Before Occupational Health and Safety laws, most companies paid little attention to the health and safety of their staff. The laws punish companies severely if an employee hurts themselves at work if the company did not do everything they could to make the workplace safe.
在没有职业健康和安全法以前，很多公司对员工的健康和安全都不是很重视。如果公司没有尽力保证工作场所的安全，员工因公受伤时，职业健康和安全法就会给公司严重的惩罚。
OH&S is a responsibility of the HR department. The HR department should have a written OH&S policy that all staff should be told about when they join the company.
职业健康和安全是人力资源部门的责任。人力资源部应该准备一份书面的职业健康和安全政策，所有职员在加入公司时都应该被告之。
If you work with computers, you should rest your eyes and hands for at least five minutes each hour. If you don't, you could damage your eyes and develop a problem called Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in your wrists.
如果你工作时使用电脑，应该每小时让眼睛和手休息至少五分钟。不这样的话你的眼睛就会受到损害，而且手腕可能患上腕关节综合症。
For people who have to lift heavy things, the company should show you how to lift properly so that you don't injure your back. Pay close attention to OH&S policies to protect yourself from serious injury at work.
对于那些必须抬重物的人，公司应该告诉他们抬重物的正确方法以防止损伤背部。密切关注职业健康和安全法以防自己在工作时受重伤。
OH&S also involves having a comfortable chair and proper desk to work at as well as having a good keyboard if you do a lot of typing.
职业健康和安全还涉及到工作时要有一把舒服的椅子和一张合适的桌子，如果打字很多的话还要有一个好的键盘。
Remember, work is important, but your health is even more important!
记住，工作固然重要，但是你的健康更重要!
Dialogue (对话)
Beth: Sally, will you check these new OH&S posters for me before I put them up?
Sally: Of course I will. You know that I love teamwork!
Beth: I think that OH&S is so important that I have made some posters for the office walls to remind people to take a break every hour.
Sally: That's a great idea Beth. I wish that I had thought of it!
Beth: I got the idea because I often get a headache from staring at my computer for too long.
Sally: And you think that taking a short break every hour can help?
Beth: I know it can. If I get up and have a short break every hour, I feel better and am more efficient.
Sally: Well you have taught me something new today. I will try to put your ideas into practice.
Beth: We can take our breaks together and practice English while we relax.
Sally: That's the best idea I have heard today!
