Emerging trends that have influenced the practices of safety and health in the workplace.
Over the past decade, the working environment is constantly evolving and changing. There are different factors that lead to dramatic changes in this environment which includes technology, employee’s expectations, and workforce demographics among others. Notably, the pattern of diseases, injuries and deaths are constantly changing all over the globe. Although these changes night be revolutionary or incremental, they have a huge implications for the wellbeing, safety and health of the workers which can be either negative or positive. Recently, as we have lived just few months of the new decade, new trends in the workplace are already taking place and they have direct impact to occupational safety and health. Although no one have exact vision of the future, it is a sure bet that key trends wi8ll have a big influence on the occupational field. As such, a detailed overview of the current trend that have influenced practices of safety and health in the work place is provided.
Technology
To start with, technology is one of the significant trends that have big impact of the occupational health safety and healthy. In the recent years, a lot of organizations are trying to put much focus on the workplace health and safety by incorporating high-tech software in their working environment, leadership and training. Notably, it is a great move by organizations in order to remain relevant in current competitive environment. Technology is affecting all sectors of work from how work is performed, who performs the work and the organization and planning of the work. Therefore, technology have direct impact to the performance and management of occupational safety and health of employees. Moreover, the trend of technology is escalating everyday which is expected to continue in the future. This predict that the influence of technology in the workplace safety and health will always keep changing.
There are different use of technology in the workplace such as using social media to get new clients, training modules or programs, use of applications that can ensure employees safety and health among others. Other key future of technology that influence occupational safety and health are use of automation and robotics and digitalization and ICT.
Automation and robotics
Automation and robotics was introduced in the workplace environment in the last decade. However, the rate of development and their use in the workplace is creating a lot of situations that have both positive negative impact at the work place. For instance, within a period of two years, Amazon managed to increase the use robots at their warehouses from 14, 000 to 30,000. Nonetheless, the artificial intelligence (AI) I making it possible for allocate jobs to the robots that were possible to humans. Machine learning process is significant today because it is making it possible for machines to make decision without the help of human beings. As such, these millstone development in automation and robotics reduce risks of death and diseases at the work workplace because robots and machines are assigned to work at hazardous situations. As noted, automation and robotics proliferation is a significant trend that ensure employee’s safety and health. AI and robots are able to take over jobs that can be stressful to human or the tasks that can lead to mental health or risks of musculoskeletal disorders.
However, automation and robotics use in the workplace can increase ergonomics risks through increased and new human-machine interaction. There have been several death cases that have occurred as a result of human-machine interaction. For instance, in 201 5 employee at Volkswagen company died after he was pinned against metal plate by a robot. Therefore, the emerging trends of robots being increasingly used in logistics, horticulture, manufacturing as well as agriculture, the risks that are brought by human-machine interaction are set to increase. There can also be indirect injuries that can be cause by robots when human beings come into contact with the same equipment that are used by robots. Considerable debate have generated to discuss technological measures that can be taken to reduce the threats that can be as a result of incorporation of automation and robotics at workplace.
Digitalization and ICT.
Industrialization development in the 21st century have been facilitated by use and development of digital information. Today world is regarded as a small village because people all over the world are easily interconnected through use of media and digital information. However, increasingly use of digital information have implications for safety and health of the workers.
One of the major and significant impact of digitalization at work place is taking over some of the demeaning, dangerous and dirty works that were previously undertaken by human beings. A good example is use of computers to replace human thinking. This increasingly reduce risks at work place especially in hospitals such as medical diagnosis. This also leads to job insecurity that can indirect affect employee’s psychological health.
Working environment have experienced a key change of virtualization of work that increases demand for flexibility at the work place, tele work and time arrangements. As such, spread and use of ITC and digitalization at the work place is slowly blurring the line between the work and the outside word. For instance, smart technology and use of smart device at workplace increases safety and health of workers. Use of safety managers helps to communicate and monitor health of workers which reduces chances of getting fatigue and diseases. Nevertheless, use of smart devices is slowly reducing abilities of employees in how they can interact with one another which can result to isolation and stress. For instance, Amazon uses wristband to track their warehouse workers in order to monitor them during their assignments. This have negative impact to employees as they feel they are interacting with robots more than they interact with humans. Moreover, use of recording devices, GPS trackers affect wellbeing of human beings. This increases psychosocial health risks and stress because workers may feel their privacy is being invaded.
Demographics
There is a constant change in the global workforce in relation to age, gender and migration. They are essential key factors that have implications in the occupational safety and health. Notably, in some countries, aged population is increasing while other have high youth population. Also, the rate of migration is high that is constantly affecting health and safety of workers. The effects of population, aged or youth, and migration create pressure in social security system and labor markets. These effects also creates opportunities for active, safe and inclusive health societies.
