Occupational Health and Safety: A Complete Guide Based on My Personal Experience

I am Carlos Hidalgo, and during many years of working in different sectors, I have come face to face with the importance of workplace risk prevention. From offices to construction sites, I have seen it all. In this article, I want to share my experience and my learnings in this field, using a close and casual tone, but with all the seriousness that a topic as vital as this deserves.

What is Occupational Risk Prevention?

The prevention of occupational risks is the set of activities or measures that are taken in all phases of activity of a company to avoid or reduce the risks arising from work. This includes any action taken in order to protect the health of workers and ensure a safe environment.

In simple terms, it's about preventing work from harming us. And, believe me, this is no easy task; safety at work is a game in which we all have to do our part.

My First Encounter with Risk Prevention

It was 1998, and I was working in a construction company. I was young, and, like many, I thought that wearing a hard hat was unnecessary. Until one day, a beam fell near where I was standing. That was my awakening! From then on, I understood that safety is not just a bureaucratic formality; it is a matter of life and death.

The Principles of Preventive Action

Let's get down to business. The Law on Occupational Risk Prevention (LPRL) in Spain establishes a series of basic principles for preventive action that all employers must follow:

2. Avoid risks: This means eliminating the risk at its root. In practice, this is not always possible, but it is always the goal.
4. Evaluate risks that cannot be avoided: This is where experience and knowledge come into play. You can't avoid what you don't know, so you have to know where the hazards are.
6. Fight risks at their source: When we eliminate the risk at its source, we prevent it from spreading and becoming a bigger problem.
8. Fit the job to the person: This is one of my favorites, as I have always believed that the job should fit the person, not the other way around. This includes adapting the design of the workplace and choosing appropriate tools and methods.
10. Take into account the evolution of technology: Technology advances, and we must also advance with it. New machines and tools can make work safer.
12. Replace what is dangerous with what poses little or no danger: A classic example is to replace lead paints with safer options.
14. Plan prevention: Prevention cannot be improvised; it needs planning.
16. Adopt measures that put collective protection before individual protection: It is always better to protect everyone than just a few.
18. Give proper instructions to workers: It is no use having rules if they are not taught correctly.

Employer and Worker Responsibilities

The law is clear: the employer has a duty to protect its workers. This includes ensuring safety in all aspects related to work, whether by providing adequate training, personal protective equipment (PPE) or safe working conditions.

On the other hand, workers also have their responsibilities. They must use machines and tools correctly, follow safety instructions and, very importantly, report any situation that puts their safety or the safety of others at risk. This is not optional; it is part of the employment contract.

Key Instruments in Occupational Risk Prevention

To make all this work, there are two main tools:

2. Occupational Risk Assessment: A systematic process to identify the hazards present at work and evaluate the risks associated with them.
4. Preventive Activity Planning: Once the risks have been identified, it is necessary to decide what measures to take to control or eliminate them.

Common Errors in Occupational Risk Prevention

Throughout my career, I have seen a number of common errors in occupational risk prevention:

• Thinking that "nothing ever happens": Big mistake! I've known people who thought that way...until it happened.
• Lack of training: Safety is not something you learn intuitively; you need continuous training.
• Lack of attention to mental health: Today we know that mental health is as important as physical health, but there are still many employers who do not consider it an occupational safety issue.

Occupational Risk Prevention in Different Sectors

Each sector has its particularities when it comes to occupational risks. For example, in construction, risks include falls from heights, use of heavy machinery, and exposure to hazardous substances. In offices, although it may seem incredible, the risk of suffering injuries due to incorrect postures or visual fatigue is high.

In any case, the principle is always the same: identify the risk, evaluate it and act to minimize or eliminate it.

Tools and Resources for Risk Prevention

In my experience, there are tools that are indispensable:

• Personal Protection Equipment (PPE): From helmets and gloves to protective goggles, each has its specific function.
• Training and continuing education: Courses, workshops and awareness days.
• Safety Procedures Manual: An essential document that must always be up-to-date.

The Future of Occupational Risk Prevention

Technology and digitalization are changing the landscape. From the use of artificial intelligence to identify risks to augmented reality for safety training, the possibilities are endless. But none of this is a substitute for continuous training and a strong safety culture.

Conclusions: Prevention is Everyone's Commitment

The prevention of occupational hazards is not just the responsibility of the employer, nor is it just the responsibility of the worker on duty. It is a shared commitment, a team effort. I have learned that, in the end, it is about saving lives and improving the quality of work.