Chapter 16

EMPLOYEE HEALTH, SAFETY

AND RISK MANAGEMENT
Why safety is important?
• Prevention of accidents
• Improving safety boosts profits: wage rates are
higher on jobs with riskier working conditions.
• Poor safety and the injuries and illnesses it
begets actually drive up costs, including
medical expenses, workers’ compensation, and
lost productivity
Top Management’s Role in Safety

• Employers should institutionalize their

commitment with a safety policy, publicize it,
and give safety matters high priority.
The Supervisor’s Role in Accident
Prevention

• Occupational Safety & Health Administration

(OSHA)
• Responsible for day-to-day inspections
• OSHA enforces its standards through
inspections
• OSHA can impose penalties.
Responsibilities and Rights of Employers
and Employees
• Both employers and employees have responsibilities and rights under the
Occupational Safety and Health Act. Employers are responsible for
providing “a workplace free from recognized hazards,” for being familiar
with mandatory OSHA standards, and for examining workplace conditions
to make sure they conform to OSHA standards. Employers have the right
to seek advice and off-site consultation from OSHA, request and receive
proper identification of the OSHA compliance officer before inspection, and
to be advised by the compliance officer of the reason for an inspection.

• Employees also have rights and responsibilities, but OSHA can’t cite them
for violations of their responsibilities. Employees are responsible, for
example, for complying with all applicable OSHA standards, for following
all employer safety and health rules and regulations, and for reporting
hazardous conditions to the supervisor. They have the right to demand
safety and health on the job without fear of punishment. Retaliating against
employees for reporting injuries or safety problems is illegal
 What Causes Accidents?

Basic
Causes of
Accidents

Chance Unsafe Employees’

Occurrences Conditions Unsafe Acts
What Causes Accidents? (cont’d)

Improperly
Guarded
Equipment

Improper Defective
Ventilation Equipment
Unsafe
Conditions
Improper Hazardous
Illumination Procedures

Unsafe
Storage
Reducing accidents
• Diversity Counts: Protecting Vulnerable Workers
• Reducing Unsafe Acts
• Reducing Unsafe Acts through Screening
• Reducing Unsafe Acts through Training
• Reducing Unsafe Acts through Posters, Incentives, and Positive
Reinforcement
• Reducing Unsafe Acts by Fostering a Culture of Safety
• Reducing Unsafe Acts by Creating a Supportive Environment
• Reducing Unsafe Acts by Establishing a Safety Policy
Controlling Workers’ Compensation Costs
• Before the Accident
 Communicate written safety and substance abuse
policies to workers and then strictly enforce policies.
• After the Accident
 Be proactive in providing first aid, and make sure the
worker gets quick medical attention.
 Make it clear that you are interested in the injured
worker and his or her fears and questions.
 Document the accident; file required reports.
 Encourage a speedy return to work.
Workplace Exposure Hazards
• Chemicals and other hazardous materials.
• Excessive noise and vibrations.
• Temperature extremes.
• Biohazards including those that are normally
occurring and manmade.
• Ergonomic hazards of poorly designed
equipment that forces workers to do jobs while
contorted in unnatural positions.
• Slippery floors and blocked passageways.
 Dealing with Substance Abuse

Disciplining

When an
Referral to an
Outside Agency
Employee Tests Discharge
Positive

In-house
Counseling
Violence at Work
• Steps to Reduce Workplace Violence:
 Institute heightened security measures
 Improve employee screening
 Provide workplace violence training
 Provide organizational justice
 Pay enhanced attention to employee
retention/dismissal
 Take care when dismissing violent employees
 Deal promptly with angry employees
 Understand the legal constraints on reducing
workplace violence
Evacuation Plans
• Evacuation contingency plans should contain:
 Methods for early detection of a problem.

 Methods for communicating the emergency

externally.
 Communications plans for initiating an evacuation.

 Communications plans for those the employer wants

to evacuate that provide specific information about
the emergency, and let them know what action they
should take next.