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Introduction:
The field of “organizational safety” has emerged over the past 20 years or so, mainly
from the work of James Reason. The name “organizational safety” recognizes a central
insight of relevance to those who want to understand and accelerate safety performance
improvement. The insight is that getting safety right means getting the organization right.
Safety excellence follows from organizational excellence.
What that means is that safety performance excellence isn’t about any one thing:
behavior, culture, systems, awareness, design… all are important. But no one thing gets at the
central issue: how the organization accomplishes the objective of making the workplace safer.
Making the workplace safer means many things done in a coordinated way, an
organized way. Does one hand know what the other is doing? Are values shared by various
levels of responsibility? Are systems in place that are reliable? Can the organization say that
safe behavior, at all levels especially leadership, is reliable?
Consider the extremes to understand the central point. Some organizations struggle to
reduce recordable injuries and then are shocked and surprised when they have serious and or
fatal ones. Often in these organizations trust is low, effective communication is lacking, and
safety leadership is thought to be about awareness.
Contrast this with industrial organizations who track serious and fatal events carefully
as well as smaller injuries and near misses that have the potential to be serious. They have
systems in place to assure safe working conditions and communications, and active
engagement of employees across levels to prevent occurrences.

Types of safety in an organisation:

1: Environmental Safety :
Environmental safety involves ensuring that workplaces are free from hazards
such as chemical spills, electrical faults, and fires. Cleaning businesses should
maintain a safe environment by following local safety regulations and providing
training on safety protocols. This includes the proper storage of cleaning
products and regular maintenance of equipment.
2: Physical Safety :
Physical safety refers to the prevention of physical harm such as accidents or
injuries by implementing safety measures. Proper cleaning equipment like gloves
and safety glasses can protect cleaners from potential hazards. As a business
owner, make sure your employees are trained on the proper use of safety
equipment and how to avoid accidents.
3: Health and Biological Safety :
Protecting employees from biological hazards is crucial, especially in light of the
ongoing pandemic. Commercial cleaning businesses should establish guidelines
on personal hygiene, frequent hand washing, and social distancing to minimize
the spread of germs. Regular cleaning and disinfection of surfaces can also play a
significant role in reducing the risk of illnesses.
4: Psychological Safety :
Psychological safety refers to the well-being of employees. It includes both
physical and emotional safety in the workplace. Commercial cleaning businesses
must establish clear protocols for dealing with harassment and provide a
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supportive work environment that minimizes the risk of injury, fatigue, and
stress.
5: Cyber Safety
With increasing dependence on digital systems, cyber safety has become a crucial
consideration for commercial cleaning businesses. Cyber-attacks can disrupt
business operations and lead to potentially harmful consequences. Companies
should have robust cybersecurity measures in place to protect their data,
systems, and online presence.

Common accidents in organisation and industries:

• Slip and Fall Injuries :

