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HR Term Paper
HR Term Paper
A BRIEF DEFINITION
Since 1950, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health
Organization (WHO) have shared a common definition of health and safety. It was
adopted by the Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Health and safety at its first
session in 1950 and revised at its twelfth session in 1995. The definition reads: "
health and safety should aim at: the promotion and maintenance of the highest
degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the
prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working
conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting
from factors adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of the worker in an
occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological
capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to man and of each man
to his job."
The reasons for establishing good occupational safety and health standards are
frequently identified as:
Moral
An employee should not have to risk injury or death at work, nor should others
associated with the work environment.
Economic
Many governments realize that poor occupational safety and health performance
results in cost to the State (e.g. through social security payments to the
incapacitated, costs for medical treatment, and the loss of the "employability" of
the worker). Employing organizations also sustain costs in the event of an
incident at work (such as legal fees, fines, compensatory damages, investigation
time, lost production, lost goodwill from the workforce, from customers and from
the wider community).
Legal
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
Health and safety has come a long way from its beginnings in the corporate
industry sector. It now has an impact on every worker, in every work place, and
those charged with managing health and safety are having more and more tasks
added to their portfolio. The most significant responsibility is Environmental
Protection. The skills required to manage health and safety are compatible with
environmental protection, which is why these responsibilities are so often bolted
onto the workplace health and safety professional.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ADOPTED
All the data has been collected from the secondary source and the necessary
analysis and interpretation has been done by me alone. The secondary source
has been, primarily internet however some books and magazines have also been
consulted during the making of this term paper.
All this report has been generated from the secondary sources of data
which is not as trustworthy as the primary source.
The analysis and interpretation of the data so collected has been done by
me. Hence, it involves the human interpretation which might well be not
accurate and perfect.
Due to time constraint, adequate and sufficient data could not be
collected.
SOURCE OF INFORMATION
The source of information has been clearly and properly given in the bibliography
at the end of the report.
VARIOUS LAWS GOVERNING HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES OF
EXPATRIATES.
The HSE is the UK government body responsible for enforcing health and safety at
work legislation. The HSE also plays a major role in producing advice on health
and safety issues, and guidance on relevant legislation. The role of enforcement is
split between HSE and local authorities depending on the business sector.
In addition, HSE conducts research into the effectiveness of regulations and other
health and safety issues, consults with employers and employees representatives,
and advises legislators and government on health and safety.
Often referred to as HASAW or HSW, this Act of Parliament is the main piece of
health and safety legislation. It places a duty on all employers "to ensure, so far as
is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work" of all their
employees.
It places a duty on employers to assess and manage risks to their employees and
others arising from work activities.
Employers must also make arrangements to ensure the health and safety of the
workplace, including making arrangements for emergencies, adequate information
and training for employees and for health surveillance where appropriate.
Employees must work safely in accordance with their training and instructions
given to them. Employees must also notify the employer or the person responsible
for health and safety of any serious or immediate danger to health and safety or
any shortcoming in health and safety arrangements
The HSE's RIDDOR pages give detailed information about the requirements of the
regulations, what should be reported, and statistics gathered from RIDDOR
incident reports.
These regulations are concerned with the working environment. They place a duty
on employers to make sure that the workplace is safe and suitable for the tasks
being carried out there, and that it does not present risks to employees and others.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
ARTICLE 1
Expatriates want more support from home: News that Works - productivity of
employees working outside the country
"With growing tensions around the globe, employees on overseas assignment feel
increasingly overwhelmed by health and safety concerns and think they aren't
being provided with the preparation and support they need," says Virginia Hollis,
CIGNA IEB's vice president of global markets. "Expatriates are looking for more
peace of mind, and right now they're not getting it."
On the other hand, nearly 40 percent of expatriates said they were not prepared
adequately for an international assignment, 56 percent cited poor coordination
between local-country and home-office HR departments, and 35 percent said they
expect to leave their current employer within five years.
"Employers need to realize that health and welfare issues play a crucial role in
the outcome of an international assignment and the ultimate return to the
company.
