EMPLOYEE/OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Workers spend a great deal of their time in industrial settings. In many industries, workers are exposed to various types of health hazards.

Unless the working conditions-lighting, ventilation, cleanliness, temperature, space, etc. are proper workers cannot concentrate on work. They are unable to work hard continuously for long time. As a result productivity will be low.

In addition, ill health will lead to absenteeism from work.

 

Employee health and safetyEmployee safety Deal with safety hazards aspects of work

environment that have the potential of causing immediate and sometimes violent harm or even death

Examples of safety hazards include: poorly maintained equipment Unsafe machinery Exposure to hazardous chemical

Employee safety (cont..) Potential injuries include loss of hearing,

eyesight, body parts, cuts , burns, bruises, electrical shock

Employees health Employee health deals with health hazards –

aspects of work environment that slowly and cumulatively (often irreversible) lead to deterioration of health

The person may develop chronic or life threatening illness or become permanently disabled

Employees health (cont..) Typical causes are physical and biological

hazards, toxic and carcinogen dust and chemical, stressful work conditions; the can cause cancer, heavy metal and other poisoning respiratory disease, cyclonical disorders like depression

Examples of safety accidents in the world 1984 – India – worst accident in history -

poisonous gas leak from a storage tank at a Union Carbide plant killing 3000 both employees and people living near the plant another 300,000 people were injured

Accident was as a result of operating error, design flaws, maintenance failure and training deficiencies

Causes of work related accidents and illness The major causes of occupational accident are

and illnesses: Tasks Working conditions Nature of employees Economic conditions Management goals government

Task related The task itself can be a health hazard – e.g.

coal mining – breathing coal dust lift of heavy equipment – physical injuries Working as an X-ray technician - cancer

from radiation Work using of dangerous chemical

Working conditions Poorly designed and inadequately repaired machines Lack of protective equipment Dangerous chemical or gases in the work

environment Excessive working hours leading to fatigue Noise Lack of proper lighting Boredom

Nature of employees Accident prone employees – accident

repeaters Employees who are under 30 years of age Lack of psychomotor and perceptual skills Impulsive employees Employees who are easily bored Employees attitude towards healthy and

safety

Economic factors Unemployment and need for economical

survival – can make workers work in mines even when the risk is 50% likely death and injury

The cost of prevention programmes for some industries may be very prohibitive

Management goals Management being more interested in

profitability than the well being of employees They give better compensation for workers

exposing themselves to health and safety hazards – Japan case of stock ownership and promotions

government Government legislation Implementation and follow up systems of the

legislation

Responsibilities of the employer Provide a working environment that is free

from recognized hazards that are casing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees and comply with standards, rules, and regulations

Responsibilities of the employer ( cont..) Examine works place conditions to ensure

they conform with applicable standards Ensure that employees have and use safety

tools and equipment ( including appropriate personal protective equipment) and that such equipment is properly maintained

Responsibilities of the employer ( cont..) Informing all persons employed of any risks

from new technologies; and imminent danger;

Ensuring that every person employed participates in the application and review of safety and health measures.

Responsibilities of the employer ( cont..) the provision and maintenance of plant and

systems and procedures of work that are safe and without risks to health;

Arrangements for ensuring safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances;

Responsibilities of the employer ( cont..) Provision information, instruction, training

and supervision as is necessary to ensure the safety and health at work of every person employed

Responsibilities of the employer ( cont..) Employ color codes, posters, labels , or signs

in several languages to warn employees of potential hazards

Establish or update operating procedures and communicate them so that employees follow safety and health requirements

Provide medical examinations for trades required by law

Responsibilities of the employer ( cont..) Refrain form discriminating employees who

properly exercise their rights in health and safety

Safety training - should be part of the orientation programme and at different points during the employees career – voluntary training or compulsory training which is required by government regulations

Responsibilities of the employer ( cont..) Inspection and research – inspect workplace

with the goal of reducing accidents and illness, carry out accident research

Rights and duties of the employee Employees have aright to seek safe workplace

without fear of punishment including complaining to an employer, union or labour ministry, or any other relevant government agency about job safety and health hazards

Rights and duties of the employee ( cont…) ensure his own safety and health and that of

other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at the workplace;

co-operate with his employer in the discharge of any duty or requirement imposed on the employer

at all times wear or use any protective equipment or clothing provided by the employer

Rights and duties of the employee ( cont…) report to the supervisor, any situation which

would present a hazard report to his supervisor any accident or injury

that arises in the course of or in connection with his work;

Rights and duties of the employee (cont..) Participating on workplace safety and health

committees or in union activities concerning job safety and health

Review copies of appropriate workplace standards, rules and regulations, and requirements that the employer should have available in the workplace

Organizational responses to health and safety - approaches

1. Prevention and design

2. Inspection and research

3. Training and motivation

4. Selection

5. Incentive systems

6. Safety rules

7. Wellness programmes

Safety design and preventive approaches Install protective guards for machines and

equipment Colour code warnings in dangerous areas Standard safety colour – e.g.. Red for warning

