The complexity of an occupational risk plan lies in the regulations and legal requirements that must be applied. In this article, we analyze the starting bases, the fundamental obligations, and how to start developing the one your company needs, in a personalized way.
That the people who work in your company are protected from all the risks to which they may be exposed while carrying out their work is a fundamental right.
That every company must have an Occupational Risk Plan is a maxim that must be applied no matter what. And in the following lines, we are going to explain why it is vitally important.
To carry out an effective risk management process, it is necessary to clearly understand the legal context, concepts, risk analysis, evaluation prevention, and control processes, as well as the role played by all those involved.
Why should my company have an occupational risk plan?
Every company must have an occupational risk plan due to several fundamental reasons:
Protection of workers.
The main objective of an occupational risk plan, as we have seen, is to protect the health and safety of workers. By identifying and evaluating the risks present in the workplace, the company can implement appropriate preventive measures to minimize risks and prevent occupational accidents or illnesses.
Legal compliance.
Labor law requires companies to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for their employees. An occupational risk plan allows the company to comply with the legal obligations established in the specific laws and regulations regarding the prevention of occupational risks.
Costs reduction.
Implementing an effective workplace risk plan can help reduce the costs associated with workplace accidents and occupational illnesses. Accidents and illnesses can generate medical expenses, sick leave, compensation, legal sanctions and damage to the company’s reputation.
Improvement of the work environment.
When employees feel safe and secure in their workplace, their satisfaction and overall well-being increase. An occupational risk plan demonstrates the company’s commitment to the safety and health of its employees, which contributes to a positive work environment and encourages worker productivity and motivation.
Compliance with third party requirements.
In many cases, companies must comply with the requirements of third parties, such as customers, suppliers or insurers. These requirements may include the implementation of an occupational risk plan as a condition of establishing business relationships or obtaining certain insurance.
The fundamental obligations of an occupational risk plan.
The fundamental obligations established by the regulations that an occupational risk plan must include are:
- Company description. The description must include its location, the description of all its activities and the different work processes, the organizational structure and the detailed description of the facilities and how they are distributed.
- Identification of occupational risks. The first thing is to identify the risks that may affect the safety and health of workers in the company. This includes everything from physical and chemical risks to psychosocial risks, such as work stress or harassment.
- Evaluation of occupational risks. It is the basis for the application of appropriate preventive measures. Once the risks are identified, their magnitude and probability of occurrence must be evaluated. This will determine what preventive measures should be adopted to control them.
- Planning of preventive measures. Based on the risk assessment, the necessary preventive measures to control them must be planned. These measures can range from health and safety training to the implementation of technical measures, such as the installation of protective equipment.
- Establishment of procedures and protocols. It is important to establish procedures and protocols for the prevention of occupational risks. These must be known by all workers and updated regularly to adapt to changes in the company.
- Emergency and evacuation plan. The company must have an emergency plan with the objective of covering all risk situations that could occur. The plan must detail with a set of actions how to act effectively in unfavorable situations to minimize damage to both workers and facilities.
- Communication and training. Communication and training are key to preventing occupational risks in the company. All workers must receive health and safety training, and be informed of preventive measures and established procedures.
- Periodic evaluation. The occupational risk plan must be evaluated and updated periodically to ensure its effectiveness and adaptation to changes in the company and regulations.
“It is important to keep in mind that before starting to prepare the prevention plan, it is necessary to designate someone responsible to supervise both its implementation and compliance.”
- Responsible for the occupational risk plan. It is recommended that the chosen person have knowledge of preventive matters as well as a relevant position in the organization, since they will be aware of the operation and organization of the company.
The responsible figure, together with the representatives of each department, must prepare a file for each section including the objectives, the actions with which they will be achieved, those in charge of supervising and controlling the actions that have been implemented, as well as a guide. general on all sections.
Once a structure has been achieved, the writing of the plan begins and it is up to the person responsible to review it and facilitate the writing to the rest of those responsible (departments) to modify it if necessary and finally present it to the company’s Management Committee.
What happens if my company does not have an Occupational Risk Prevention Plan?
Not having an occupational risk plan can have various legal and operational consequences for your company, among which you should consider with the utmost attention:
THE ADMINISTRATIVE SANCTIONS TO WHICH YOU ARE EXPOSED.
The lack of an occupational risk plan can be considered a serious or very serious infraction. Consequently, your company could face financial sanctions imposed by the competent authority, such as the Labor and Social Security Inspection.
The amounts of fines for not having an occupational risk prevention plan may vary depending on the severity of the infraction and the size of the company.
These fines can vary depending on the severity of the violation and the size of the company.
- Serious infringements: They can range between 2,046 euros and 40,985 euros, depending on the severity of the offense and other relevant factors.
- Very serious infractions: These sanctions can range between 40,986 euros and 819,780 euros, depending on the seriousness of the infraction and other elements considered in each case.
It is important to keep in mind that these figures are only examples and the specific sanctions may vary in each situation, as different aspects are considered, such as the risk to the safety and health of workers, the size of the company, the repetition of the violation, among other factors.
THE CIVIL LIABILITY THAT INVOLVES.
If an accident or occupational illness occurs due to the lack of an adequate occupational risk plan, the company may be held civilly liable. This implies that it could be sued by the affected workers and would be required to compensate them for the damages caused.
THE POSSIBILITY OF YOUR OPERATIONS BEING PARALYZED.
The competent authority may order the suspension of the company’s activities if a serious and imminent risk to the health or safety of workers is found. This may involve the suspension of operations until an appropriate occupational risk plan is implemented and any deficiencies detected are corrected.
HOW IT CAN AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS REPUTATION.
The lack of an occupational risk plan can damage the company’s reputation both internally and externally. Employees may perceive a lack of concern for their safety and well-being, which could impact morale and productivity. Likewise, customers, suppliers, and the general public may consider that the company does not comply with current rules and regulations, which could generate mistrust and affect business relationships.
Risk assessment is not only a legal obligation but also a good business practice. Avoiding and reducing hazards and risks reduces workplace accidents and health problems, resulting in economic benefits and improved productivity.
But do you know the nuances?
Hazard defines the source or situation with the potential to cause injury and ill health, that is, an adverse effect on the physical, mental, or cognitive condition of a person.
- Examples of hazardous physical sources or situations could be working on a ladder, handling chemicals, or walking on wet floors.
- Examples of psychosocial dangerous sources or situations are the content of the job, job insecurity, isolation, intimidation, or harassment.
Risk, whether to occupational health or safety, involves a combination of the probability of a hazardous work-related event or exposure occurring and the severity of the injuries and ill health that the event or exposure may cause. exhibitions.
Psychosocial risk is defined as the combination of the probability of exposure to a work-related hazard or hazards of a psychosocial nature and the severity of the injuries and ill health that these hazards may cause.
Hazards of a psychosocial nature include aspects of work organization, social factors at work, work environment, dangerous equipment and tasks.
The advantage of having experts to carry out your occupational risk plan lies in the help when interpreting the complexity of the regulations and legal requirements regarding prevention.
At InsuranceHubPortal we can accompany you and provide you with specialized knowledge, to guarantee that your company complies with all legal obligations and can prepare the occupational risk plan for your company.
We help you identify and evaluate the specific occupational risks of your activity, design and implement appropriate prevention measures, design the designation of preventive resources, as well as manage the documentary and notification obligations required by regulations.
