Safety and Health

Managing Human Resources

Strategic Importance of Workplace Safety
and Health
• Benefits of a Safe and Healthy Workforce:
 Higher productivity
 Increased efficiency and quality
 Reduced medical and insurance costs
 Lower workers’ compensation rates and payments
 Improved reputation as an employer of choice

12–2
Consequences of an Unsafe and Unhealthy
Work Environment
• Injury and Disease • Mental Health
 Back injuries are most  Psychological symptoms
prevalent can affect productivity
 Exposure to Chemicals and life away from work
 Undetected effects, • Deaths and Violence
possible long-term risk
• Economic Costs

12–3
Workplace Safety and Health in an Integrated HRM System

12–4
The External Environment

• Global Consideration
 There are substantial differences in national standards regarding
workplace safety and health.
• Global Organizations
 International Labour Organization (ILO)
 World Health Organization (WHO)
 Strengthen international and national policies.
 Develop practices for improving health at work.
 Promote health at work through technical assistance/support.
 Develop human resources for the field of occupational health.
 Establish relevant and useful registration and data systems.
 Raise public awareness.
 Strengthen research on occupational health.

12–5
Workplace Safety and Health Hazards
• Occupational Accidents
 Organizational Qualities
 Factors most affecting workplace accidents:
– Working conditions and times
– Tools and technology available to do the job

12–6
Individual Qualities: The Unsafe Employee
• Characteristics that make people more
susceptible to accidents:
 Emotionally “low”
 Stressed

12–7
Violent Employees
• Homicide is leading cause • Signs of potential
of workplace deaths after
highway accidents
violence:
 Verbal threats
 Physical Actions
 Intimidation
 Show weapons
 Try to gain access
 Frustration
 mania
12–8
Occupational Diseases
• Disease-Causing Hazards:
 Arsenic, asbestos, benzene, bichloromethylether
 Coal dust, coke-oven emissions, cotton dust
 Lead, radiation, vinyl chloride
• Workers most likely to be exposed:
 Chemical and oil refinery workers, miners, textile
workers
 Steelworkers, lead smelters
 Medical technicians, painters, shoemakers, plastics
industry workers

12–9
Diseases Linked to Workplace Hazards
• Cancer
 Liver, lung, brain, kidney
• Lung Disease
 White, brown, and black lung
• Leukemia
• Bronchitis, emphysema
• Lymphoma, aplastic anemia
• Central nervous system damage
• Reproductive Disorders
• Skin Diseases
12–10
Accident Prevention
• Design a safe work environment
 Guards, handrails
 Safety goggles, helmets
 Warning lights
 Self-correcting mechanisms
 Automatic shutoffs
• Ergonomics
 Change job environment to match
capabilities limitations of employees

12–11
Accident Prevention (cont’d)
• Health and Safety Committees
 At the department level, do implementation and
administration
 At the organization level, formulate policies
• Behavior Modification
 Small percentage of workforce responsible for
majority of health insurance claims
 Measure, communicate, monitor, and reinforce
desired behavior
• Assessing Intervention Effectiveness

12–12
Disease Prevention
• Reducing the Incidence of Diseases
 Record keeping
 Monitoring exposure
 Genetic screening

12–13
Occupational Safety and Health Act
(OSHA) of 1970
• Mission of OSHA
 To assure the safety and health of America’s workers
by setting and enforcing standards
 providing training and education
 establishing partnerships with businesses
 encouraging continual improvements in workplace
safety and health
 Coverage of employees—all nongovernmental
employers and employees; state and local
government employees

12–14
Provisions of OSHA
• OSHA Standards
 Apply to general industry, maritime, construction, and
agriculture
 Cover the workplace, machinery and equipment,
material, power sources, processing, protective
clothing, first aid, and administrative requirements.
• Enforcement of the Act
 The Secretary of Labor is authorized by the Act to
conduct workplace inspections, to issue citations, and
to impose penalties on employers.
 Inspections are conducted by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration of the Department of Labor.

12–15
Creating a Safe Work Environment

Safety Motivation Safety Awareness

and Knowledge Programs

Elements in Creating a Safe

Work Environment

Accident
Enforcement of
Investigations
Safety Rules
and Records

12–16
Creating a Safe Work Environment (cont’d)
• Promoting Safety Awareness
 The Key Role of the Supervisor
 Communicating the need to work safely.
 Proactive Safety Training Program
 First aid, defensive driving, accident prevention
techniques, hazardous materials, and emergency
procedures.

 Information Technology and Safety Awareness and

Training

12–17
Creating a Safe Work Environment (cont’d)
• Typical Safety Rules
 Using proper safety devices
 Using proper work procedures
 Following good housekeeping practices
 Complying with accident- and injury-reporting
procedures
 Wearing required safety clothing and equipment
 Avoiding carelessness and horseplay

12–18
Creating a Healthy Work Environment
• Recognizing and Controlling Health Hazards
Related to Hazardous Materials and Processes
 Use substitutes for hazardous materials.
 Alter hazardous processes and engineering controls.
 Enclose or isolate hazardous processes.
 Issue clothing to protect against hazards.
 Improve ventilation.

12–19
 Key Elements for a Successful Ergonomics Program

• Provide notice and training for employees.

• Conduct pre-injury hazard assessment.
• Involve employees.
• File injury reports.
• Plan and execute.
• Evaluate and assess the ergonomics program.

12–20
Workplace Violence
• Reducing Violence in the Workplace
 Commitment to prevent violence
 Identify areas of potential violence
 Develop violence prevention policies
 Provide violence prevention training
 Evaluate program effectiveness

12–21
Building Better Health

Alternative
Wellness Programs
Approaches

Health Services Focus on Nutrition

12–22
 Employee Health
• Cleanliness ( sewerage and sanitation)
• Air ventilation and temperature (maximum 25 – 30 degree Celsius)
Cross ventilation, required no of fans and exhaust fans
Thermometer kept in visible place

• Dust Sucker, Mask

• Lighting
• Safe drinking water
Minimum 4 ltr per day
Min 6 mtr away from toilets
Water cooler ( 250 employees and more)
3 ltr saline water if needed
Toilets
one / 25 (female) up to first 500
one / 40 (male) up to first 500

12–23
 Employee Safety
• Safety of building equipment and other infrastructure
• Fire fighting and safety ( emergency door, 2 per room, emergency
staircase)
• Fire fighting equipment
• Safety against electrical wearing and connections
• Crane and lift etc
• Turbine

12–24