This chapter is all about health and safety in the work environment. In this segment we
will discuss the basic facts about the Occupation Safety and Health Act and Administration,
discuss how to minimize unsafe acts by employees, talk about how to deal with important occupational
health problems, and look at the supervisor's role in safety.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed in 1970 to preserve the nation's human
resources by assuring as much as possible that every worker has a safe and healthy working
condition. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (or OSHA) held within the Department
of Labor administers the act, sets and enforces the safety and health standards, and has inspectors
working out of branch offices throughout the country to ensure compliance.
One of the main things OSHA does is to create general industry, maritime, and construction
standards, and well as other regulations and procedures that different industries must
follow to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. Here is an example of a general
construction standard for guardrails. As you can see the standard notes a minimum height
as well as other installation requirements.
OSHA also requires most employers to maintain records of any workplace injuries. Under OSHA,
employers with 11 or more employees must maintain records of and report occupational injuries
and illnesses. An occupational illness is any abnormal condition or disorder caused
by exposure to environmental factors associated with employment. This flow chart helps organizations
decide when an accident must be reported to OSHA. For example, if an accident results
in a death, an illness, or a restriction of work motion, it must be reported to OSHA;
but if the accident only involves minor first aid, then it does not need to be reported.
Not only does OSHA require reporting and record keeping but they also do onsite inspections.
Inspections are decided based on a priority list. First on this list are situations of
imminent danger and OSHA conducts an inspection within 24 hours for these situations. Second,
are catastrophes, fatalities, and accidents that have already occurred and OSHA responds
within 3 working days. Third, are valid employee complaints of an alleged violation of standards
and for situations that are non-serious, OSHA responds within 20 working days. Complaints
such as these are filed in writing by a worker or union. Next, are periodic special-emphasis
inspections aimed at high-hazard industries, occupations, or substances; and last are random
inspections and re-inspections. Penalties on average can range from $5,000 up to $70,000
for willful or repeated serious violations, although in practice the penalties can be
far higher based on the violation.
There are 3 main causes of workplace accidents: chance occurrences, unsafe conditions and
unsafe acts. The first, chance occurrences, are just that; they are random events that
have no rhyme or reason to them. For example, a baseball from a local little league game
comes flying through your window at work, breaks the glass and you receive some cuts
from the flying glass. This is a chance occurrence. The second cause, unsafe conditions can involve
any of the things you see listed here. For instance things like improperly guarded or
defective equipment can lead to serious workplace accidents. Unsafe acts by employees are the
last major cause of workplace accidents. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers to the question
of what causes them, but examples include things like forgetting to wear a hard hat
or other safety equipment.
There are a number of hazardous substances or chemicals you may come into contact with
at work. Asbestos is one such example and organizations must take every precaution to
protect employees from this and other sources of respiratory illness such as silica or lead
poisoning. There is also the threat of infectious diseases. Since the SARS scare people have
become more concerned about this issue especially with many employees traveling to and from
international destinations. Obviously, employers must make provisions for ensuring that a returning
employee does not inadvertently infect colleagues.
There are also a number of other issues employers need to be aware of in relation to health
and safety, ranging from job stress to violence at work. Job stress can cause a number of
problems at work such as poor work performance and lower job satisfaction. Reducing job stress
can range from getting more sleep and eating better to negotiating with your boss for realistic
deadlines on important projects.
When severe job stress is not dealt with, it can lead to burnout. Burnout is the total
depletion of physical and mental resources caused by excessive striving to reach an unrealistic
work-related goal. Some suggestions for alleviating burnout include: getting away from it all
periodically and reassessing your goals.
A third issue concerns computer-related health problems such as eyestrain, neck and back
pain or carpal tunnel syndrome. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(or NIOSH) has several recommendations that organizations can implement to reduce computer-related
health problems and minimize employee concerns.
AIDS is another issue we have discussed previously. While AIDS is definitely a workplace hazard
employers need to be aware of, under ADA, they cannot subject an employee with AIDS
to discriminatory treatment.
Workplace smoking is becoming an area of serious concern for employees and employers. Smokers
have significantly greater risk of occupational accidents and higher absenteeism rates than
nonsmokers. They also increase the cost of health and fire insurance. In response to
this, many organizations are starting smoking cessation programs or even going so far as
refusing to hire smokers.
Violence at work is the last issue we will discuss here. In the last few decades organizations
have seen a dramatic increase in the number of violent incidents occurring on the job.
From the highly publicized office shootings to the lesser discussed issue of workplace
robbery, organizations need to do their best to reduce violence at work.
There are a number of steps companies can take to better prepare or protect their employees
such as: improving their employee screening process to make sure they are not hiring anyone
with a past history of aggressive behavior and providing employees with conflict resolution
training.
In the end there is no better deterrent to employee violence than having a basic security
plan. Basic prerequisites for a Security Plan include several things: one, a company philosophy
and policy on crime, in particular, making sure employees understand that no crime is
acceptable and that the employer has a zero tolerance policy. Two, making sure to conduct
a full background check as part of your selection process for every position. Three, creating
a security awareness training to inform employees on the policies and procedures. Four, the
organization should establish and communicate the procedures employees should follow in
the event of a terrorist threat, bomb threat, fire, or other emergency.
When setting up the actual security plan organizations should follow these four steps: analyze the
current level of risk, and then install mechanical, natural, and organizational security systems.
Natural security is taking advantage of the facility's natural or architectural features
in order to minimize security problems. Mechanical security is the utilization of security systems
such as locks, intrusion alarms, access control systems, and surveillance systems.
Lastly, organizational security is using good management to improve safety. In other words,
if you have good managers that treat employees with respect and dignity then many health
and safety issues can be avoided completely.
In today's lesson we have discussed the basics of workplace health and safety and how organizations
can help to create a safe environment for their employees. Now it is time to apply what
you have learned.