1. Human Resource Management By Dr. Debashish Sengupta

2. Workplace Health & Safety14
CHAPTER
Human Resource Management

3. Key Terms Factories Act 1948 Growing Menace Industrial Disaster
OSHA, 1970
Women’s Compensation Act, 1923
Workplace Violence
Human Resource Management

4. Accidents/Industrial Disasters
Most accidents and industrial disasters happen due to four main reasons: 1. Managerial: The managerial reasons for such accidents include lack of top management commitment to safety, lack of safety guidelines & policy, Lack of awareness on safety by the management, lack of safety drills and training educating employees on such issues, lack of attention on basic workplace environment etc. 2. Technical: At times accidents may be because of technical glitches or because of use of old, outdated technology. Periodic checks and audit may prevent such incidents.
Human Resource Management

5. Some of the worst industrial accidents & disasters
March 10, 1906: Courrières mine disaster in Courrières, France
Minamata Disaster
Bhopal Gas Tragedy, 1984
Chernobyl disaster 1986
Kader Toy Factory fire in Thailand, May 10,
Explosion at SHAR complex in Siharikota
Human Resource Management

6. Four Levels of Safety Interventions
The four levels of workplace safety interventions are : 1. Intervention at the Managerial Level: The various components of managerial interventions include: a. Assessing workplace safety aspects and possible threats or hazards. b. Drafting safety policy. 2. Technological Interventions: The technological interventions refer to technology-audit and ensuring that better technologies are used and employed in the organizations that enhance safety aspects. 3. Behavioural Interventions: Making safety at workplace a way of life rather than a periodic inspection issue is the real challenge.
Human Resource Management

7. Legal Angle
Some of the acts in India that asks factories and other establishments to comply to industrial safety and accident/disaster prevention as well compensation in case of occurrence are discussed below: The Factories Act, 1948 ‘An Act to consolidate and amend the law regulating labour in factories. Whereas, it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law regulating labour in factories.’ This act secures safety, health, welfare of the employees, regulates their working hours, ensures their annual leaves with wages, and provides for additional protection from hazardous processes,
Human Resource Management

8. Some Other Acts
THE MINES ACT, 1952 (As modified upto 1983) - An Act to amend and consolidate the law relating to the Regulation of labour and safety in mines. THE DOCK WORKERS (SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE) ACT, An Act to provide for the safety, health and welfare of dock workers and for matters connected therewith. “Dock work” means any work in or within the vicinity of any port in connection with, or required, for, or incidental to, the loading, unloading, movement or storage of cargoes into or from ship or other vessel, port, dock, storage place or landing place.
Human Resource Management

9. Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923
The Workmen’s Compensation Act, aims to provide workmen and/or their dependents some relief in case of accidents arising out of and in the course of employment and causing either death or disablement of workmen. It provides for payment by certain classes of employers to their workmen compensation for injury by accident. The employer of any establishment covered under this Act, resulting into: (i) Death; (ii) Permanent total/partial disablement; (iii) Temporary disablement, whether total or partial (iv) Who has contracted an occupational disease.
Human Resource Management

10. OSHA, 1970
The “Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970” enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America states that – “To assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women; by authorizing enforcement of the standards developed under the Act; by assisting and encouraging the States in their efforts to assure safe and healthful working conditions; by providing for research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health; and for other purposes.”
Human Resource Management

11. Workplace Violence
“Workplace violence could be physical or psychological, anything at place of work that may fall under homicide, rape, kicking, biting, punching, harassment, including sexual, and racial abuse, bullying, mobbing, victimising, leaving, offensive messages, name-calling or deliberate silence”.
Human Resource Management

12. Growing Menace
Any violence that happens related to work is categorized under workplace violence. Most of the times the perpetrators are co-workers; at times they may be by customers, irate public etc. Workplace violence has pervaded global borders, work settings and occupational groups. About 30 personnel from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police to constable were booked by Delhi Police on sexual harassment charges in the past three years. The ILO report says some workplaces and occupations have become high-risk and women are especially vulnerable.
Human Resource Management