ARTICLE 2
First, business travellers who regularly (two or more times per year) travel to
remote or medically under-served areas may be designated as at risk. The
second group is short-term assignees. With corporations seeking to reduce the
high costs of expatriate status, these categories are growing rapidly.
Frequent travellers to remote areas without adequate medical support may be
the highest risk category in international OEM for the corporate physician.
Although the risks of routine expatriates are well known and programmes have
been developed by multinational employers, this category of travellers is less
clearly identified as an at-risk group, despite having significant and, arguably,
greater risk of illness, injury and poor medical care. In addition, the fitness for
travel health risk assessment for this group includes the large number of
countries visited and the potentially serious problems of finding adequate
medical care, even if it is available. Although short-term assignees (3–6 months)
may be treated by company policy as expatriates, identification of this growing
group of corporate travellers is much more difficult. Often, the short-term
assignee is a contract employee, or a retired executive recruited for a specific
assignment. Retired assignees often have underlying or chronic health
problems, but are not reported to human resources as expatriates or individuals
who may need pre-travel screening. Even full-time employees on a technical
assignment are often not placed in expatriate status where salaries and benefits
are different, thereby circumventing identification by human resource
departments and missing screening procedures developed so carefully for most
expatriate workers. Identification of these groups of corporate short-term
travellers can be challenging and relying on self-identification has been
successful. Offering quality travel kits, medical evacuation cards and medical
identification cards (EKG, allergies, blood type, medic-alert bracelets, etc.),
combined with strong human resource and senior management support, and
identifies most at-risk international travellers. A verification of the programme
and the assurance that at-risk travellers will receive medical review can include
ticket jacket stuffers regarding the need for security, safety and medical care
evaluation.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, identification, and education of frequent corporate travellers to
remote/medically under-served areas are as important as expatriate screening
for OEM professionals. A comprehensive travel/expatriate health programme
should cover the specific risks of ex-patriates, short-term assignees and
frequent international travellers to high-risk/medically under-served areas. The
programme must recognize the unique challenges of identifying the at-risk
individuals, assessing the specific risks in each category and providing medical
care and support in terms of pre-travel health, while abroad and on return.
ARTICLE 3
The article talks about a survey that was carried by CIGNA and brings about the
key findings about the same.
Faced with growing uncertainty about their health and safety while on
international assignment, a majority of expatriates surveyed feel that not
enough is being done to assist them.
Companies need to do a better job in this arena and must recognize "that health
and welfare issues play a crucial role in the outcome of an international
assignment and the ultimate return to the company."
CASE STUDY: REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
The case study talks about the conditions of the American expatriates working
outside their home country.
CASE 1
When it comes to moving abroad, safety is among the most important concerns.
How safe is it for Americans to live abroad depend largely on the country they
choose. Although anti-American sentiment is on the rise around the globe, most
people are peaceful and have little intention of physically harming Americans.
Most attacks on American interests and personnel overseas are directed toward
government facilities and U .S. military installations, although several tourist
destinations, such as hotels, nightclubs, and historic sites have also
experienced attacks. However, expatriates usually don’t frequent these locations,
and they have the advantage of blending in better with the local culture and
people.
The best way to prepare oneself for overseas stay is to carefully research the
host country’s economic and political conditions before our departure. Is there a
lot of poverty and urban crime? Are there regions with civil or political unrest?
Have rebellions occurred? Living overseas is a challenge no matter where we go,
and by selecting your destination wisely, you can eliminate many security
concerns beforehand. Choosing a safe part of the country and a safe
neighbourhood to live in, and avoiding high-profile tourist destinations helps in
ensuring that the expatriate gets a sound environment to work within.
The Middle East is arguably the most dangerous destination for Americans and
Westerners in general and there are several politically unstable countries in
Africa and Asia, but most other countries are relatively safe for American expats.
