Under their obligations relating to the current Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation, there is no shortage of actions that employers need to take. It is therefore understandable that many businesses, including those within the removalist sector, tend to focus on the Work and the Safety elements of WHS, and not so much on the Health.
Amongst everything which an employer has to introduce, implement and in some cases purchase so that their business conforms with WHS, employers’ attention is naturally going to be more on ensuring how safe the working environment is safe for employees and clients than on the health of those same employees.
Melbourne removalists and office relocations business owner might take the view that given the nature of the work that they carry out, that safety is a priority, and it should be. Ensuring employees can work safely when carrying large and heavy items by ensuring they have the training, and are issued with the correct equipment, is exactly what a removalist business owner should be doing. However, they must not forget the ‘H’ within WHS which refers to the health of their employees.
The “Health” In WHS
Admittedly, most removalist employers are not going to be medically trained so it might seem a bit far removed from their role to expect them to make a diagnosis about the health of their employees. You will be pleased to know, they are not expected to. However, what they are expected to do is create a structure where employee health is taken into account.
What that looks like in practice for any single removalist business will differ with variables such as its location, its financial footing, and the number of employees it has. However, some basic principles will apply to all removalists businesses. These will relate to how the business deals with sick leave, their workplace culture in terms of communication lines between employees and the employer, sick pay, and occupational health programs.
The WHS also has 5 specific medical conditions which it states as priorities, and as such expects employers to take steps to ensure that these are given primary focus. The 5 conditions include not only medical ones that could affect anyone, but also some which most definitely can be influenced by an employee’s occupation and their workplace.
5 Disorders Which Should Receive Priority
Listed below are the 5 disorders that the WHS states should be given priority.
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Mental Disorders
- Cancers
- Contact Dermatitis
- Noise-induced hearing loss
With the work which removalists companies do, it could be argued that cancers will not occur directly. However, cancers can occur for reasons unknown, so no one can say for sure whether being a removalist or not played a part in them having cancer. What we would say though is that you may wish to include cancer screening in any occupational health program which you provide for your staff.
As for musculoskeletal disorders, contact dermatitis and noise-induced hearing loss, all three most definitely relate to the workplace in some way. Again, proper training of staff with regards to how to lift and carry items safely will help here. In addition, ensuring that they are provided with gloves so there is no reason for their hands to touch anything that might cause skin problems will prevent the issue relating to dermatitis.
Finally, we have mental health, and an area of employee health that, thankfully, many employers are releasing is something they should give their full attention to. Creating a workplace environment where mental health is seen as important is a great first step. Beyond that, you can ensure staff are allowed to raise problems. Also providing support for anyone who needs it, goes a long way to proving you are an employer who takes your employees’ health seriously.