These are probably the most common type of injuries suffered in the workplace.
Falls could occur in any workplace – be it a construction site, warehouse or a
manufacturing facility to an office, a supermarket, school or hospital. All it takes for a
slip-and-fall accident is slick floors or a lack of warning signs to let people know that the
floor is slippery.
• Falls from Heights :
Falling from height is the most common cause of deaths in the construction
industry. However, these types of accidents could happen in any workplace. Anyone who
is working from heights should be provided with fall protection equipment such as
harnesses, safety nets and guardrails. Workers should also receive training on how to use
these types of safety equipment.
• Struck by Moving Objects:
Another hazard in many workplaces is getting struck by moving objects. In an
office, warehouse or manufacturing facility, this could involve getting struck by boxes,
tools or other materials. It also includes injuries sustained from being struck by moving
vehicles, machinery or equipment. Getting struck by objects has the potential to cause
serious injuries such as traumatic brain injuries or crushed bones.
• Struck by Stationary Objects :
There are also times when workers can be injured by ramming into stationary objects
or tripping over debris. This often happens when objects are placed where they should not be
placed. Another example of such accidents is when workers trip over debris or trash on
stairways, aisles and walkways. Every effort must be made to ensure that locations where
employees walk or move around are clear and free of debris.
• Injuries Due to Overexertion :
These types of injuries occur when workers strain too hard as they try to finish a task.
Injuries such as strained or pulled muscles, joint issues or chronic pain are all examples of the
types of issues that could be cause by overexertion. Workers should be provided with proper
training on how to perform tasks such as heavy lifting and should also be given breaks to give
their bodies a rest during the workday to avoid these types of debilitating injuries.
• Repetitive Motion Injuries :
Repetitive motion injuries occur when workers perform the same tasks or movements
repeatedly. By completing the same jobs repetitively, workers could experience deterioration
of body parts including joints. One of the most common examples of repetitive motion
injuries is carpal tunnel syndrome or nerve damage caused by repetitive motions. It affects a
wide range of workers from factory or assembly line workers to those who work in an office.
Workers should be provided with ergonomic equipment and regular breaks to help avoid
repetitive motion injuries.
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• Entrapment in Equipment :
These can be some of the most horrific injuries suffered in a workplace. This occurs
when a worker's clothing, hair, limbs or other body parts get caught in moving equipment or
machinery. Entanglement could result in injuries such as crushed bones, lost fingers, limbs or
even death. Employees must be provided with proper training to operate machinery and
personal protective equipment such as boots, goggles and other safeguards to protect them
from serious injuries.
• Electrocution :
Electrocution at work is another common injury in workplaces where employees are
exposed to dangerous power lines or utilities even though it could occur in any type of work
environment. Proper precautions should be taken to make sure workers are not around live
wires before they begin work. Workers should also receive protective clothing and equipment
when they are working near electrical equipment.
• Vehicle Accidents : you have a job that uses vehicles, you know there is a potential
for motor vehicle accident injuries. Car accident in construction zones, in ports, or other
workplaces can lead to serious injuries. You also face a similar danger if you have to drive a
lot for your job. Business that use vehicle fleets should address the issue of driver safety and
make sure vehicles are properly maintained.
• Workplace Violence :
The threat of workplace violence is real in the United States. Some of the situations
that often lead to workplace violence involve disgruntled workers. Workplace should provide
active shooter training for employees and train supervisors on de-escalation tactics to help
avoid these types of crisis situations.

Causes of accidents in Organization:

The workplace can be dangerous, even more so in an industrial environment.
Numerous factors can cause accidents, ranging from overexertion to mishandling of
hazardous materials. There are also a multitude of variables that can contribute to or
influence a workplace incident. Following are eight of the most common causes of
accidents in the workplace:
• Lifting :
Many employees are prone to sprain, strain or tear a muscle by virtue of
lifting an object that is too heavy for them to lift on their own. Keep in mind that
there is no harm in asking for help with objects that are difficult to lift.
• Fatigue :
Failing to take a break is another common cause of accidents. In order to
recover from grueling manual labor, it is essential that employees take adequate
breaks. Not doing so can lead to a slew of physical issues, including atrophy and
general exhaustion. The results of either of these can be far more devastating than
taking a 10-minute breather.
• Dehydration :
Not staying hydrated can also bring about disastrous consequences. On
exceptionally hot summer days, failing to drink adequate amounts of water can cause
heat stroke or cardiac conditions. This can be avoided by simply drinking at least
eight glasses of water per day. Management should stress the importance of proper
hydration and rest, as it maximizes the efforts of personnel.
• Poor Lighting :
Inadequate lighting is responsible for a number of accidents each year. This is
often overlooked when attempting to prevent accidents in the warehouse or
workplace.  Hazardous Materials :
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Improper handling of hazardous materials or not wearing personal protective

