The challenges encountered by employers in ensuring a healthy and safe workplace

Abstract

The ever-evolving world of work constantly presents new complex hazards offering new Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) challenges for companies, employers, workers, and other stake holders to maintain healthy and secure workplaces. These changes are the results to changes in demographics, the introduction of new technology and various work patterns that impact how work is performed, the type of equipment needed, the environment at which work is conducted, who is performing the job and who is being affected by the work performed. In order to improve OHS, employers have to be willing to do their utmost to address these new challenges. Various studies in other countries have been conducted regarding OHS challenges employers encounter within their workplaces. However, these were more inclined to underline the effects these challenges have in the workplace. The objective of this qualitative study will, therefore, analyse the different types of OHS challenges that local employers encounter on a daily basis. This analysis is based on eight semi-structured interviews with local employers or their representative. The Braun and Clarke (2006) thematic analysis was adopted to procure and examine this data. The interviewees were chosen from medium to large size companies spread over four different private sectors in order to meet the study's objectives. The overall outcomes illustrate the employer's perspective on how the ongoing OHS difficulties are handled. The rivalry between the company's management and the H&S officer is further demonstrated by the fact that the two frequently contradict one another over OHS issues, often leaving the problem unsettled. It also shows that in some cases, employers and senior management lack the knowledge and experience necessary to handle H&S issues. These disagreements bring to the fore the need for sufficient awareness, dedication, accountability, as well as management’s comprehension of the imperative requirement of maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.