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The Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) has organised a training program on Occupational Health and Safety (OH & S) Management Systems. The OH & S Management System enables an organisation to control its OH & S risks and improve its performance. Several parties viz employees, customers, clients, suppliers, the community, shareholders, contractors, insurers as well as the enforcement agencies have legitimate interest in an organisation's approach to OH & S, a press release form SLSI said.

The importance of managing OH & S need not be highlighted in view of the increased activities in the present day world. Official statistics of work related accidents and ill-health that are published each year do not represent the full extent of pain and suffering that each event brings to its victims, their families, colleagues and friends. In addition to the human cost, occupational accidents and ill-health impose financial costs to individuals employers and society at large. It is reported that the overall cost to employers of personal injury work accidents work related ill-health and avoidable non-injury accidents in UK is estimated to be equivalent to around 5% to 10% of all UK companies' gross trading profits. The position in Sri Lanka would be no better.

Organisations have to attach the same importance to achievement of high standards of OH & S management as they do to other key aspects of their business activities. This demands the adoption of a structured approach to the identification of hazards and evaluation and control of work related risks. The British Standards Institution has already developed a publication (OHSAS 18001: 1999) against which OH & S Management Systems can be assessed and certified. It is compatible with the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Management System Standards in order to facilitate the integration of quality, environment and occupational health and safety management systems of an organisation, should one wishes to do so.

The training program scheduled for April 30 is intended to assist organisations to develop an approach to management of OH & S in such a way as to protect employees and others whose health and safety may be affected by the organisation's activities, the release said.

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