Why Occupational Safety Should Be The Core Value | Shah Mohammad Saidur Rahman | TEDxYouth@TCIS

TEDx Talks

14 Mar 201715:53

Summary

TLDRThe script addresses the alarming statistics of workplace accidents, emphasizing the need for a zero-incident rate. It narrates a personal journey in health, safety, and environmental promotion, highlighting the crucial role of HSE in business sustainability. The speaker calls for collective responsibility, from companies to individuals, to ensure a safe workplace, citing the economic and human costs of poor safety practices. The summary urges empowerment and proactive measures to achieve a culture of safety and health at work.

Takeaways

🚨 The alarming reality: According to the International Labour Organization, a worker dies from a work-related accident or illness every 15 seconds, totaling over 2.3 million deaths annually.
📉 The quest for zero incidents: The speaker emphasizes the goal of reducing workplace accidents to zero, highlighting the importance of safety for employees and the company's reputation.
👷‍♂️ The role of a Health Safety and Environmental (HSE) promoter: The speaker shares personal experience, explaining the advisory support role in preventing industrial accidents and the importance of daily risk assessments.
🌐 Global impact and sustainability: Good HSE performance is crucial for a company's long-term survival and contributes significantly to its sustainability, as seen in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
🏢 The responsibility of companies: Companies often do not bear civil liability for workplace fatalities, which raises questions about the management of Occupational Safety and Health.
📋 Key drivers for HSE management: The script outlines factors that drive companies to manage HSE effectively, including legal requirements, contractual obligations, in-house rules, and insurance certification.
🌍 The global supply chain's role: The Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh exemplifies the importance of global supply chain responsibility and the role of agreements like the Bangladesh Accord and Alliance for Worker Safety.
📊 Measuring HSE performance: The industry measures HSE performance through metrics like total recordable injury or lost time, with significant progress noted over the past decade.
🔍 Identifying underlying causes: The script discusses common underlying causes of workplace accidents and the need for a holistic approach to risk management and prevention.
🛡️ The cost of poor safety performance: The economic burden of poor safety practices is significant, with examples like the Deepwater Horizon spill illustrating the financial and reputational costs.
🤝 Collective responsibility and empowerment: The speaker calls for collective action and empowerment of individuals to create a value-driven HSE culture and achieve the goal of zero workplace accidents.

Q & A

How often does a worker die from a work-related accident or illness according to the International Labour Organization?
-According to the International Labour Organization, a worker dies from a work-related accident or illness every 15 seconds.
What is the annual death toll at work globally?
-More than 2.3 million people are killed at work annually due to work-related accidents or illnesses.
How many workers were killed due to workplace injury in the USA in 2015?
-In 2015, 2836 workers were killed due to workplace injury in the USA.
What is the role of a Health Safety and Environmental (HSE) promoter?
-A Health Safety and Environmental promoter provides advisory support to prevent industrial accidents, identifying nonconformities, participating in risk assessments, intervening in unsafe acts and conditions, and working towards achieving a safe day at a time.
Why is good HSE performance important for a company's long-term survival?
-Good HSE performance is crucial for a company's long-term survival as it not only creates business opportunities but also makes a company sustainable, contributing significantly to its ranking in indices like the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
What are the key drivers that make a company manage Occupational Safety and Health effectively?
-The key drivers for effective Occupational Safety and Health management include host country HSE requirements, contractual HSE requirements, in-house rules and regulations, insurance certification requirements, and maintaining a good reputation.
What was the Rana Plaza disaster and what was its impact on the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh?
-The Rana Plaza disaster occurred on April 24, 2013, when a commercial building in Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1129 people. It served as a wake-up call for poor safety management in the ready-made garment industry and led to the establishment of the Bangladesh Accord and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety.
What is the significance of the Bangladesh Accord and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety?
-The Bangladesh Accord and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety are binding agreements between global brands, unions, governments, and retailers, which aim to create a framework for a commitment to a safer workplace in the garment industry.
What are the common underlying causes of workplace accidents according to the HSE performance report from 2015?
-The HSE performance report from 2015 identified five common underlying causes of workplace accidents, although the specific causes were not detailed in the transcript.
How do global oil and gas companies manage occupational safety and health risks?
-Global oil and gas companies take a holistic approach to managing occupational safety and health risks, starting with risk assessments, which are now a legal compliance requirement in many countries.
What is the economic burden of poor safety and health practices globally according to ILO data?
-The International Labour Organization estimates that the economic burden of poor safety and health practices globally is equivalent to 4% of one country's GDP, which amounts to approximately three trillion U.S. dollars.
Why is it important for individuals to be empowered to ensure a safe workplace?
-It is important for individuals to be empowered to ensure a safe workplace because it leads to the creation of a value-driven HSE culture, which in turn contributes to zero accidents and a safer work environment for everyone.

Outlines

00:00

🚨 Workplace Safety: A Global Concern

This paragraph highlights the alarming statistics on workplace accidents and fatalities, as reported by the International Labour Organization. It emphasizes the urgency to reduce these incidents to zero, questioning the responsibility of companies and individuals in ensuring safety. The speaker shares a personal story from 2001 about their first job in health, safety, and environmental promotion, illustrating the importance of HSE for a company's sustainability. The paragraph concludes by discussing the role of HSE in business opportunities and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, which considers environmental and social dimensions, including HSE, in assessing a company's sustainability.

