Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

What is occupational health and safety?

Occupational health and safety (OHS), also called occupational safety and health (OSH) or EHS when combined with environment, is the discipline of keeping people safe and healthy at work. It covers both sudden harm, such as falls, burns or machine injuries, and long-term harm, such as noise-induced hearing loss, respiratory disease, musculoskeletal problems or work-related stress.

A practical OHS approach usually follows a cycle:

1. Identify hazards – physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial
2. Assess risks – how likely harm is and how serious it could be
3. Control risks – starting with removing the hazard, then engineering controls, safe work procedures and, finally, personal protective equipment
4. Monitor health – through pre-employment and periodic medical examinations linked to exposures
5. Prepare for emergencies – first aid, an occupational health centre where needed, drills and ambulance arrangements
6. Review and improve – investigate incidents and near-misses, and update controls

In India, the main legal framework is the OSH Code, 2020, along with central and state rules. International standards such as ISO 45001 offer a voluntary management-system framework that some organizations adopt.

Why it matters for employers

OHS is not only for factories. Offices face ergonomic risks from long hours at screens, psychosocial risks from workload and harassment, and emergency risks such as fire or medical events. Field and delivery teams face road and heat risks.

Strong OHS practice can help:

• Protect employees from avoidable harm
• Meet legal duties and reduce the risk of penalties
• Reduce absence and disruption from injuries and illness
• Build a culture where people feel safe to raise concerns

Example

A logistics company reviews OHS across its warehouses. It finds manual handling injuries are the most common issue and heat stress is a concern in summer. Actions include training on safe lifting, lifting aids, scheduled hydration breaks, an onsite first-aid room and periodic health checks for workers in physically demanding roles. Incident reports are reviewed monthly by a safety committee.

Key takeaways

• OHS prevents work-related injuries and illnesses, both sudden and long-term.
• It follows a cycle: identify, assess, control, monitor, prepare and improve.
• In India, the OSH Code, 2020 and related rules set the legal baseline.
• Health monitoring and onsite care are core parts of a complete OHS approach.

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