It’s widely recognized that good business is about risk management in both contexts, business and safety. It would seem logical if organizations get health, safety and wellbeing right, the rest follows, i.e. productivity, empowerment, accountability and wellbeing.
The onus on the OHS profession is to be agile and flexible, this has perhaps not been so acutely felt as it is now. The profession, which is inherently progressive and responsive, has had to address the new and emerging risks that have accompanied the pandemic. Whilst there was shift change towards the management of mental health and focus on climate change, the recent tumultuous times have emphasized and accelerated key issues.
Climate change is affecting transport and groundwork risk profiles with changing rainfall and temperature patterns. The recent tragic Stonehaven rail crash in Aberdeenshire serves as very unfortunate example of this.
Once employers and employees were connected by a shared location and working culture this has now been replaced, in some cases, by broadband and online conferencing. The psychosocial risks of the pandemic and lockdown have manifested. The relationships between employers and those working for them was already a moveable feast with differing employment models such as the gig economy, zero hour contracts, self-employed all becoming more prevalent ways of working.
As an employer the focus may have moved from preventing incidents and occupational health diseases in a workplace environment but has the focus transitioned to the new emerging risks. Wobbly tables, rickety chairs might have replaced ergonomically designed office furniture, intermittent and device challenged Wi-Fi a poor substitute to the office’s reliable and fast hard-wired broadband, informal social and team interactions now limited to conversation with partners, kids and pets.
In the post pandemic period its perhaps unlikely that we will see regulatory changes by governments to encapsulate the changes to our working practices, the undoubted emphasis will be economic recovery.
This means the OSH profession has a fundamental and engaging role to bridge these transitions with their management teams, understanding the commercial challenges but being able influence the boardroom of the necessity of being a trusted and caring employer, establishing a transmittable culture that nurtures the relationships of those working for them.
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