05:03

🌐 The Importance of HSE in Global Business

The second paragraph delves into the factors that drive companies to manage Occupational Safety and Health effectively. It mentions key drivers such as host country HSE requirements, contractual obligations, in-house rules, and certification systems like OSHA 18001 and ISO 14001. The paragraph also discusses the impact of reputation and the responsibility that extends throughout the supply chain, using the tragic example of the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh. It outlines the role of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety as initiatives to improve workplace safety, emphasizing the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in the global supply chain.

10:06

🔍 Identifying the Gaps in Workplace Safety

In this paragraph, the speaker shares a personal experience from a job interview, reflecting on the importance of asking about workplace safety. The focus then shifts to the oil and gas industry, where data from 49 global companies reveal the underlying causes of fatalities and accidents. Despite the industry's knowledge of these causes, accidents continue to occur, indicating a need for more effective preventive measures. The paragraph also touches on the economic burden of poor safety practices, estimated by the ILO to be equivalent to 4% of global GDP, and concludes by stressing the need for a value-driven HSE culture.

15:07

🛡 Empowerment and Responsibility for Workplace Safety

The final paragraph calls for individual and collective empowerment to create a safe working environment. It stresses the importance of asking about safety during job interviews and the need for a safe workplace from the first day of employment. The speaker discusses the role of risk assessment as a legal requirement and a tool for identifying and managing risks to prevent accidents. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for everyone to take responsibility for workplace safety, emphasizing that it is a basic human right and that the cost of poor safety performance is unacceptable.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Workplace Safety

Workplace safety refers to the protection of workers from potential hazards in their work environment, which can lead to accidents or health issues. In the video, it is a central theme with the alarming statistic that a worker dies every 15 seconds due to work-related accidents or illnesses, emphasizing the urgent need for improved safety measures.

💡International Labour Organization (ILO)

The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that sets international labor standards and promotes workers' rights, employment, and social protection. The script mentions ILO to highlight the global scope of workplace accidents and the need for international standards to improve safety.

💡Health Safety and Environmental (HSE) Promoter

An HSE promoter is an entry-level professional role focused on providing advisory support to prevent industrial accidents. The script uses this term to illustrate the speaker's personal journey into the field of occupational safety and health, and the importance of such roles in promoting a safe work environment.

💡Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is the process of identifying potential hazards and assessing the likelihood and severity of their occurrence. It is crucial in the script as it represents a fundamental step in managing occupational safety and health, ensuring that companies identify and mitigate risks to prevent accidents.

💡Dow Jones Sustainability Index

The Dow Jones Sustainability Index is a benchmark for tracking the stock performance of companies that excel in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. The script mentions this index to underscore the link between good HSE performance and a company's sustainability and long-term success.

💡Occupational Safety and Health

Occupational safety and health (OSH) refers to policies, practices, and procedures that aim to ensure the safety and health of workers in the workplace. The script discusses OSH as a critical component for companies to manage, emphasizing the legal and moral responsibilities of employers to protect their workers.

💡Supply Chain Responsibility

Supply chain responsibility involves the ethical and sustainable practices throughout the entire production process, from raw materials to end products. The script uses the example of the Rana Plaza collapse to highlight the importance of supply chain responsibility in preventing workplace accidents and ensuring worker safety.

💡Global Oil and Gas Companies

The script refers to global oil and gas companies to illustrate the industry's approach to managing occupational safety and health risks. These companies are often seen as leaders in implementing comprehensive safety measures due to the inherently hazardous nature of their operations.

💡Confined Space Work

Confined space work involves working in areas that are enclosed or partially enclosed, which can pose unique safety hazards. The script mentions confined space work as an example of specific types of work that require strict safety protocols to prevent accidents.

💡Economic Burden

The economic burden refers to the cost associated with a particular issue or problem. In the context of the script, the economic burden of poor safety and health practices is highlighted, showing the significant financial impact of workplace accidents and illnesses on a global scale.

💡Zero Loss

Zero loss is a goal or aspiration for no accidents, injuries, or fatalities in the workplace. The script concludes with a call to action for everyone to be empowered and take leadership in creating a value-driven HSE culture to achieve zero loss, emphasizing personal responsibility and collective effort.

Highlights

Every 15 seconds, a worker dies from a work-related accident or illness, with over 2.3 million fatalities annually.

In 2015, 2836 workers in the USA were killed due to workplace injuries.

The importance of reducing incident rates to zero for a safe workplace is emphasized.

The speaker's initial role as a Health Safety and Environmental promoter and the evolution of their understanding of HSE.

HSE performance is crucial for a company's long-term survival and sustainability.

HSE contributes significantly to a company's score on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

The speaker's personal experience sharing their first job with their parents and the significance of their role.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management as a key driver for companies, including legal, contractual, and reputational factors.

The Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh as a wake-up call for poor safety management in the garment industry.

The establishment of the Bangladesh Accord and Alliance for worker safety as a commitment to safer workplaces.

The competitive advantage of good HSE performance against local and international competitors.

The economic burden of poor safety and health practices, estimated to be equivalent to 4% of global GDP.

The progress made in HSE performance over a decade, with a significant reduction in fatal cases.

The five common underlying causes of workplace accidents identified in a report.

The holistic approach of global oil and gas companies to manage occupational safety and health risks.

The importance of risk assessment as a legal compliance and preventive action in managing safety risks.

The personal story of the speaker's first job interview and the evolution of their questions about workplace safety.

The repeating trends of accidents and the need for reminders to prevent them from happening again.

The introduction of strict safety rules and consequences for violations to ensure workplace safety.

The cost of managing HSE and the even higher cost of poor safety performance, exemplified by the Deepwater Horizon spill.

Health and safety at work as a basic human right and the collective responsibility to make workplaces safe.

A call to action for individuals to be empowered and take the lead in creating a value-driven HSE culture.