Young Workers
Some continents and regions such as Africa and South Asia have large number of young people joining workforce which have direct affect to the working environment. Notably, young people aged below 25 years are likely to be underemployed or unemployed. According to statistic, the rate of unemployment among the youth is three times higher compared to the adults. Moreover, the rate of occupational injury among young workers is relatively high compared to the adults. Factors that leads to occupational injuries among youths include job skills, education, work experience and emotional security.
As a result, youth may accept to work at hazardous environment and taking tasks that can lead to physical or emotional damages due to lack pf experience. Youth are likely to be employed t informal economy or non-standard employment. Due to lack of experience at the work place, some youths are not aware of occupational safety and health responsibilities and rights hence they may fail to report cases of that violates these rights. Non-skilled employees are likely to be placed risky working environment because they lack needed knowledge to work on a conducive environments. They may able be underpaid which results to more working hours to increase their wedges which can affect their health. These are the some of the common trends that have implication in the occupational safety and health of workers.
Improving working conditions for the youths is an issue that need to be addressed to make sure they enjoy same rights as adults. Thus can be archived through combined efforts of organizations, workers and government. Civil societies, youth organizations, worker’s organizations and government should take strategic steps to improve behaviors, attitudes and knowledge of occupational safety and health.
Aging Worker Population
In the last decade, there was 65 per cent of the population growth globally. However, in the coming decade, or rather until 2050, global population growth is expect to reduce at a margin of 35 per cent. Consequently, life expectancies will increase while birth rates will decline and it is already happening in some of developed countries. As a result, decrease in birth rate will lead to high rate of aging workforce globally. Current employees are expected to work at older age compared to previous workers. People aged above 65 are expected to increase at 9 percent by 2030. Old-age economic will increase which have implications to the safety and health of the working environment. Physical and cognitive functional capabilities may start to reduce due to natural aging process. A good example is falls, trips and slips which are common among older workers which will lead to fractures and hospitalization.
Changes in physical capacity related with aging differ by gender, and can especially influence the limit of more seasoned women to work. Vertical and even isolation in the work showcase uncovered ladies, and more seasoned women explicitly, to various dangers from those of men. Ladies on live longer than men and the work environment dangers experienced will influence ladies’ wellbeing over the span of their working lives. Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are analyzed more as often as possible in ladies than in men and are age-related. To battle business related wellbeing dangers all through a specialist’s life, managers ought to incorporate both age and sexual orientation into work environment chance appraisal, so as to advance sound working conditions that coordinate the novel difficulties of maturing laborers.
Environmental Degradation, climate change and air pollution.
Climate change due to human activities is a key aspect that influences practices of safety and health at working place. Global temperature is predicted to increase by 1.5°C which will be too hot work. As a result, job opportunities are projected to decrease because of few working hours. Effects of high temperature are not evenly experienced globally. Those leaving around the equator experience high temperature because heat increases rapidly. Unfortunately, people living around equator are the poorest and their economy depends on agriculture which is done outdoor. As a result, they are likely to adversely affect by increasing temperature thus reducing work place activities. Although indoors work will be partially affected, outdoor workers will be at a high risk as they will be exposed to sunlight which can result to physical damages. Work such a construction, forestry, agriculture and finishing will be highly affected by increasing temperature. Unless human being adapt to heat risks or develop measure that will reduce negative effects due to climate change, occupational health and safety is already at risk which night be severe in future.
Another critical issue that affects safety and health of workers is air pollution which results from burning of fossils. Those working outdoors will be exposed to air pollution that can lead to premature deaths of workers. However the fast growing green economy may be a savior from climate change. Green economy includes waste management, renewable energy production, development of low-carbon technology and recycling. With green economy, risky jobs such as coal mining will be replaced with renewable energy which will enhance safety and health measures at work place. Mining have been hazardous activities especially those carried out in the informal sectors but it is projected to reduce due to green economy. More so, as organic farming expands, exposure to agrochemicals will reduce thus enhancing safety and health of workers.
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Conclusion
Working environment have undergone profound changes with transformative effects of incorporation of technology, climate changed with fast growing green economy and demographic that is characterized with youth and adult workers. The key change will result to new opportunities and predicaments of safety and health of employees globally. Although work, gives us sense of purpose, sustains our life and reduce poverty level, it can be unhealthy and dangerous to our health and safety if immediate risks associated with working environment are not addressed. Bothe organizations workers and government should join hands to ensure working environment is safe and healthy which can be enhanced by eliminating hazardous and risky effects brought about by occupational activities. Everyone should work towards a safe and healthy future. Young organizations, worker’s organizations, government and organizations should rise to address new challenges in occupational safety and health. However, they need to have a solid foundation in the principles of occupational safety and health in order to address trending issues effectively.