Why is Commercial Hygiene Assessment and Testing Necessary?
Most employees spend the majority of their day at work, exposed to the conditions created by the work environment and the industry within which it operates. Even seemingly harmless industries or work environments can expose these employees to health and safety risks, if not monitored and managed properly. It is obviously to be expected that every employee does whatever is within their power to provide a safe working environment, and many local, national, and international laws and regulations exist to ensure that this is the case. Professional commercial hygiene assessment and testing services exist primarily to enable employers to identify and address risks in the workplace in order to be compliant.
Being legally compliant is certainly not the only reason to perform commercial hygiene assessment and testing and should not be the only motivator to create a safe workplace. Ultimately, it is to the advantage of the entire organisation to create a workplace that meets the required standards. Some of the main and most obvious benefits of commercial hygiene assessment and testing include:
- Employee wellbeing – Employees are the most important feature of a company, and their health and safety should always be the top priority. Commercial hygiene assessment and testing allows for a safe work environment to be created. This can help to reduce staff turnover and increase employee happiness.
- Cost savings – The fewer workplace incidents there are, the lower the associated expenses will be. The same goes for staff turnover. This could be a huge expense for any organisation. Reducing turnover rates are highly beneficial. The fewer risks there are, the less related repair or clean-up costs are also to be expected.
- Extending the lifespan of equipment – When you create a workplace that meets standard requirements, you are not only creating an environment that supports the health of your employees, but that also creates safe and beneficial conditions for your equipment. This can serve to protect the state of these pieces of equipment, leading to less wear and tear, as well as unnecessary damage, extending their lifespan.
- Maintaining product or service quality – When your equipment works as it should, your employees are safe and cared for, and there are lower risks of contamination and/or malfunctions, it also stands to reason that your output – whether it is a product or a service – would be of better quality.
- Reduced legal liability – If you are not legally compliant to industry regulations within your region, you are potentially exposing yourself to costly public liability litigation, or legal action from employees who have been injured or suffered harm. This could mean the end of your company. Reduce your liability by adhering to the laws that are in place.
How to Go About Commercial Hygiene Assessment and Testing
You will need to approach a registered and trusted service provider in this field. Someone like IOH Solutions. We are accredited with the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) for Occupational Hygiene Inspection at workplaces, and we are registered with the Department of Labour (DoL) as an Approved Inspection Authority (AIA) in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 85 of 1993. If you require commercial hygiene assessment and testing, contact us for a free quotation.