Although Americans living abroad rarely have to fear for their lives, they may
still be confronted with political questions and may require a thick skin to deal
with criticism of their government and its foreign policies. In parts of Asia it has
been found that people tend to be very neutral in their opinions about the
United States and Americans, but in South America and Western Europe,
American expatriates quite often find themselves in conversations where they
have to stand up to anti- American sentiments. Hence, the best defense in such
a confrontation is to be well-informed, not only about the foreign policy of the
United States, but also about how the host country is affected by it. This is a
better approach than touting patriotic statements or proclaiming the U SA as
the world’s greatest country.
RECOMENDATIONS
One can always check for the website of the State Department for travel
warnings, as well as advisories of other Western countries. Reading online
newspapers from overseas, preferably an English-language publication in our
host country to get a feel for the local culture and current events also helps in
being well prepared for the assignments. From the point of view of the case
study, it is important to get a viewpoint from outside the United States to
develop a more global perspective on other countries and cultures. In most
countries there is some prejudice toward nationals of certain countries for
political, economic, or historical reasons, but one needs to keep certain things in
mind like, that in daily life people are not judged merely by their nationality, but
also by their attitudes, actions, and interactions with the locals.
CONCLUSION
A lot of safety concerns arise from being unfamiliar with our new surroundings.
Making local contacts quickly and seeking support from other expatriates will
greatly increase our comfort and safety. Another vital resource is expatriate
clubs and organizations that can help us get settled and adapt to the local life. A
lot of advice for expatriates is available on websites and discussion forums
dedicated to living overseas and the same can be easily obtained.
CASE 2
The case talks about IBM’s initiative in providing a safe working environment for
its employees.
Analysis
IBM was among the first companies to offer "healthy living" incentives to
employees in the U.S. and to use technology to deliver and support the program.
Now in its second year, IBM's rebate for physical activity has had high levels of
participation even as it helps reduce health risks.
For example, more than 100,000 employees enrolled in the physical activity
rebate program for 2005. Between January and October, almost 60,000 of them
had taken part in the program, recorded their results online, and been awarded
their rebates. These results represent 10,000 more employees than during the
same period last year.
To encourage preventive medical care, most IBM medical options cover routine
preventive services received in-network at 100%, and deductible-free for out-of-
network care. This means members will not need to meet an annual deductible
when they receive these services from a network provider; the plan will pay
100% of the discounted or negotiated rate. Services covered at 100% in-network
include commonly accepted preventive medical tests and screenings, such as
those recommended by the U.S. Further, IBM continues to provide deductible-
free coverage for routine office visits under all of the self-insured medical
options. In 2007, impact metrics included identifying the percent of their
employees receiving recommended clinical preventive services and the cost of
unnecessary clinical services.
CASE 3
The case brings forward the initiative taken about by the the European
organisations in promoting work safety thus highlighting the importance of the
same [Examples from Europe]
Analysis.
Participants set their own goals and collected points as they made progress
towards them in both categories. Every physical activity was given a basic score,
depending on caloric consumption and other effects connected with it. Various
healthy lifestyle choices, e.g., stress management, cessation of smoking and
targeted weight loss, were also allocated a score. To enhance motivation, users
who surpassed a target score were entered into a lottery with attractive prizes,
all associated with well-being or physical activity, e.g., wellness weekends or
memberships in fitness clubs. In some cases, small incentives for signing up,
e.g., pedometers or T-shirts, were included.
At the heart of the program is a tool which allows users to set their goals by
selecting the physical activities and healthy lifestyles they want to follow on a
regular basis. Assistance is provided through a number of Web sites supplying
detailed information on all possible goals, accessible directly from the
application. Activity is logged on a separate sheet, and additional reminders can
be sent to the users.
A number of IBM sites in the United States have received OSHA's highest
recognition as Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star sites. They include IBM's
sites in Rochester, Minn.; San Jose, Calif.; Yorktown Heights, N.Y.; and Tucson,
Arizona. Sites are re-evaluated every three to five years for continual
improvement.
IBM has adopted the National Fire Protection Association's "Life Safety Code
101" or equivalent standards. Life safety review teams have been trained in each
of the geographies where IBM has facilities. These teams review newly occupied
buildings, both owned and leased, to ensure that life safety requirements are
met. In 2005–in addition to on-going evaluations at established research,
development and manufacturing locations health and safety reviews were
conducted in more than 130 locations globally. As a result of these reviews,
numerous safety and health enhancements have been implemented.
