Why is Control of Work Important?
There are many reasons why this process is so integral to creating a safer place to work.
All workplace safety is about achieving minimal or acceptable risk for an organisation and its workers while still being able to get the job done.
Control of Work policies and procedures are needed where routine and permanent control measures for controlling work are insufficient to manage the consequence or likelihood of something bad happening.
Take Karl Lusby for example, who was struck by a gas canister while on the job. This happened because another employee was instructed to hit it with a hammer to remove a stuck valve. Gas was suddenly expelled from the canister, causing it to fly and hit Mr. Lusby, who suffered damage to his nerves and tissues along with a broken tibia and fibula. The organisation pleaded guilty to violating the Health and Safety Work Act 1974. After an investigation, it was found that no proper procedure was outlined for employees to follow in such a situation and no risk assessment was conducted.
An employee working on a dairy farm is another example, who suffered burns to a third of his body because a machine was not properly isolated while working. While on the farm, the worker was near a pipe with a valve that suddenly burst open by mistake. This released hot liquid and steam, burning his body. The Health and Safety Executive found that had the equipment been properly isolated, this wouldn’t have happened.
Such events can lead to lost time injuries and significant project delays.
For example, in the European Union, it was found that 150 million workdays were lost on average annually because of workplace accidents, according to the International Labour Organisation. This has also led to an average of up to € 20 billion in insurance costs.
This in turn can lead to reputational damage in the market where your organisation loses credibility and bids due to a high-profile workplace accident, because of inefficient control of work processes. A high turnover rate can ensue, with less workers wanting to join your organisation because of its reputation.
We could go on and on about all the reasons having efficient Control of Work procedures is necessary, but in essence, it comes down to creating a safe working environment for your people. It's the employer's responsibility to have all the right processes and procedures in place to protect workers from harm, so they know their wellbeing is truly paramount.
An essential part of this is overcoming all the challenges that come with Control of Work.