Redefining Work Health and Safety

Book excerpt: This comprehensive book on workplace health and safety covers a range of topics essential for professionals and researchers in the field. The initial chapter sets the tone by exploring challenges, emphasizing the economic impacts of safety incidents, and outlining the workplace safety landscape. Subsequent chapters delve into safety models, accident causation, and the evolution of linear and complex systems, applying systems thinking to risk assessment. Human factors, including ergonomics and organizational influences, are thoroughly examined and an Integrated Safety Management Framework (ISMF) is introduced and progressively evolved. The book also scrutinizes risk concepts, mindfulness, situational awareness, lesser-known theories, and a sociological perspective on safety. The ISMF is introduced and applied throughout, providing a holistic approach to safety management. The concluding chapter reflects on future challenges and directions, while appendices offer a practical safety management system template. Overall, the book equips safety professionals with insights and strategies for creating a culture of safety excellence.