When an illness or injury occurs, the objective is threefold: help restore the
employee's health as soon as possible, prevent further occurrence, and help
support the employee during his or her time off from work. In many countries,
IBM employees injured in the workplace are eligible for workers' compensation
benefits.
In June of 2005, IBM was awarded a Platinum "Best Employers for Healthy
Lifestyles" award by the National Business Group on Health. This Platinum
award, for established programs with measurable outcomes, is meant to
recognize the urgent need to improve worker's health, productivity and quality of
life.
IBM's safety record continues to be among the best in industry. The following
table details the performance results of IBM's safety programs in a sampling of
countries. IBM consistently demonstrates low workday case rates (a
measurement of injury/illness severity and business impact).
These are the rates for total work-related injury/illness cases reported under the
U.S. Safety and Health Act. In addition to lost-time cases, they include cases
that required medical treatment or restricted the employee's work activity.
PERSONAL SUGGESTIONS
What I think should be done so that health and safety issues are addressed
properly.
WORKPLACE INSPECTIONS
Inspections are a vital element of any safety management system. They should
be used to determine whether we are meeting the standards we have set for our
workplace and work activities. They are important because if they are carried
out effectively, they allow us to identify and remedy problems before they
become more serious or result in an incident or accident.
Everyone who visits our workplace or is affected by our work activities could be
at risk if we fail to identify an issue that could cause harm or damage.
General Health and Safety Legislation requires employers to provide a safe place
of work, safe access and egress and safe plant, equipment and systems of work.
We need to carry out inspections in order to see whether we are providing and
maintaining a safe workplace and working arrangements.
As highlighted earlier, there are some specific requirements for inspection. The
Lifting Equipment and Lifting Operations Regulations (LOLER) and The Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) both outline specific
requirements for the inspection of plant and equipment that might need to be
considered as part of our inspection regime.
Where there are specific requirements, the legislation usually states how often
the inspections need to be carried out or that it should be carried out in
accordance with a written scheme of examination drawn up by a competent
person.
Inspections can be carried out for a number of reasons. They can be used to:
Many people can carry out inspections for any number of reasons. External
inspections could be carried out by enforcement officers, insurers, consultants
or by a specialist inspector or engineer, but one should not simply rely on these
external inspections. Employers, supervisors and employees, including trade
union safety representatives, might carry out internal inspections for their area
or department.
CONCLUSION
Keeping safe and avoiding risks to health at work are obviously important
issues. No one wants their lives to be temporarily or permanently affected by
bad working conditions. Whether one is a permanent or agency staff, a
contractor, an apprentice or on work placement, he/she needs to be aware of
issues that affect his/her health and safety at work.
Although it is up to our employer to make sure that any potential risk to our
health and safety are properly controlled, we also need to be aware of your own
responsibilities.
Studies show time and again that workers who actively contribute to health and
safety at work, are safer and healthier than those who don't. By working with
our employer and our fellow workers to maintain the highest standards of health
and safety, we can have a long, happy and healthy career in our chosen
profession without suffering needless injuries and ill health.
The law says that our employer must tell us how to do our job safely and what is
done to protect our health and safety. They must also inform us about all risks
to our health and safety from current or proposed working practices and things
or changes that may harm or affect our health and safety. Finally they must let
us know how to get first-aid treatment and what to do in an emergency.
Health and safety at work isn't just avoiding the obvious risks though. Tiredness
and fatigue can lead to accidents too, and because of this all workers are
entitled to rest breaks and an annual period of paid leave. Legally one should be
given a rest break of at least 20 minutes if he works more than six hours at a
stretch. One should also make sure that he takes these rests, as it is also his
responsibility to maintain health at work, and doing obviously risky jobs, like
driving a forklift, whilst tired can lead to accidents.
Finally, there is the TUC (Trades Union Congress) which gives practical advice
and information to those who want to know about the same. It represents over
70 trade unions with over 6.5 million members and campaigns for fairness and
decent standards at work.
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