Non-Governmental Influential Parties' Role in Setting Health and Safety Standards

Non-Governmental Influential Parties' Role in Setting Health and Safety Standards

The following parties have an important role to play in enhancing the performance of an organization/country towards health and safety of the workers at workplace. These non-governmental influential bodies force an organization to adopt correct measures and protect its workers, public, environment when it comes to health and safety.

The above mentioned bodies along the media play an important role. Role of the print, broadcast, and social media has been discussed in the previous article that can be read here.

1. Employer Bodies

Such kind of organization consists of the employers or organizations to represent their interests. For example, in Pakistan Chamber of Commerce is established. Chamber of commerce helps in creating and sustaining the conditions in which businesses in the country can compete, grow and run smoothly in compliance of national regulations.

Similarly, in United Kingdom, Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is established to help industry in growing and sustaining business conditions.

Chamber of Commerce or Confederation of British Industry not only work on national level but they also work on international level where they introduce country and its product on international level and attract investment from other countries.

2. Trade Associations

Trade associations are found from a membership of the companies working in a particular area of commerce and exist for their own benefit. These organizations have ability to promote health, safety, environment standards through sharing and implementing guidelines, notes, information, codes of practice etc.

Meetings, workshops, and seminars can be arranged depending on an association's membership, both internationally and at a national/ regional level, to enable networking and the exchange of information and ideas, e.g., on technical and safety issues.

3. Trade Unions

Trade Union is an organization of the workers who work and put their interest in front of government, employer and other regulatory bodies. They work with employer too to achieve the common goals such as wage, hours and working conditions. Trade Unions negotiate with the employing body on behalf of the workers.

The negotiations include, wages, working hours, termination procedure, complain procedure, training and development, incident investigations etc.

4. Professional Groups

Professional Group is an organization or institute working in particular profession and have achieved a defined level of competence. To get membership of the organization, participants pay an amount of fee and enjoy multiple benefits in return. These benefits include guidance, training and development, information exchange as well as recognition on national and international level. Three main Professional groups have been mentioned below with little summary of introduction.

4.1 Institute of Occupational Safety & Health - IOSH

IOSH is a United Kingdom based organization and worldwide recognized as well. The organization is engaged in providing information, guidance, as well as other resources. IOSH covers more than 30,000 members across the globe and around 10,000 Chartered Safety & Health Practitioners across the globe. Its a not-for-profit and independent organization and accepted by International Labour Organization as a non-governmental organization.

4.2 American Society of Safety Engineers/Professionals - ASSE/ASSP

American Society of Safety Engineers/Professionals also known as ASSE/ASSP is an American based organization and world's oldest safety body, engaged in expanding the expertise of its members and providing information about Health and Safety at workplace. It also sets and implements Health and Safety standards.

4.3 Board of Certified Safety Professionals - BCSP

Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) a Peer Certification board. It is not providing any kind of membership or services provided by member organizations but it's prime responsibility is to provide training and certify professionals. There is always a need for certified and trained safety professionals as there are standards and laws require certified safety professionals.

5. Pressure Group

Pressure Group is an organization which has common interest but never put up candidates for election purpose. Pressure Groups are always engaged in raising the issues and pressuring the concerned parties to take action and resolve issues.

In terms of Safety and Health at work, these Pressure Groups pressurize the government to make legislation and implement safety and health laws. In other words, they lobby against the government and highlight the issues and make government to take remedial actions.

6. General Public

General Public never expects that their beloved one risk his/her life for the economical profit of the organization, he/she is working for. They want that their beloved ones are safe at workplace and organization is providing them with all resources needed to perform the job.

Important Terms

CBI - Confederation of British Industry

IOSH - Institute of Occupational Safety & Health

ASSP - American Society of Safety Professionals 

ASSE - American Society of Safety Engineers

BCSP - Board of Certified Safety Professionals