Workplace Safety: Employer and Employee Responsibilities

Work provides financial resources, fosters social connections, contributes to satisfaction, and allows for skill development.

Health, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease.

A working condition is any job characteristic that may significantly influence safety hazards and worker health.

Employer's Duties

General Duties:

• Ensuring worker safety and health
• Integrating preventive measures
• Complying with occupational hazard prevention regulations
• Assuming the cost of health and safety measures

Duties Regarding Workers:

• Informing and training workers
• Addressing serious and imminent risks
• Regularly monitoring worker health
• Consulting workers and allowing their participation
• Providing appropriate equipment and remedies
• Offering special protection to pregnant women, children, and temporary workers

Duties Regarding the Workplace:

• Developing a prevention plan
• Organizing resources for prevention activities
• Adopting emergency measures
• Developing and maintaining specific documentation
• Coordinating prevention when multiple companies share a workspace

Employee's Rights and Duties

Rights:

• Right to information
• Right to training
• Right to stop work in case of serious and imminent risk
• Right to regular health surveillance
• Right to consultation and participation

Duties:

• Respecting prevention rules
• Correctly using machines, tools, and safety equipment
• Reporting any health-threatening situation
• Ensuring their own security and that of others
• Cooperating with the employer

2. Principles and Techniques of Prevention:

• Avoid the risk: eliminate all risks regardless of cost.
• Assess unavoidable risks.
• Fight risks at the source, not at the point of transmission or reception.
• Adapt the workplace to the person, equipment, working methods, and production.
• Consider technological advancements.
• Replace dangerous elements with safer alternatives.
• Implement a prevention plan.
• Prioritize collective protection over individual measures.
• Provide appropriate instructions to workers.