The media is awash with news of occupational or work related accidents or industrial accidents or collapse of buildings frequented by the pubic not just in Malawi but also globally. However such incidents are rarely conceived as occupational injuries or fatalities and blame is easily laid at the doorway of handymen such as drivers or machine operators and not management. This shields management from responsibility and fails to provide incentives for improving health and safety systems in organisations. It also obscures the scale of the problem from policy makers.
Our approach is that protecting the health and safety of employees or members of the public that may be affected by occupational activities is an essential part of risk management which must be led by the board. Failure to include health and safety as a key business risk in board decisions can have catastrophic results. Many high-profile safety cases over the years have been rooted in failures of leadership. Health and safety law places duties on organisations and employers, and directors can be personally liable when these duties are breached. Members of the board have both collective and individual responsibility for health and safety. We are well placed to advise on any aspect of health and safety at corporate, individual and state levels. No brief is too complex for us to unpack.
Our view is that healthy workers contribute more towards productivity, efficiency and quality in the work place. Lost time due to work related injuries, fatalities have a negative effect on a firm’s productivity and growth. This in turn affects the national economy in a wider sense. Our approach to health and safety is the put prevention before compensation. To this end we advise an array of clients on how to comply with health and safety laws and where claims have arisen we undertake legal representation that ensures cost effective resolution without compromising quality and results for our clients. We also under take research and advocacy on occupational health and safety.
It is our firm belief that a reduction of human, social and economic costs of accidents and ill health borne by the workforce will not just bring huge financial savings but also increased productivity and quality for in the firm. The total economic losses due to occupational illnesses and injuries are enormous. Such losses are a serious burden on economic development. Thus, apart from health considerations, the improvement of working conditions is a sound economic investment. Our approach is informed by this conviction.