Track: Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)

Abstract

Safety at work is very important to every industry and minimizing the risk of workplace accidents and injuries is of utmost importance in the discussion of occupational, health and safety (OSH). Increasing density of manufacturing companies as locators in a high-growth export processing zone in Laguna Philippines led to the conduct of this study aimed at analyzing the causes of accidents and assessing the risk factors and OSH practices with the end in view of determining a better approach in OSH management. Actual cases and accounts of occupational accidents, their causes, and resulting injuries were gathered via interviews and survey questionnaires. An assessment was made on the OSH programs, the work environment and organizational factors. The results of the study pointed to the importance of integrating risk management in performing OSH management as non-identification of hazards was found to be a major cause of workplace accidents and injuries. As such, an improved OSH management model was developed with the integration of risk management centered on collaboration among process owners in putting in place a proactive, ongoing process to identify and assess high-priority risks and hazards, the critical element of any effective safety and health program.