1. Improving Occupational Health, Safety, and Security
Chapter 16
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2. Why Employee Safety and Health Are Important?
Staggering number of work-related accidents
About 5,000 U.S. workers died in workplace accidents
Roughly 4.4 cases of occupational injuries and illnesses resulting from accidents at work per 100 full-time U.S. workers
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3. Manager’s Briefing on Occupational Law
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was created to assure U.S. workers safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve human resources
The act created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to administer the act and to set and enforce the safety and health standards that apply to most all U.S. workers
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OSHA Standards
OSHA operates under the “general duty clause” that each employer shall furnish to each of his (or her) employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his (or her) employees
OSHA is responsible for promulgating legally enforceable standards
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5. OSHA Recordkeeping Procedures
Employers with 11 or more employees must maintain a record of and report occupational injuries and illnesses
Occupational illnesses are any abnormal conditions or disorders caused by exposure to environmental factors associated with employment
Occupational injuries result in medical treatment (other than first aid), loss of consciousness, restriction of work or motion or job transfer
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7. Inspections and Citations
OSHA enforces standards through inspections and if necessary citations however OSHA may not conduct warrantless inspections without an employer’s consent
OSHA encourages voluntary consultation by providing on request free onsite safety and health services for small businesses separate from OSHA inspection
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8. Inspection Priorities
OSHA takes a “worst-first” approach in setting priorities
Imminent danger, catastrophes and fatal accidents
Employee complaints
Programmed inspections
Follow-up inspections
OSHA looks for violations of all types but some areas grab more of their attention
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9. Citations and Penalties
Citations inform the employer/employees of the regulations and/or standards violated and the time set for rectifying the problem
Penalties are calculated based on violation gravity and usually take into consideration factors like business size, compliance history and good faith
Range between $5,000 up to $70,000
Occasionally can be far higher (in the millions)
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10. Employers/Employees Responsibilities
Employers are responsible for providing a workplace free from hazard, for being familiar with OSHA standards and for examining workplace conditions for compliance
Employees are responsible for complying with applicable OSHA standards, for following all employer safety and health rules and regulations and for reporting hazardous conditions to supervisors
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11. Employer/Employee Rights
Employers have the right to make “a diligent effort to discourage, by discipline if necessary, violations of safety rules by employees”
Employees have a right to demand safety and health on the job without fear of punishment
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What Causes Accidents?
Chance occurrences
Unsafe working conditions
Unsafe acts by employees
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13. Unsafe Working Conditions
Can include the following obvious conditions:
Faulty scaffolds
Improperly guarded equipment
Frayed wiring
Unsafe storage, such as overloading
Improper illumination
Improper ventilation
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Toxic Safety Climates
Toxic safety climates can affect entire workplaces
Toxic safety climates usually include high stress environments, pressure to quickly complete the work and a general poor safety climate
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15. Other Working Conditions Factors
Work schedules and fatigue
Accident rates do not increase noticeably during the first 5 or 6 hours of the workday
After 6 hours, the accident rate accelerates
Partly due to fatigue and partly due to accidents occurring more frequently during night shifts
High seasonal layoffs
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16. Other Working Conditions Factors, cont.
Temporary stress factors such as
High workplace temperature
Poor illumination
Congested workplace
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Unsafe Acts
Employees cause accidents through unsafe acts
Throwing materials
Operating or working at unsafe speeds
Making safety devices inoperative
Lifting improperly
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18. What Traits Characterize “Accident-Prone” People?
Impulsive
Sensation-seeking
Extremely extroverted
Less conscientious
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19. How to Prevent Accidents
Reduce unsafe working conditions
Reduce unsafe acts
Use screening to reduce unsafe acts
Use posters and other propaganda
Provide safety training
Using incentives and positive reinforcement
Emphasize top management commitment
Set specific loss control goals
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20. Fostering a Culture of Safety
Fostering a safety culture requires:
Teamwork
Communication and collaboration
Shared vision of safety
Assignment of critical safety functions
Continuous effort toward identifying and correcting problems
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22. Conduct Regular Safety and Health Inspections
Conduct thorough safety audits
Routinely inspect for possible safety and health problems using checklists
Review and analyze safety-related data
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24. Conduct Regular Safety and Health Inspections, cont.
Organize a safety committee
Protect vulnerable workers
Offer special safety training for Hispanic workers
Teach the program in Spanish
Recruit instructors from the ethnic groups they’re training
Provide multi-lingual cross training
Address cultural differences
Don’t skimp on training
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25. Employee Health Problems and Remedies
Typical workplace hazards include
Alcoholism and substance abuse
Chemicals and other hazardous materials
Excessive noise and vibrations
Temperature extremes
Biohazards including normally occurring ones
Ergonomic hazards
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26. Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
Creating a drug-free workplace program
Drug-free workplace policy
Supervisor training
Employee education
Employee assistance
Drug testing
Testing tools like the CAGE and MAST
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Job Stress and Burnout
Stress triggers can include:
Work schedule
Pace of work
Job security
Route to and from work
Workplace noise
Number and nature of customers/clients
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29. Reducing Your Own Job Stress
Build rewarding, pleasant, cooperative relationships with as many of your colleagues and employees as possible
Don’t bite off more than you can chew
Build an especially effective and supportive relationship with your boss
Find time everyday for detachment/relaxation
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30. Reducing Your Own Job Stress, cont.
Understand the boss’s problems and help him or her understand yours
Negotiate with your boss for realistic deadlines
Get away from your office from time to time
Don’t put off dealing with distasteful problems
Create a constructive “worry list”
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31. What the Employer Can Do
Primary prevention by ensuring that job design and workflows are correct
Intervention by assessing employees to find sources of work stress
Rehabilitation through employee assistance programs and counseling
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Burnout
Burnout is the total depletion of physical and mental resources caused by excessive striving to reach an unrealistic work-related goal
Symptoms include:
Irritability
Discouragement
Entrapment
Resentment
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Breaking Burnout
Break your patterns
Get away from it all periodically
Reassess your goals in terms of their intrinsic worth
Think about your work
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Other Work Problems
Depression
Asbestos exposure
Computer monitor health problems
Workplace smoking
Workplace violence
Terrorism
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35. Dealing with Workplace Violence
Heighten safety measures
Improve employee screening
Use workplace violence training
Be cognizant of workplace violence towards women
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36. Dealing with Terrorism
Check mail carefully
Identify ahead of time a lean “crisis organization” that can run the company after a terrorist threat
Identify in advance under what conditions you will close the company and the necessary processes
Institute a process to put the crisis management team together
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37. Dealing with Terrorism, cont.
Prepare evacuation plans and make sure exits are well marked and unblocked
Designate an employee who will communicate with families and off-site employees
Identify an upwind, off-site location near your facility to use as a staging area for evacuated employees
Designate in advance several employees who will do headcounts at staging area
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38. Dealing with Terrorism, cont.
Establish an emergency text-messaging policy and procedure to notify affected individuals that an emergency may exist
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39. Setting up a Basic Security Program
Analyze the current level of risk
Install mechanical, natural and organizational security measures
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