Health and safety in the occupational field maintain employees’ physical and mental well-being during work and create a healthy and safe work environment. The industry also seeks to protect customers and the general public from any risks that may affect them. Workplace hazards include chemicals, long working hours, allergens, biohazards and loud environments.

Companies are legally obligated to take action to protect their employees. Some countries have government bodies or departments that regulate occupational safety issues.

Some trends in the health and safety industry include:

• Smart personal protective equipment (PPE) that collects data on biometrics, movement and location
• Workplace safety tools on mobile apps for workers who use mobile devices
• Autonomous vehicles (AVs) that will drive more safely and efficiently than human drivers
• Employee retraining to ensure compliance with safety measures

Though health and safety measures are prominent in many workplaces, they became even more critical during the coronavirus pandemic. Front-line workers place their health at significant risk, and essential employees and others who interact with the public are also at risk of exposure. Though health and safety may be challenging for some businesses, keeping employees and customers safe is necessary.

Some challenges in the health and safety industry include:

• Less experienced workforce: Demographic changes in the workforce create new health and safety challenges that companies need to address. For example, younger workers have less work experience and job skills and are more likely to get injured than older employees with years of experience and stronger skills.
• Poor employee engagement: Employees who are not engaged with their work are less likely to follow important safety protocols, risking their health and well-being. Some employees fail to connect safety precautions with their job duties, and experienced employees may want to continue doing tasks the way they’re used to instead of the safe way.
• Lack of ongoing training: Businesses may find that ongoing training for employees can be time-consuming. However, prioritizing training is essential to keeping workers informed about safe practices for protection at work.
• Numerous safety risks: Due to the various tools, equipment, vehicles and machines used on job sites, many safety and health risks are present in the workplace. Identifying and taking precautions against all these hazards is a daunting task for some businesses, which can cause them to neglect this protocol.
• Complex safety laws: New laws and regulations are frequently passed to address new workplace hazards. When these rules are introduced, businesses need to understand and implement them and communicate the changes to employees to ensure workers carry them out. These steps can be difficult to complete, especially when changes are frequent.
• Changing working practices: Ensuring that workers physical and mental well-being during work are not overlooked and to create a healthy and safe work environment.

The health and safety industry is prominent in many industrialized countries, yet injuries and accidents in the workplace are still a possibility. ISO standards for the health and safety industry will help your business promote safe practices to reduce the chances of accidents and injuries. Compliance to health and safety industry standards will give you these benefits:

• Enhance OHS performance: Compliance to ISO standards for health and safety will reduce illnesses and accidents in your facility. These standards outline systems and tools you can use to prevent injuries and keep workers safe.
• Experience cost savings: It is to your business’s financial advantage to create a safe work environment. Businesses indirectly pay for worker injuries because they purchase insurance to cover injured workers’ medical care and compensation. Reducing the risk of injury decreases the likelihood of a worker filing a claim, lowering your premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.
• Demonstration of corporate commitment: ISO certification for the health and safety industry shows employees, stakeholders and the public that you’re dedicated to creating a safe environment. These certifications will enhance your reputation and brand image.
• Increase productivity: Injured workers are often absent from work for a few days, which hinders productivity. When your employees have a safe work environment, business can continue as usual with no slow-downs or delays.