Hindu.com posted a story about the case of a female call center employee who was
murdered while on her way home from a night shift. While security measures were observed to have slackened, the report quoted some of the procedures that are being implemented in order to assure the safety of female employees outside of their office premises. I know of at least one call center in Manila that includes personal protection in their employees training program.
Most BPO firms are generally labor intensive organizations making employees’ health a major concern. In fact, a
past article in this site discussed an incident wherein a call employee inflicted his coworkers with an infectious disease.
In regard to other workplace safety matters, the International Labor Organization (ILO) has published in its website some inexpensive and easy to implement rules that can minimize the occurrence of accidents at work. Furthermore, the Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted the same ILO expert /author and published a slightly different version. Both versions are quoted below:
1. If you see something wrong, take action. Don’t leave it up to someone else to correct a possibly dangerous situation. “Small, day-to-day improvements are key to a safe and productive work environment.”
2. Use your space well. Don’t muddle up areas for working, resting, or storage. Keep working areas and passageways clear and well-lit. Clean drinking water and restroom facilities should be easily available.
3. Regularly check your work area. Ideally, you should work at elbow level and in natural posture, minimizing twisting, arm-raising, and bending. Frequently used items must be within easy reach.
4. Machines with dangerous moving parts must have guards; electric connections and wirings must be safe. Monthly maintenance for broken, unstable parts is recommended.
5. Maximize natural ventilation; keep temperature comfortable. Chemicals must be properly labeled and kept in a secure place.
6. First-aid kits and training on their use must be available.
7. Use labor-saving equipment for moving or lifting heavy and awkward objects, or performing regular tasks.
8. Add variety to what you and your employees do. “Monotony and boredom are the enemies of productivity, quality, and safety. Making work more interesting will also help develop new skills,” Kawakami said.
9. Consider the needs of pregnant women, those with disabilities, foreign or migrant workers, and the elderly.
10. Take a break. “Regular short rests help to keep productivity and work quality high and accident levels low. Longer term, don’t think of regular days off and vacations as a luxury; they help to avoid burnout, fatigue, and exhaustion,” he said.
“It’s easy to see that safety and health is a basic part of decent, quality work. So, creating a safety culture that lasts 365 days a year -- not just one -- is in all our interests,” Kawakami stressed.
1]. Keep the floor clear. Don’t use corridors and stairways for storage, they make it easy for people to trip and fall badly. Boxes in passageways also block your escape in a fire or emergency - and that could be fatal.
2] Carry carefully. Think before picking up something large or heavy. A back injury can last for life. Use a trolley or conveyor instead.
3] Chemicals. Every home and workplace has toxic chemicals that can kill – bleach, fertilizer, cleaning materials. They should be clearly labeled, in a language everyone understands, with basic information about their properties. And they should be securely stored so children can’t reach them.
4] First Aid. A basic first aid kit is not expensive. Make sure it’s easily available and that you know what it contains and how to use it. The right on-the-spot treatment can make a big difference.
5] Take precautions. Personal protective equipment like gloves, shoes, masks, goggles and hard hats doesn’t have to be expensive but can save you from serious injury in the home, fields or office, so get into the habit of using them. Domestic and work machines should be fitted with protective guards.
6] Electricity can be lethal. Don’t let electric cables lie loose on the floor. All electrical machinery - domestic and industrial - should be well earthed.
7] Work smart. Whether you’re cooking at home, sitting at a computer, or standing mixing and assembling products make sure you are comfortable. Standing or sitting, worktops are best at elbow height. Chairs should have supporting backrests. Don’t sit on the floor to work or cook – it’s bad for your back as well as being dirty and unsafe.
8] Pure, fresh drinking water should be easily and plentifully available. Washing and toilet facilities need to be clean and convenient, with soap, towels and separate facilities for men and women.
9] Give yourself a break. Working long hours without a rest makes people less productive and more likely to have accidents or make mistakes. It’s easier to stay alert if you introduce some variety into your tasks rather than monotonously performing the same action. You’ll develop new skills too.
10] Light and air. Good light and fresh air help you stay alert and cut down unhealthy build-ups of chemicals and dirt. Better ventilation and a proper, insulating ceiling can pay for themselves with reduced heating and air con bills.
11] Be aware that elderly people, the disabled, pregnant women, young and inexperienced workers have special needs in health and safety, as in other things.
12] Systems are the key to safety. Make good health and safety practices part of your daily habits at home and at work, 365 days a year.
