Author(s)

R. CHAÏB, M. TALEB, M. BENIDIR & I. VERZEA

Abstract

In Algeria, the human consequences of occupational accidents – on the profitability and the added value – are many, knowing that a company is the employee’s home and the damage of each may affect them as an entire body. Moreover, understanding and applying concepts of risk management in the Anglo-Saxon spirit is a completely absent approach in our companies. Preventive measures are still insufficient, especially for the protection of workers who are often left to their own. This leads to an uneven maturity of companies, different strategies considered and dissimilar organizational choices. More than 50,000 accidents/year were recorded in the Algerian companies, between 750 and 800 of those accidents have caused deaths. The number of days lost that are automatically compensated is estimated to 14×105. These costs are exorbitant for the whole society and even more so for the companies themselves (the continuing rise of absenteeism, disruption of ongoing work and lost production, etc.). Conscious of the importance of the industrial safety control for the future of our industrial heritage, we covet raise employees and employers awareness on the importance of all issues induced by the technological risks within companies. Everything has to be done in order to avoid an accident, which breaks or handicap a human life. Instantly, everything has to be done to ensure how to provide occupational health and make the industrial action daily to ensure the safety of its personnel in different companies or even in each workplace. Thus, a permanent anticipation of work accidents and occupational diseases can therefore be reached and to develop a permanent and sustainable culture of prevention in companies. Therefore, continuous improvement and permanent safety of health and protection of the employee is imposed and becomes a common goal. So, we hope that prevention is on the agenda of each employer, each worker, all employers’ associations, trade unions and professional organizations. Safety and health at work should be seen as a tool for productivity and economic asset. Only in that way, individually and collectively the risks can be controlled and the source of dangers can be eliminated for health, safety and physical integrity of workers, while relying on the general principles of prevention: The health in the company is the health of the company. Henceforth, legislation is essential but not sufficient to cope with these changes or to stay abreast of new risks. Therefore, companies especially those at high risk such as oil and cement industries must be able to identify risks and to fight against the problems arising in terms of safety and health at work and respond effectively in dynamic management strategies. We covet through this paper, guide and educate those concerned (state, employers and employees) of the austerity of industrial hygiene and safety within our companies. Thus, arrive at implemented priority actions of relevant preventions, improving the quality of life at work and the same improving industrial performance or promote a culture of prevention in Algerian companies.

Keywords

Cement plant, improvement, industrial hygiene and safety management, risks and preventive measures