Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Promoting Safety and Health
Promoting Safety and Health
Learning OutcOme 2
Describe the measures managers and employees can take to create a safe work
environment.
Learning OutcOme 3
Identify ways to control and eliminate various on-the-job health hazards.
Learning OutcOme 4
Describe the programs organizations utilize to build better health among their
workforces.
Learning OutcOme 5
Indicate the methods for coping with job stress.
Good health and safety practices are indicative of top-notch organizations. Annually
the Great Place to Work (GPTW) Institute surveys employees of organizations and
compiles a list of the best places to work in the United States. In a recent survey,
96 percent of employees who work at the 100 best companies named by the
institute answered often true or almost always true that their places of work are
physically safe. Employers also recognize the importance of implementing safety
and health programs because the benefits of doing so far exceed the costs
associated with sick leave, workers compensation, disability payments, and
replacing employees who are injured or killed. A study conducted by the insurance
company Liberty Mutual found that employers saved $3 for each $1 they invested in
workplace safety.
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Employers are motivated by more than costs and their reputations to keep their
workers safe and healthy, though. Most organizations provide their employees with
good working conditions (1) because it is the right thing to do and (2) because firms
realize people are the most strategic asset they have. Truly proactive companies
can go further than this, though. Recall that in Chapter 1 we discussed total quality
management (TQM). TQM is a set of principles and practices whose core ideas
include understanding customer needs, doing things right the first time, and striving
for continuous improvement. Interestingly, a study that looked at companies that
had won awards for TQM concluded that these firms had not only maintained aboveaverage earnings, productivity, and growth rates, but had improved worker safety
by a remarkable amount. Perhaps part of the reason why this is so is that programs
such as TQM result in greater employee engagement. We will talk more about
employee engagement and safety later in the chapter.
Safety and Health: Its the Law
Consider these facts:
1. In 2009, 3.6 million private-sectors workers suffered work-related injuries and
illnesses.
2. Back injuries, most of which occur because of improper lifting, are the
nations no. 1 workplace safety problem. More than 1 million workers suffer
back injuries each year.
3. Each year the cost of occupational injuries and illnesses totals more than
$156 billion.
4. In 2009, 4,340 employees died from work accidents.
5. Ninety percent of fatal work injuries involve workers in private industry.
Providing workers a safe and healthy environment is not just good for business and
the right thing to do. It is the law. In 1970 Congress passed the Occupational Safety
and Health Act (OSHA). The mission of OSHA is to assure the safety and health of
Americas workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach,
and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvements
in workplace safety and health. In spite of the figures previously cited, the act has
been very effective in reducing the number of injuries resulting in lost work time,
the incident rate of specific injuries such as back problems, and the number of jobrelated deaths. For example, even though there were twice as many workers in
2009 as in the 1960s, in 2009 worker fatalities were less than one-third of what they
were in the late 1960s. Today, most employees report that the safety conditions in
their organizations are very good. In a survey by the University of Chicagos
National Opinion Research Center, 92 percent of employees agree or strongly
agree that safety and health conditions where they work are good; 87 percent
strongly agree that there are no significant compromises or shortcuts taken when
worker safety is at stake.
OSHAs Coverage
OSHA covers all private sector employees and public employees in state and local
governments. Self-employed workers are not covered by the law. Federal agencies
are required to establish and maintain a safety and health program that is
monitored by OSHA. Approximately half of the states currently have their own
OSHA-approved programs for private and public workers. Where state programs for
the private sector have been approved by the federal government as meeting
federal standards, the state carries out the enforcement functions that would
otherwise be performed by the federal government.
OSHA Standards
Workplace Inspections
Under the act, upon presenting appropriate credentials to the owner, operator, or
agent in charge, an OSHA compliance officer is authorized to do the following:
Typically, OSHA inspectors arrive at a work site unannounced and ask for a meeting
with a representative of the employer. At the meeting, the inspectors explain the
purpose of the visit, describe the procedure for the inspection, and ask to review the
employers safety and health records. An employer may either agree voluntarily to
the inspection or require the inspectors to obtain a search warrant.
