WORKPLACE BULLYING is a repeated and unreasonable behavior directed towards a worker or group of workers that create a risk to health and safety.

It is a risk to health and safety because it may affect the mental and physical health of workers.

Bullying can take different forms including psychological, physical, or even indirect –example deliberately excluding someone from work-related activities. It can be obvious and can be subtle, which means it is not always easy to spot.

Examples of workplace bullying includes:

• Abusive or offensive language or
  comments
• Aggressive and intimidating behavior
• Belittling or humiliating comments
• Practical jokes or initiation
• Unjustified criticism or complaints

EFFECTS OF BULLYING

Workplace bullying can seriously harm employee’s mental health with depression, psychological distress, and emotional exhaustion as common outcomes for bullied employees. These health outcomes may adversely impact the workplace with employees taking sick leave and being less productive.

MANAGING THE RISK OF WORKPLACE BULLYING

In July 2020, we issued a Safety Bulletin regarding management of workplace bullying which is summarized below:

• Regular consultation with employees to find out if bullying is occurring and if there are factors likely to increase the risk of workplace bullying.
• Setting the standards of workplace behavior.
• Designing safe systems of work by clearly defining jobs and providing workers with the resources.
• Implementing workplace bullying reporting and response procedures.
• Developing productive and respectful workplace relationships through good management practices and effective communication.
• Providing information and training on workplace bullying policies and procedures, available support, and assistance, and how to prevent and respond to workplace bullying.
• Prioritizing measures that foster and protect their psychological health of employees.

HOW TO REPORT A WORKPLACE BULLYING INCIDENT
Reporting of workplace bullying is encouraged within the group policy. There are two complaint procedure that are available, formal, and informal complaint.

Formal Complaint – this process involves the employee making a formal complaint followed by a formal investigation process by an external investigator appointed by the board. The process involves collating all the information about the complaint and then making a finding based on the available information collated.

Informal complaint – this process involves discussing the issue with the person against whom the complaint is made and / or facilitating a meeting between parties involved to resolve the issue and move forward.

DEALING WITH BULLYING COMPLAINTS

In dealing with bullying complaints, the group will adopt to the following principles:

• Take all the complaints seriously.
• Act promptly.
• Will not victimize any person who makes a complaint.
• Support all parties.
• Be impartial.
• Communicate the investigation or complaint process to all parties involved, including estimated length of time for resolution.
• Maintain confidentiality as far as possible.
• Act appropriately.
• Keep records.

For detailed information about the group Harassment and Bullying Policy, the approved policy can be accessed below Click here.

Today marks the start of Ramadan Mubarak celebration. A holy month in Islam and Muslim community abstain from food andeven water, from dawn to dusk. Ramadan lasts for more than 29 or 30 days depending on the moon sighting. Many people observing the Ramadan period fast during this holy month irrespective of their health condition. It is during this period where a well balance diet is needed to maintain the level of energy during the day. The healthy tips detailed below provides a non-exhaustive list to help those celebrating this blessed month of
Ramadan.

Tips for Healthy Eating During Ramadan

The infographics below provide us the essential information on what to eat/do during this period and a couple of pointers for us to follow which is itemize as follows:

Additional pointers for us to follow during the observance of this holy month includes sufficient fluid intake to prevent hydration; sleep for 6-8 hours a day to get sufficient mental and physical rest; have a balanced meal; walk or participate in light activity; avoid excess consumption of refined products or sweets; have a balanced calorie intake and limit the intake of fried food. This is not an exhaustive list of healthy tips during the observance of this holy month. It is a constant reminder for us that we need to always keep ourselves healthy to avoid getting sick and contracting COVID-19.

Manual Handling
Most jobs involve carrying out some some type of manual task. If poorly designed or done incorrectly, manual tasks can become hazardous.

A hazardous manual tasks is where you have to lift, lower, push, pull, carry, hold or restrain something. It can include:

• Repetitive movement
• Repetitive or sustained force
• High or sudden force
• Sustained or awkward postures.
• Exposure to vibration

Risk assessment of hazardous manual tasks
It is important to carry out a risk assessment for any manual tasks that have the potential of being hazardous. A risk assessment of
manual tasks will help identify the following:

• Postures, movements and forces that pose a risk.
• The reasons and the actions needed to mitigate the risks.
• There is also identification of psychosocial risks that can increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.

Musculoskeletal Disorders
MSD refers to an injury or disease of the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system supports and protects the body and is made up of the bones of the skeleton, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints and other connective tissues that supports and binds tissues and organs together.

MSD may include:

• Sprains and strains of muscles, ligaments and tendons.
• Back injuries including damage to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, spinal discs, nerves, joints and bones.
• Joint and bone injuries or degeneration, including injuries to the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, hands and feet.
• Nerve injuries or compression (for example carpal tunnel syndrome).
• Muscular and vascular disorders as a result of hand-arm vibration.
• Soft tissue injuries.
• Chronic pain.
• Acute pain.

Effective Ways to eliminate MSD’s
The best and most cost effective way to eliminate or minimise the risks of an MSD is to consider the manual tasks hazards and risks during the design and planning stage of a workplace or a job.

What is Carcinogen?
A carcinogen is a substance or mixture that causes cancer. Unlike many toxic health effects caused by chemicals, a carcinogenic effect may take many years to develop and there may be no early warnings. This means a diagnosis of cancer may not be made until after long exposure stops, and it may not be easy to link the disease to workplace exposure.

Work Health and Safety Duties
The workplace duties include:

• Provide health monitoring for any employees who may be exposed tofumes and silica dust (including activities from sandblasting and welding).
• Spirometry testing is mandatory testing for such activities performed.

Generated Carcinogens
The carcinogens that occur as by product of a work process must be considered when identifying hazards in the workplace. Generated carcinogens includes:

• Diesel exhaust produced during the operation of diesel powered vehicles and plant, for example a diesel powered forklift that is being used indoors.
• Abrasive blasting activity where it produces silica dust.

Generated carcinogens will not have any labels and there may not be any reference to them on Safety Data Sheet.

Assessing the Risks
When it comes to assessing the level of risks, it is important to consider the route of exposure for the chemical. Some carcinogens do not have a safe level of exposure. Some chemicals may only be carcinogenic if they are absorbed through the skin, whereas others may only be carcinogenic if they are inhaled. Others maybe carcinogenic via all routes of exposure.

Controlling the risk
The most effective control is eliminating the hazard and this may include:

• Spirometry testing for monitoring health
• Use or issue of PPE required for the scope of work, and
• Review of risk assessment prior to start of work.

Risk Management
Risk management is a proactive process that both business units have adopted to respond to change and facilitate continuous improvement in the business especially during the COVID-19 health pandemic.
Continue reading Health & Safety Bulletin – Importance Of Risk Assessment During Covid-19 – Jan 21 →