What technology has to do with safety and health?

Every day we are dealing with various issues at the place of work, from minor injuries due to manual labour such as cuts, ergonomic problem, and also other broader spectrum issues such as pollution, economic crisis due to workers grievances and so forth. Some says technology ensure safety and accuracy. It’s true in some aspect. For instance mechanical aid to assist everyday task can overcome problem such as overuse of human ability in handling fast and repetitive task and also handling heavy load that is beyond human strength. Indirectly, it can reduce the possibility of injury and increase productivity and efficiency. It means that by utilizing technologies, we can solve 2 problems at once which are from the aspect of safety and health; to reduce injuries and minimizing absenteeism and medical cost and in the aspect of economy; it can increase production to generate income for the company and the profit will be beneficial for both employer and employees.

Let’s move into a broader perspective of what technology can do to a nation’s growth. In today’s world, we cannot deny that to cope up with the ever changing world, we have to master science and technology, which is one of the most important aspects of civilization. From agriculture to manufacturing, construction to engineering, technology has been manipulated to achieve satisfactory result or achievement. Job can be speed up while workplace injuries and accident can be minimized. Increasing in productivity and completion of mega projects increase the national growth by convinced foreign investors to make investment in our country, bring in not only capital but also new technology.

What science and technology has to do with pollution then? History reveals that pollution can cause terrible disaster to a nation. Chernobyl disaster for example; the failure of reactor design and the error in judgment of the personnel causing the plant to explode due to overheating of the cooling water (system). For a very high risk plant, there should be an automatic shutdown system if there is any hazards arise due to human error. If technology is being use wisely, such calamity can be prevented, environmental pollution can be avoided and disease to human being at large can be ceased.

Employee grievances are one of the things that we have to look into. Employers have to be smart in handling employee’s dissatisfaction since it may lead to a worse situation such as picket and strike that may lead to operation of company had to be dismissed. It may due to stress at the place of work due to increasing of productivity demand. When demand exceed supply, this lead to the attempt of using available workforce to achieve the target and work overtime with unfair payment and overwork that may lead to other problem such as fatigue and tiredness which can contribute to accident. Beside fair payment for workers, employer also can add new machinery as mechanical aid for workers to accomplish company’s target and minimized accidents.

Technology utilized in a right way will bring a good outcome to human and environment but noted that the misleading of technology can create an unimaginable disaster to human being.