The act gives both the employer and the employees the right to accompany
inspectors on their tour of the work site. After the tour, the OSHA officials conduct a
closing conference to inform the employer and employee representatives, if any, of
the results of their inspection. They point out conditions or practices that appear to
be hazardous and issue a written citation if warranted.
If a willful violation results in the death of an employee, OSHA can assess penalties
up to $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for a corporation, imprisonment of up
to six months, or both. The largest ever fine by OSHA was an $87 million penalty
levied in 2009 against the oil giant BP after a 2005 explosion killed 15 workers and
injured 170 others at a BP refinery in Texas. (BP will likely face more fines as a result
of the deadly explosion of its Deepwater Horizon platform in the Gulf of Mexico in
2010.) OSHA can adjust any penalty downward depending on the employers good
faith (such as demonstrating effort to comply with the act), history of previous
violations, and size of business. However, the agency can adjust penalties upward
too. OSHAs Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) identifies employers with
repeated, serious citations, and, among other things, subjects them to increased,
multi-worksite inspections and higher penalties. The law provides for appeal by
employers and employees under certain circumstances.
Onsite Consultation
OSHA provides free onsite consultation services. Consultants from the state
government or private contractors help employers identify hazardous conditions
and determine corrective measures. Employers also may receive training and
education services. No citations are issued in connection with a consultation, and
the consultants files cannot be used to trigger an OSHA inspection. Additionally, the
consultations may qualify employers for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA
inspections.
Cooperative Programs
Voluntary, cooperative relationships among employers, employees, unions, and
OSHA can be a useful alternative to traditional OSHA enforcement procedures,
serving as an effective way to ensure worker safety and health. There are four
specific cooperative programsalliances, strategic partnerships, voluntary
protection programs, and the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program:
Alliances. Alliances enable organizations to collaborate with OSHA to prevent
injuries and illnesses in the workplace. OSHA and participating organizations define,
implement, and meet a set of short- and long-term goals to improve workplace
safety and health.
can use as a basis for comparing its safety record with those of other organizations.
These comparisons provide a starting point for analyzing problem areas, changing
the working environment, and motivating personnel to promote safety and health.
It is the employers responsibility to provide employees with protective equipment
when necessary and ensure it is used. Employers must also provide their workers
with safety training and be prepared to discipline employees for failing to comply
with safety rules. In addition, employers must not discriminate against employees
who exercise their rights under the act by filing complaints with OSHA.
2. HIgHLIgHtS In HRM
What Are My Responsibilities under the OSH Act?
Although OSHA does not cite employees for violations of their responsibilities,
each employee must follow all applicable standards, rules, regulations, and
orders issued under the OSH Act. OSHA, however, does not expect employees to
pay for guardrails, floor cleaning, equipment maintenance, respirators, training,
or other safety and health measures.
employers are afforded many rights under the act, most of which pertain to
receiving information from OSHA, applying for variances in safety and health
standards, and contesting the agencys penalties.
Employees Responsibilities and Rights
Employees are required to comply with all applicable OSHA standards, to report
hazardous conditions, and to follow all employer safety and health rules and
regulations, including those prescribing the use of protective equipment.
Workers have a right to demand safe and healthy conditions on the job without
fear of punishment. They also have many rights that pertain to requesting and
receiving information about safety and health conditions. For example, most
statesand federal lawrequire that employers provide information to
employees about the hazardous chemicals they handle. Commonly known as
right-to-know laws, these statutes require employers and manufacturers to give
employees information about the toxic and hazardous substances they could
come into contact with on the job and what the health risks related to those
substances are. Since state right-to-know laws can be more stringent than
federal law, employers are encouraged to contact their states health and safety
agency for a copy of their appropriate hazard communication standards.
Safety training is not only good business; in certain occupational areas, safety and health training
is legally required. For example, employers regulated by a federal agency called the Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are legally required to provide their employees with
environmental-safety protection training. When training is mandated, employers must keep
accurate records of all employee education. Violations can incur criminal penalties.
