment hygiene standards across all sectors. Heavy industries constantly pose serious hazards to workers in the form of temperature, noise, radiation, chemicals and air-borne diseases. With such variety of sanitation and safety issues to take into consideration – from evolving technology to changing work conditions – industrial hygiene has become the biggest challenge today.
The government has initiated the legal framework required to ensure highest standards of hygiene, safety and health for the workforce in heavy industries. However for effective implementation, it is important for industries to take the leap. Even from the business perspective, it makes utmost sense to ensure industrial cleanliness and safety as it helps minimise healthcare costs remarkably.
Why Hygiene is Crucial for Workforce in Heavy Industries?
Discussed here are the top reasons why heavy industries should consider ensuring workplace sanitation and safety for all:
1. Improve Productivity of Your Workforce
The pillars of success of any company are built around its people. Therefore, it is vital to provide them the work environment, tools and motivation they need for improved job performance. Heavy industrial workers operating in a safe & hygienic environment with high-end flexibility and a supportive supervisor report low stress and enhanced productivity.
Industrial hygiene and safety helps upkeep employee motivation, ensuring better health – physically and mentally. They feel more energised and focused, improving their overall productivity and wellbeing. Working in an environment that lacks cleanliness and has poor safety measures not only pose physical hazards to the people, but also trigger a gamut of distractions such as inattentiveness, anxiety, fatigue and stress. This affects their working capacity and inhibits them to be more effective in the workplace.
Implementing stringent hygiene measures in heavy industries can help eliminate the stressors affecting employee productivity. At the same time, it can also ensure improved wellbeing and longer life expectancies. That means they tend to work longer with your company. Additionally, you can minimise the costs of a high employee turnover rate and training & supervising new workers having less experience. Rather, it will make more sense to invest in safety and hygiene for long-term employee retention and better productivity.
2. Reduce Healthcare Costs
Organisations operating in heavy industrial sectors often face the challenge of exorbitant healthcare costs due to poor health and lack of safety for workers. Injuries caused at workplace due to heavy materials handling and other strenuous jobs can often result into short-term or permanent disability. It can also cause long-term mental trauma and is the primary factor contributing to significant healthcare costs.
Additionally, insurance premium amount, organisational healthcare packages and scope of insurance claim also get affected due to lack of occupational hygiene. By implementing and following high standards of industrial cleanliness and improved safety measures, heavy industries can mitigate potential hazards and enhance working conditions – ensuring better workforce health and lower costs in the long run.
3. Cut down Worker Absenteeism
Occupational health hazards are plaguing industries globally. Absenteeism is one of the worst repercussions of it, resulting in loss of productivity and remarkable cost to business.
By upholding high standards of sanitation and safety, industries can cut down on the number of workers leaving their jobs as a result of illness or injuries. Absenteeism and delay at work can be reduced with ensuring improved workplace safety and cleanliness. Illness and injury that come with obligations such as employee rehabilitation, doctor treatments, etc. can take away the person’s focus and time from the job. This can often bring the production process to halt and organisations might need to hire additional resources.
All these nuances can be eliminated or reduced by establishing high safety & hygiene standards in the workplace, especially for those working in heavy industries.
4. Helps Maintain High Levels of Professionalism
An industrial organisation that recognises, values and establishes occupational hygiene is regarded high in terms of professionalism and credibility. It clearly indicates the value it gives to its people and the community at large.
Having built a reputation of offering hygienic and safe work environment, you can attract high-quality talent seeking employment in a reliable organisation. Your level of professionalism and corporate social responsibility that comes with maintaining a safe and clean workplace also plays an integral role in influencing stakeholders, partners and clients.
After all, it is your brand image that can make or break your business. And if your organisation is associated with industry best practices and high standards of health & safety measures, it can help create a lasting impression. A professional and safe reputation can also give your company a remarkable competitive advantage in the long run.
5. Save Cost
Do you know that an industrial organisation that values and upholds workplace hygiene and safety can save effectively than just financially?
Healthy employees result in improved morale, efficiency and productivity – all contributing to significant cost savings with regard to occupational illnesses and injuries. Instead of spending exorbitantly in preventive measures, it is crucial for organisations to take dedicated pro-active measures that can aid towards organisational growth and development.
Industries should understand the financial repercussions that come with poor hygiene and safety at workplace. Absenteeism and lack of employee retention can significantly cost to your company, affecting overall productivity and operational efficiency. Having fresh recruits can further escalate your costs in the hiring process, training and remuneration.
Conclusion
The bottom line is to understand, establish and maintain stringent hygiene measures across all heavy industrial operations. This will help ensure improved health and safety of your workers, and also enables you to stay compliant with regulatory industrial cleanliness standards. Boost productivity and morale of your employees by providing a safe and healthy work environment.
This can be achieved through implementing strategies like proper workwear and head gears for additional safety, equipment training & maintenance, and establishing high levels of cleanliness and sanitisation across all manufacturing facilities.