Abstract

Health and Safety can be described as regulations, policies and procedures which are put in place to prevent injury or adjacent unwanted events from occurring in the workplace and further afield. When individuals are approached by the topic of Health and Safety, they more than often unaware or uninformed of what it implies. However, they have unknowingly been practicing certain aspects of it all their lives. Research has shown that due to lack of resources, SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) tend to have poorer and less effective Health and Safety implementation due to several factors. This can lead to not only increased injuries but also a dark figure of Health and Safety violations, making it difficult to fully analyse the extent of the harm. In examining the development of H&S throughout the factory processes of the Industrial Revolution, significance is placed not only on greater transparency and attention paid to risk but also in ensuring uniformity of H&S implementation in the workplace hierarchy. In specific address to Oman, SMEs are attracted to the fiscal freedom the country provides. Oman has had a good track history adhering to international standards of H&S, also providing its own regulation. Most notably by the 2008 Ministerial Decree 286. Health and Safety in organisations is a significant tool used to protect the physical and mental well-being of the employees by identifying and eliminating safety hazards and creating a safety culture and Health and Safety management practices such as safety training, employee involvement and employee communication. There are characteristics of SMEs that impact HSE implementation which are important to understand as they are vital to working towards a more effective Health and Safety culture, implementation and therefore working environment. The major challenges facing SMEs in implementing H&S practices are costs, managerial commitment and safety culture.