Security has vaulted to the forefront of everyone’s mind today,
but is often interpreted within a narrow context. Business and company
security encompasses a broad spectrum of topics. The health and safety
of employees, other workers such as service personnel, customers and
visitors are often overlooked, especially by the small business
proprietor. Such negligence can be costly, leading to lost productivity,
disability claims and lawsuits. Employees are a primary business
resource; loss of a key employee due to injury or sickness can have
a devastating effect on a business, while loss of any employee
creates a ripple effect resulting in increased workload and stress for
other employees within the organization.
Even employers who have taken steps to prevent workplace accidents may
ignore or be unaware of the effects of other more subtle occupational
hazards such as stress, noise pollution and repetitive motion injuries.
The toll these factors and more traumatic injuries can exact on a business
in the form of financial outlays and lost productivity can be far greater
than is generally perceived.
Employers often resist attempts to create a safer workplace environment
because the effort can involve up-front costs they are unwilling to incur
to achieve intangible results. Management should recognize, however,
that there is an immediate benefit to enhancing workplace safety and
health — a happier, more productive workforce. Management and
employees can work together to achieve this goal in a manner which
benefits both groups.
Agencies and organizations have been established for the purposes of
safeguarding employee welfare and enhancing and monitoring workplace and
office safety and health. Businesses employing a large number of
personnel may be required to adhere to specific safety requirements to
conform to Federal or state laws; smaller businesses and contractors
may need to do the same in order to bid for government contracts. Agencies
such as OSHA and NIOSH provide valuable safety resources that can and
should be utilized by employers and proprietors at all levels in all
types of business to assure that the safety and health of their employees
is maximized.
Authored by Kenneth L. Anderson.
Original article published 5 May 2004, updated 10 February
2006.
Follow links to the right to learn more about security services and security agencies.
At the left margin, Related Links address topics of interest
pertaining to homeland security, the military, national
security and other security and consumer protection issues. View the
Security & Consumer Protection SiteMap
for a complete list of security and consumer protection topics.
|
|
Don’t be silent! Help us out. If you like our site, let
others know about us. Tell your friends. Post to
blogs and forums. Webmasters — link to us. And ...
if you think we can improve, let us know how. Contact
us with your suggestions. We’re always eager
to hear from our visitors.
|