Baggage Handling
Ticket Counter
Make-up Room
Ramp Area
Most organizations have a safety awareness program that entails the use of several different
media. Safety lectures and courses, and printed and audiovisual material are common. use of
games has also become an interactive way to provide employees with safety training. Costco
and Amazon.com, for example, have successfully used a product called Safety Bingo to
motivate employees on a daily basis to create a safetyconscious atmosphere and remind them
of their safety goals. Of course, the Web has become a popular way to disseminate safety
training materials as well. One safety manager went so far as to describe his companys intranet
as the the organizations SWAT team to develop and implement timely and efficient health and
safety programs. In addition to distributing safety and compliance information via the Web,
CDs, and PowerPoint presentations downloadable from its website, OSHA has developed
online modules called eTools that deal with various safety and health topics and provide
employers and employees information on how OSHA regulations apply to their work
organizations.
Figure 12.1 shows OSHAs eTool designed to help workers who handle baggage do so safely.
HR professionals and safety directors in particular advocate employee involvement when
designing and implementing safety programs. Employees can offer valuable ideas regarding
specific safety and health topics to cover, instructional methods, and proper teaching
techniques. Furthermore, employees are more likely to embrace safety training when they feel a
sense of ownership in the instructional program.
Proper personal protective equipment must be worn when operating the saw, which
includes hand, foot, leg, eye, face, hearing and head protection.
Do not wear loose- tting clothing.
Be careful that the trunk or tree limbs will not bind against the saw.
Watch for branches under tension; they may spring out when cut.
Gasoline-powered chain saws must be equipped with a protective device that
minimizes chain saw kickback.
Be cautious of saw kickback. To avoid kickback, do not saw with the tip. Keep tip
guard in place.
The consequences for violating safety rules are usually stated in a firms employee handbook.
Usually the consequences include an oral or written warning for the first violation, suspension
for repeated violations, and, as a last resort, dismissal. However, for serious violationssuch as
smoking around volatile substanceseven the first offense could be cause for an employees
termination.
While discipline may force employees to work safely, safety managers understand that the most
effective enforcement of safety rules occurs when employees willingly adhere to and champion
safety rules and procedures. This can be achieved when managers actively encourage
employees to participate in all aspects of the organizations safety program. This is important
because employees who are involved in their companies safety programs are not only more
engaged employees but safer employees. According to a study by the Society of Human
Resources Management, engaged employees were five times less likely than nonengaged
employees to have a safety incident and seven times less likely to have a lost-time safety
incident. In addition, the average cost of a safety incident was $392 for nonengaged employees,
but only $63 for engaged employees.
There are a number of ways to involve and engage employees in company safety programs. In
addition to TQM programs, they include having employees (1) jointly set safety standards with
managers, (2) participate in safety training, (3) help design and implement special safety
training programs, (4) establish safety incentives and rewards, and (5) be involved in accident
investigations. Other ways to engage employees is to solicit their ideas and opinions when
assessing the risk of jobs during the job analysis process. The idea behind this is to help identify
potential hazards and develop protective measures before accidents occur. Establishing an
employee safety suggestion program and asking employees to formally participate in the
process of observing the safety behavior of their coworkers are two other ways. So is soliciting
employees opinions about the safety of the tools a company is considering purchasing.
The consequences for violating safety rules are usually stated in a firms employee handbook.
Usually the consequences include an oral or written warning for the first violation, suspension
for repeated violations, and, as a last resort, dismissal. However, for serious violationssuch as
smoking around volatile substanceseven the first offense could be cause for an employees
termination.
While discipline may force employees to work safely, safety managers understand that the most
effective enforcement of safety rules occurs when employees willingly adhere to and champion
safety rules and procedures. This can be achieved when managers actively encourage
employees to participate in all aspects of the organizations safety program. This is important
because employees who are involved in their companies safety programs are not only more
engaged employees but safer employees. According to a study by the Society of Human
Resources Management, engaged employees were five times less likely than nonengaged
employees to have a safety incident and seven times less likely to have a lost-time safety
incident. In addition, the average cost of a safety incident was $392 for nonengaged employees,
but only $63 for engaged employees.
