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SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK AT WORK CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 7
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SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

Apr 01, 2015

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Judith Hardacre
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Page 1: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORKAT WORK

CHAPTER 7CHAPTER 7

Page 2: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

Safety- protecting employees from Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related injuries caused by work- related accidentsaccidents

Health- employees’ freedom from Health- employees’ freedom from physical or emotional illness.physical or emotional illness.

Page 3: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

• Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1994 Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1994 created the Safety and Health Administrationcreated the Safety and Health Administration

• Aims to ensure safe working conditions for every Aims to ensure safe working conditions for every worker byworker by

- Setting and enforcing workSetting and enforcing work- Promoting employer- sponsored educational Promoting employer- sponsored educational

programsprograms- Requiring employers to keep records regarding Requiring employers to keep records regarding

job related safety and health mattersjob related safety and health matters

Page 4: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

ACCIDENTS AT WORKACCIDENTS AT WORK What are the consequences of accidents at What are the consequences of accidents at

work?work? Financial lostFinancial lost Losses of outputLosses of output Lowered moraleLowered morale Negative publicityNegative publicity

Page 5: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

TYPES OF ACCIDENTSTYPES OF ACCIDENTS Near miss, whereby no one was injured or hurt, Near miss, whereby no one was injured or hurt,

although damage to propert may have occurredalthough damage to propert may have occurred Non-fatal, one or more employees required first-aid Non-fatal, one or more employees required first-aid

treatmenttreatment Non-fatal, whereby one or more employees were Non-fatal, whereby one or more employees were

temporarilytemporarily disabled disabled Non-fatal, whereby one or more employees were Non-fatal, whereby one or more employees were

permanentlypermanently disable disable Fatal, whereby one or more workers were killedFatal, whereby one or more workers were killed

Page 6: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

CAUSES OF ACCIDENTSCAUSES OF ACCIDENTS

Technical causesTechnical causes Human causesHuman causes Environmental causesEnvironmental causes

Page 7: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

DuBrin (1987) says accidents may DuBrin (1987) says accidents may occur where there is:occur where there is:

Production machineryProduction machinery Walkways and areas where people climbWalkways and areas where people climb Use of hand toolsUse of hand tools Use of electricityUse of electricity Use of toxic or boiling liquidsUse of toxic or boiling liquids

Personal protective equipment (PPE) including Personal protective equipment (PPE) including helmets, goggles, gloves and safety shoes help helmets, goggles, gloves and safety shoes help keep workers safe.keep workers safe.

Page 8: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

Fleishman (1967) summarizes the Fleishman (1967) summarizes the human causesof accidentsas follows:human causesof accidentsas follows:

Faulty attitudesFaulty attitudes Low attention spanLow attention span Drinking and drug abuseDrinking and drug abuse Faulty judgement of speed and distanceFaulty judgement of speed and distance ImpulsivenessImpulsiveness IrresponsibilityIrresponsibility Nervousness and fearNervousness and fear Worry and depressionWorry and depression

Page 9: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

Individual characteristics that Individual characteristics that correlate with accident rates:correlate with accident rates:

Age and seniorityAge and seniority Quality of supervisionQuality of supervision Poor vision and perceptual skillsPoor vision and perceptual skills Stress and emotional issuesStress and emotional issues Working on the night shift whereby lack of Working on the night shift whereby lack of

sleep leads to fatiguesleep leads to fatigue

Page 10: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AND OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AND OTHER HEALTH ISSUESOTHER HEALTH ISSUES

Use of organic chemicals and toxic substancesUse of organic chemicals and toxic substances Fumes, dust and smokeFumes, dust and smoke RadiationRadiation InfectionInfection Noise and vibration levelsNoise and vibration levels Extreme temperatureExtreme temperature

Page 11: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

ENSURING A SAFE ENSURING A SAFE WORKPLACEWORKPLACE

Safety Policies include:Safety Policies include: A statement of the organization’s commitment to A statement of the organization’s commitment to

providing a safe and healthy workplaceproviding a safe and healthy workplace An explanation of who is responsible for safety in An explanation of who is responsible for safety in

the organizationthe organization A description of any procedures or structures A description of any procedures or structures

which exist to implement safe work practiceswhich exist to implement safe work practices

Page 12: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

ENSURING A SAFE ENSURING A SAFE WORKPLACEWORKPLACE

Safety programs must provide for:Safety programs must provide for: Total commitment from all levels of workersTotal commitment from all levels of workers Appointment of specific individuals to take charge of Appointment of specific individuals to take charge of

safety and health issuessafety and health issues A system of keeping and analysing recordsA system of keeping and analysing records Extensive trainingExtensive training Campaigns to raise worker awarenessCampaigns to raise worker awareness Incentive and rewards schemesIncentive and rewards schemes Provision of personal protective equimentProvision of personal protective equiment Disciplinary systemsDisciplinary systems