equipment (PPE) is another common cause of accidents in the workplace. By reading
material safety data sheets and providing the appropriate protective attire, many
workplace incidents can be avoided.
• Acts of Workplace Violence :
Sadly, violence among co-workers has become all too common. It is usually
brought about by office politics or other sensitive issues. Integrating conflict
resolution and peer mediation can help to reduce the risks of such outbursts.
• Trips and Falls :
Slick floors and high-traffic corridors can cause a trip or fall. Improper
footwear may also contribute to these accidents, which not only can result in injuries
but also workman’s compensation-related cases. Read 6 Guidelines to Prevent
Workplace Slips, Trips and Falls for more advice.
• Stress:
Stress is one of the leading causes of death. It affects the human body in
every facet imaginable. Stress can foster negative effects physiologically,
emotionally and mentally, as well as debilitate or distract any worker. Therefore, it is
essential to encourage a supportive team environment.
Prevention of accidents at organisation:
The types of workplace hazards will vary depending on your industry. However,
there are some best practices all businesses can implement to reduce the number of
workplace accidents.
• Risk Assessments:
A risk assessment is the process of identifying what risks and hazards exist or may
exist at some point, how they may cause harm, and what steps can be taken to minimize
them. It’s a legal requirement for all companies.
• Regular Inspections:
Regularly inspect equipment and machinery to ensure everything is functioning
correctly and avoid accidents via malfunctions. For an industry like construction, where
heavy machinery is widely used, regular inspections can save lives. You should also
inspect dangerous activities and processes to assess risks and decide whether an
alternative and safer method can be used.
• Ongoing and Effective Training :
Preventing accidents is a lot easier when every member of your workfor
possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to mitigate risks.
• Health and safety training is a legal requirement for every business. However,
nowhere does it say that it must be effective. Some businesses treat training as
nothing more than a box-ticking exercise. Others have good intentions but
employ traditional long-format training that doesn’t promote engagement and
knowledge retention.
• For those that are serious about reducing accidents, consider a more progressive
training format that’s tailored to the modern worker. Mobile-learning is being
increasingly adopted among industry leaders as it provides engaging and
informative content to workers when they need it most. In fact, mobile learning
is shown to improve knowledge retention by 55% and increase engagement by
72%. And because workers can access safety information on the job in their
time of need, safety practices become more consistent, resulting in a stronger
workplace safety culture.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
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PPE is protective equipment worn to minimize exposure to workplace hazards.

PPE may include hard hats, gloves, high-visual clothing, and face masks.
• It has proven to be very effective in reducing injuries. Hard hats were worn by
only 16% of workers who sustained head injuries, and only 1% of
approximately 770 workers who experienced face injuries were wearing the
recommended PPE.
• Clear Signage :
Clear signage, or safety signage, should be provided when risks can’t be avoided or
controlled in any other way. Employers are responsible for training their employees to
understand what all signs mean and what action they need to take when seeing a sign.
Additionally, safety signs must be properly maintained—a few missing letters can change a
sign’s entire meaning.
• Accident Reporting :
Accident reporting will help you evaluate the effectiveness of the measures you have
put in place to avoid workplace hazards. It will also help you improve your workplace health
and safety by allowing you to investigate accidents and determine what went wrong.
• Employers should provide some level of training to ensure workers know how
to report an accident. Although the process will differ from place to place, a
general rule is to make the process efficient and accessible. A time-consuming
and complex process will only deter workers from reporting incidents.
• Physical Assessments :
Many of the prevention methods up until now have focused on evaluating the working
environment and equipment. However, it’s equally important to assess your workers to make
sure they’re fit to perform the tasks involved effectively and without risk to their own health
and the health of others.
• With physical assessments, employers should consider the why and when. Why
is the assessment needed? A common example is when an employee’s health
condition may impact their ability to effectively do their job (e.g. a
musculoskeletal condition that prevents heavy lifting).
• Encourage Communication :
Some businesses fail to include their workers when developing and improving their
workplace health and safety. Yet these are the people directly impacted by your practices and
can offer valuable insight into what does and doesn’t work.Create a culture of open
communication and feedback from your workforce. We recommend using surveys as they’re
easy to disperse to your employees, they can be tailored to your needs, and the results are
easy to collect and evaluate.
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