There are a number of ways to involve and engage employees in company safety programs. In
addition to TQM programs, they include having employees (1) jointly set safety standards with
managers, (2) participate in safety training, (3) help design and implement special safety
training programs, (4) establish safety incentives and rewards, and (5) be involved in accident
investigations. Other ways to engage employees is to solicit their ideas and opinions when
assessing the risk of jobs during the job analysis process. The idea behind this is to help identify
potential hazards and develop protective measures before accidents occur. Establishing an
employee safety suggestion program and asking employees to formally participate in the
process of observing the safety behavior of their coworkers are two other ways. So is soliciting
employees opinions about the safety of the tools a company is considering purchasing.
workers report falling asleep at least once a week while on the job, according to Dr. Charles
Czeisler, chief of sleep medicine at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston.
Fatigue may not result in life or death consequences for most jobs. Nonetheless managers,
employees, and the public are concerned about how it affects workplace safety and
performance. The regulations in certain industries limit the number of hours employees can
work per shift. The airline industry is one such industry. However, even with the limits, workers
are finding themselves fatigued. Some experts say downsizing may be a factor as fewer
workers are being asked to cover more shifts. Recently the U.S. government vowed it would
give air traffic controllers an extra hour off between shifts to combat fatigue. Continental has
given its pilots permission to call in and report theyre too fatigued to fly.
Although OSHA currently has no fatigue standard, it is seeking to establish one, and unions are
increasingly negotiating fatigue contracts. Employees at Dow Chemicals Freeport, Texas,
facility have negotiated a fatigue standard in their new labor contract. Under the new
agreement, employees who work three consecutive sixteenhour days must receive a twentyfour-hour break. Employees on regular shifts must get a forty-eight-hour break if they work
twenty-one days in a row.
Distracted Driving
Do you know what the leading cause of worker fatalities each year is? Motor vehicle crashes.
Moreover, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, people who
send text messages while driving are three times more likely to crash than other drivers, and
distracted driving accounts for 80 percent of all accidents. When it comes to mass transit, the
consequences of distracted driving can be catastrophic. For example, in 2008, a Los Angeles
commuter train collided head on with another train. Twenty-five people died, including the
operator of the train. Another 135 others were injured. A subsequent investigation of the accident
found that operator had sent or received fifty-seven text messages while on the job that day,
including one sent twenty-two seconds before the crash.
To help prevent distracted driving accidents, a growing number of employers are adopting
mandatory cell-phone policies for their employees. A survey of more than 2,000 employers
conducted by the National Safety Council found that 58 percent had some type of cell-phone
usage policy in place, and roughly one-quarter of those surveyed prohibit both handheld and
handsfree devices while driving for some or all employees.
Highlights in HRM 3 shows a template of such a policy developed by AT&T that companies can
utilize. Other companies are doing more than establishing policies. They are outfitting their
phones with apps like Phone Guard, which prevents drivers from texting, browsing the web, or
checking e-mail when they are traveling ten miles per hour or faster.
OSHA does not have specific regulations on distracted driving. However, the agency has vowed
that if an employer encourages or gives its workers an incentive to engage in distracted driving,
it will penalize a company for creating an unsafe environment under OSHAs general duty
clause. The general duty clause [Section 5(a) (1)] states that each employer shall furnish . . . a
place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to
cause death or serious physical harm to his employees. The clause is used to enforce a wide
range of safety and health violations for which specific regulations have not been implemented.
In 2009 President Obama signed an Executive Order on distracted driving, which prohibits
federal employees from texting behind the wheel while working or while using government
vehicles and communications devices. More than thirty states also prohibit texting while driving.
Mobile phones are not the only electronic safety culprit, though. Workers who stop hearing the
world around them because they are wired up to MP3 players also create risks. One aerospace
manufacturer banned its 1,500 employees from using them at work. Even though there have
been no incidents, there are aircraft, forklifts, trucks, and so on moving around. We feel people
should always be concentrating fully, said a spokesperson for the company.
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