Page 13: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

Summary of actions required by Employers Summary of actions required by Employers in order to comply with OSHAin order to comply with OSHA

Ensure the safety of all employees and any other person at the Ensure the safety of all employees and any other person at the workplace as far as is practicableworkplace as far as is practicable

Draft and disseminate a safety policy if the organization have Draft and disseminate a safety policy if the organization have more than 5 employeesmore than 5 employees

Appoint a safety committee, if the organization has 40 or more Appoint a safety committee, if the organization has 40 or more employeesemployees

Appoint a dedicated, qualified safety and health officer, if the Appoint a dedicated, qualified safety and health officer, if the organization falls within the scope of the relevant regulationorganization falls within the scope of the relevant regulation

Provide appropriate training, supervision and information to Provide appropriate training, supervision and information to employees concerning safe work practicesemployees concerning safe work practices

Report serious accidents to the Department of Occupational Report serious accidents to the Department of Occupational Safety and HealthSafety and Health

Page 14: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORKWORK

DefinitionDefinition Any unwanted conduct sexual nature having the Any unwanted conduct sexual nature having the

effect of verbal, non-verbal, visual, psychological effect of verbal, non-verbal, visual, psychological or physical harassment:or physical harassment:

That might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by the That might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by the recipient as placing a condition of a sexual nature on recipient as placing a condition of a sexual nature on his/her employment; orhis/her employment; or

That might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by the That might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by the recipient as an offence or humiliation, or a threat to recipient as an offence or humiliation, or a threat to her/his well being, but has no link to her/his her/his well being, but has no link to her/his employmentemployment

Page 15: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

HANDLING A CLAIM OF HANDLING A CLAIM OF SEXUAL HARASSMENTSEXUAL HARASSMENT

The major problem faced by anyone The major problem faced by anyone investigating a claim of sexual harassment is investigating a claim of sexual harassment is the lack of evidence.the lack of evidence.

Most claims are one person’s word against Most claims are one person’s word against another, without any external corroborationanother, without any external corroboration

Page 16: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

HANDLING A CLAIM OF HANDLING A CLAIM OF SEXUAL HARASSMENTSEXUAL HARASSMENT

Workers should be advised that in order to Workers should be advised that in order to strengthen their case against an alleged strengthen their case against an alleged harasser, they should:harasser, they should: Inform a senior officer immediately when the Inform a senior officer immediately when the

sexual harassment occurssexual harassment occurs Keep any documents, objects or other proff of the Keep any documents, objects or other proff of the

harassmentharassment Make a police report against the harasserMake a police report against the harasser Keep a record of what was said and done by the Keep a record of what was said and done by the

harasserharasser

Page 17: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

VIOLENCE AT WORKVIOLENCE AT WORK Violence includes not only physical harm or Violence includes not only physical harm or

attempted physical harm by also harassment attempted physical harm by also harassment and bullyingand bullying

Page 18: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

Thomas Capozzoli and Steve McVey (1996) Thomas Capozzoli and Steve McVey (1996) categorize violence in any given situation as categorize violence in any given situation as

follows:follows: Violence which originates in the workplace Violence which originates in the workplace

and occurs in the workplaceand occurs in the workplace Violence which originates in the workplace Violence which originates in the workplace

but occurs outside the workplacebut occurs outside the workplace Violence which originates outside the Violence which originates outside the

workplace and occurs in the workplaceworkplace and occurs in the workplace

Page 19: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

The best way to reduce risk of The best way to reduce risk of violence is by:violence is by:

Conducting a risk assessment to identify where Conducting a risk assessment to identify where and when incidents of violence may occurand when incidents of violence may occur

Establishing strict rules prohibiting violence at Establishing strict rules prohibiting violence at workplaceworkplace

Designing and disseminating a procedure to Designing and disseminating a procedure to deal wit incidents of violence in the workplacedeal wit incidents of violence in the workplace

Providing training for all employees so that Providing training for all employees so that they will know what to do in such an eventthey will know what to do in such an event

Page 20: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF EMPLOYEESEMPLOYEES

Programs which improve employees’ health Programs which improve employees’ health reduce employers’ costs.reduce employers’ costs.

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) may An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) may offer counseling services for both personal offer counseling services for both personal problems as well as financial problems, stress problems as well as financial problems, stress and time management sessions and medical and time management sessions and medical advice both physical and psychiatricadvice both physical and psychiatric

Page 21: SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK CHAPTER 7. Safety- protecting employees from injuries caused by work- related accidents Safety- protecting employees from injuries.

IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF EMPLOYEESEMPLOYEES

¥ Wellness ProgramsWellness Programs¥ Stress ManagementStress Management¥ Reducing Drug and Alcohol Related ProblemsReducing Drug and Alcohol Related Problems