Ensuring a Safe and Healthy Work

Environment

Introduction
Management has both legal and moral
responsibilities to provide a safe and
healthy workplace.
Work-related accidents, injuries, and
illnesses are costly.

The Occupational Safety and

Health Act
1970 Federal legislation
Established health and safety standards.
Authorized inspections and fines for
violations.
Empowered OSH Administration to ensure
standards are met.
Requires employers to keep records of
illnesses and injuries, and calculate
accident ratios.
Applies to almost every U.S. business
engaged in interstate commerce.

The Occupational Safety and

Health Act
OSHA Enforcement Priorities
Imminent danger: Where an
accident is about to occur.
Accidents that have led to
serious injuries or death.
Employer must report within 8
hours.
Employee complaints:
Employees have right to call
OSHA.

The Occupational Safety and

Health Act
OSHA Enforcement Priorities
Inspection of industries with the highest injury
or illness rates

chemical processing
roofing and sheet metal
meat processing
lumber and wood products
mobile homes and campers
stevedoring

Additionally, special emphasis is placed on

the handling of hazardous waste.

The Occupational Safety and

Health Act
Random inspection
Supreme Court ruled (Marshall v.
Barlows Inc., 1978) that
employers are not required to let
OSHA inspectors enter without
search warrants.
Most attorneys recommend
companies cooperate with
inspectors.

The Occupational Safety and

Health Act
OSHAs Record-Keeping Requirements
Basis for record-keeping is Form 300
Must report any work-related illness; report
injuries that require medical treatment
besides first aid, involve loss of
consciousness, restriction of work or
motion, or transfer to another job.
Incidence rate: Number of illnesses,
injuries or lost workdays per 100 full-time
workers.

The Occupational Safety and

Health Act
OSHA Punitive Actions
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
of 1990 allows fines up to $70,000 if
violation is severe, willful and
repetitive.
Fines can be for safety violations or
failure to keep adequate records.
Courts have backed criminal charges
against executives when they have
willfully violated health and safety laws.

The Occupational Safety and

Health Act
OSHA: A Critique
OSHA has made organizations more aware of
health and safety.
National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) has been researching
and setting standards for new areas

blood-borne pathogens
chemical process safety
motor vehicle safety
protective equipment
ergonomics

The Occupational Safety and

Health Act
OSHA: A Critique
Hazard Communication Standard, (1983),
requires organizations to communicate
information about hazardous chemicals by:
labeling containers
distributing data sheets
training employees in their safe handling

Since 9/11 has provided assistance on

contingency planning to deal with
emergencies.

Job Safety Programs

Costs of Accidents
Workers compensation
premiums.
Time lost due to injury.
Time to investigate/report
accidents.
Damage to
equipment/materials.
Work stoppages/personnel
changeover.

Job Safety Programs

Causes of Accidents
Accidents are generally classified as
human or environmental.
Human causes responsible for majority of
accidents.
Environmental causes include

tools
equipment
physical plant
general work environment

Job Safety Programs

Preventative Measures
Education
Skill training
Engineering
Protection devices
Regulation enforcement

Job Safety Programs

Ensuring Job Safety
Management needs feedback from
inspections, reports, and
observations.
Safety should be part of
organizational culture.
Top management must be
committed to safety.
Safety committees empower
employees to maintain a safe
environment.

Job Safety Programs

A Safety Issue: Workplace Violence
Homicide is the number-two cause of workrelated death.
Recommended HRM actions:
Develop a plan, including review of policies and
employee treatment.
Train supervisory personnel to identify and deal
with troubled employees.
Implement stronger security mechanisms.
Prepare employees to deal with violent situations.

Maintaining a Healthy Work

Environment
Sick buildings are office environments
that contain harmful airborne chemicals,
asbestos, or indoor pollution.

Maintaining a Healthy Work

Environment
Sick Buildings
Suggestions for keeping the
environment healthy include:
Making sure workers get enough fresh
air.
Avoiding suspect building materials and
furnishings.
Testing new buildings for toxins before
occupancy.
Providing a smoke-free environment.
Keeping air ducts clean and dry.
Paying attention to workers complaints.

Maintaining a Healthy Work

Environment
The Smoke-Free Environment
Costs of smokers include
increased health premiums
Absenteeism
lost productivity due to smoke
breaks
maintenance costs
harm to coworkers by secondhand smoke

Maintaining a Healthy Work

Environment
The Smoke-Free Environment
Smoke-free policies at work include
banning smoking or restricting it to
properly ventilated designated areas.
Employees should be involved in
phase-in of programs.
Some employers offer incentives and
help for employees to stop smoking.

