1. Chapter 13 Ensuring a safe & healthy work environment
Supervision
Chapter 13
Ensuring a safe & healthy work environment

2. Chapter outcomes
Discuss the supervisory effects of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
List the enforcement priorities of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Explain what punitive actions OSHA can impose on an organization.
Describe what supervisors must do to comply with OSHA record-keeping requirements.
Describe the leading causes of safety and health accidents.
Explain what supervisors can do to prevent workplace violence.
Define stress.
Explain how a supervisor can create a healthy work site.
Describe the purposes of employee assistance and wellness programs.

3. Occupational Health & Safety
Legal responsibility
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) in the US
Enforce healthful working conditions and preservations of HR
Comprehensive and extensive
Supervisors need to know applicable standards and regulations

4. Occupational Health & Safety
OSHA enforcement priorities
Imminent danger
Accidents that have occurred within the past 48 hours
Current employee complaint
Inspection of target industries with high injury ratio
Random inspection

5. Occupational Health & Safety
Keeping OSHA record
OSHA Form 300
Decide what is reportable based on decision tree
Determine incident rate
OSHA punitive actions
$10,000 per occurrence per day
Increase to $70,000 if severe

6. Job safety program Why job safety programs?
Cost of lost time due to injuries
Cost of investigation, work stoppages
Etc.
Causes of work related accidents
Human causes – vast majority
Environmental causes
 Search for potential hazards

7. Job safety program Preventing accidents Education Skills training
Engineering – design of equipment and of the job
Protection
Regulation enforcement

8. Job safety program Supervisor’s role Management commitment
Develop a feedback system
Inspecting work surroundings
Oral and written reports
Observations
Management commitment
Organizational culture

9. Workplace violence Plan to deal with the issue
Review policies
HR management practices
Identify troubled employees
Employee Assistance Program
Action plan depends on specific circumstances

10. Healthy Environment Enough fresh air
Avoid suspect building materials and furnishings
Test for toxins before occupancy
Provide smoke free environment
Incentives: healthcare/insurance premiums
Help program
Keep air duct clean and dry
Pay attention to workers’ complaints

11. Repetitive stress injuries
Use of ergonomics – customizing the environment to keep employees health
Office environment
Office furniture

12. Stress Common causes Symptoms Ways to reduce Organizational factors
Personal factors
Symptoms
Psychological
Behavioral
Ways to reduce
Match people to job
Job design
Communication and involvement