Maintaining a Healthy Work

Environment
Repetitive Stress Injuries
Injuries resulting from continuous,
repetitive movements, such as
typing.
Also referred to as
musculoskeletal disorders
(MSDs).
The most frequent injury is
carpal tunnel syndrome, which
occurs in the wrist.

Maintaining a Healthy Work

Environment
Repetitive Stress Injuries
Ergonomics, or fitting the work
environment to the individual, can
prevent repetitive motion injuries.
Includes design of environment and
furniture to fit the individual.

Defining Stress
Dynamic condition in
which an individual is
confronted with
opportunity, constraint
or demand related to
what he or she
desires for which
outcome is uncertain
and important.

Defining Stress
May be caused by either positive
factors (opportunities) or negative.
The Japanese concept of karoshi,
death from overworking, illustrates the
pervasive nature of stress.

Defining Stress
Common Causes of Stress
Organizational Factors
Task demands include job design, working
conditions, the physical layout, and work
quotas.
Role demands include role conflicts, role
overload and role ambiguity.
Interpersonal demands include lack of
social support and poor interpersonal
relationships.

Defining Stress
Common Causes of Stress
Organizational structure causes include
excessive rules and lack of opportunity to
participate.
Organizational leadership causes include
supervisory styles which cause unrealistic
pressures, tight controls, and the threat of
job loss.

Defining Stress
Common Causes of
Stress
Personal Factors
Family issues
Personal economic
problems
Inherent personality
characteristics

Defining Stress
Symptoms of Stress
Physiological symptoms (increased blood
pressure, headaches, increased pulse rate,
etc.) are the most difficult to observe.
Psychological symptoms (increased tension
and anxiety, boredom, procrastination, etc.)
can lead to productivity decreases.
Behavioral symptoms (increased smoking or
substance consumption, sleep disorders,
etc.) also affect the organization.

Defining Stress
Reducing Stress
HRM approaches include
matching individuals to their jobs
clarifying expectations
redesigning jobs
offering involvement and participation

Defining Stress
Reducing Stress
Dilemmas for HRM include:
balancing the need to
energize people with the need
to minimize dysfunctional
stress
deciding how much an
employer can intrude on
employees personal lives

Defining Stress
A Special Case of Stress: Burnout
Burnout is a function of three concerns:
Chronic emotional stress with emotional
and/or physical exhaustion
Lowered job productivity
Dehumanizing of jobs

Defining Stress
Causes and symptoms of burnout:

Organization characteristics
Perceptions of organization
Perceptions of role
Individual characteristics
Outcomes

Reducing burnout - four techniques are

proposed:

Identification
Prevention
Mediation
Remediation

The Employee Assistance

Program
A Brief History of EAPs
Extension of 1940s programs to help
employees with alcohol-related problems.
Cost-effective counseling to help
employees overcome problems such as:

substance abuse
bereavement
child-parent problems
marriage problems

The Employee Assistance

Program
EAPs Today
Provides employees visits with counselors at
company expense; usually visits are off-site.
Help control rising health insurance costs.
Employees and supervisors must be familiar with
and trust the program and perceive EAPs as
worthwhile.
Confidentiality is guaranteed.
For every dollar spent on EAP programs, studies
estimate a return of $5.00 to $16.00 in savings.

The Employee Assistance

Program
Wellness Programs
Programs to keep employees healthy; include
smoking cessation, physical fitness, weight
control, etc.
Designed to cut employer health costs and lower
absenteeism.
Employees must view programs as having value.
Must have top management support.
Should also provide services for employees
families.
Need opportunities for employee input.

International Safety and Health

Cultural differences exist in laws and
expectations regarding safe working
conditions.

International Safety and Health

International Health Issues
An up-to-date health certificate providing
records of employee vaccinations
A General First Aid Kit should include overthe-counter and prescription medications
and other supplies that might not be
available to U.S. workers abroad.
Emergency plans help expatriates
anticipate medical needs and locate
resources.

International Safety and Health

International Safety Issues
U.S. Department of State hotline provides
travel alerts about such issues as terrorist
activity or disease outbreaks.
Security concerns prompt
recommendations regarding travel modes,
attire, and blending in.