Inspection and research Inspect the workplace with the goal of

reducing accidents and illnesses The inspection would focus on:

Whether safety rules are being observed Whether the safety guards and protective

equipments are being used Whether there are potential hazards in the work

place that safety redesign could improve Whether there are potential occupational hazards

Inspection and research (cont…) At regular interval during the work year, safety

specialist would carry out accident research: a systematic evaluation of evidence concerning accidents and health hazards

Data could be gathered from both external and internal sources

Use safety and health journal which point out recent findings and stimulate the safety specialist to look for hazardous conditions in the work place

Safety training and motivation Safety training

As part of employee orientation programme At different points during the employees career

Training is usually voluntary but some is required by government agencies

selection Employers strive to employ less of “accident-

prone” people These are people who inadvertently hurt

themselves or destroy something at work. Is it possible to predict accident proneness

during selection?

Selection (cont..) Studies have showed three general findings:

1. Older employees are safer than younger ones ( regardless of job tenure)

2. Physical characteristic, such as hearing and vision are related to accident rates hen they are critical aspects of a job

3. Record of accidents or driving citations doe predict similarity activities in the future

Selection (cont..) Other test could include drug use, honesty,

customer orientation, respect and responsive to authority – all these are said to make “safe employee” More research needs to be done in this area

Incentive systems Research shows that incentives can change

employees attitudes Use of safety contests where company units

compete with one another for cash or prizes Other contests are set up so that each unit

competes with its own safety records A lower number of accidents is awarded with

some incentives

Incentive system (cont..) The disadvantage of this is that if award is

substantial, failure to report accidents is a possibility

Safety rules Most companies publish employees handbook

with formal rules and regulations that stipulates what employees can and cannot do in the workplace

The most effective employees safety handbook should not be too general but should have carefully described steps to be taken on the job to ensure maximum safety

Safety rules (cont..) For each step, potential dangers are identified

to alert the worker In addition to specificity in the rules, it is also

critical to get workers to read and comprehend safety handbook, some companies require that employees pass a test about safety related issues before they begin work

Safety rules (cont..) These rules must be enforced for safety to be

effective – there are numerous cases where workers ignored a safety rule and are injured, or where supervisors order the workers to ignore safety rules

Consistence enforcement of safety rules with disciplinary actions sends a message to employees that the company takes safety seriously and also reduces injuries

Preventive health programmes: a wellness approach Health is a “state of physical, mental, and

social well-being” – meaning it included the body, the body, and social patterns

So what can harm an employees health? Disease, accident, and stress

Managers now realize they must be concerned about the general health of employees including psychological well-being

Preventive health programmes: a wellness approach (cont..) An otherwise competent employee who is

depressed and has low self esteem is as nonproductive as one who is injured and hospitalizeda preventive and wellness approach ends up being cheaper than otherwise (prevention is better than cure)

Preventive health programmes: a wellness approach (cont..) Preventive and wellness approaches

encourage employees to make lifestyle changes now through better nutrition, regular exercises programmes, abstinence from smoking and alcohol. Stress counseling, HIV/Aids prevention and support and annual physical examination

Preventive health programmes: a wellness approach (cont..)Success factors: Support and direction from CEO Wellness as a stated priority in the company’s

policy statement Inclusion of family members as well as the

employee Accessibility of the programme to the who

family

Preventive health programmes: a wellness approach (cont..) Employee input into the programme Period in-house evaluation of the programme Ongoing communication of the programme

goals and components Staffing with qualified health care specialist

Health and safety issues of the 21st century Job related Stress Violence in the work place Indoor environmental quality HIV/AIDS and the workplace Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) Smoking in the workplace Drugs in the workplace

AIDS and the workplace With HIV/AIDS in the workspace, many

organisations are becoming more vulnerable to the loss exposure associated with the increasing presence of the disease

There are many employees who suffer from AIDS or have dependants, spouses and significant others , or friends with the disease

AIDS and the workplace (cont..) AIDS is said to be the leading cause of death for

people aged 20 and 45 years ( prime working years) and more recent figures the 45+

Because of this AIDS has become a critical health issue for employers and employees alike

AIDS related corporate expenses include life insurance, pension costs, disability benefits, health insurance cost of hiring and training and replacement , cost of lawsuits, loss of productivity

AIDS and the workplace (cont..) The laws now protects the AIDS employees

from being discriminated against – either during hiring or during employment

What steps the employer is taking – HIV/AIDS workplace programmes – putting an organizational AIDS policy in place and training to ensure all employees understand the policy and its implications

Drugs and alcohol in the workspace Drug, alcohol and substance abuse costs

organisations money in form of loss of productivity, accidents, absenteeism, turnover, medical claims and theft

Others are increased on the job violence, workforce irritability, fistfights

Employees using drugs are 3.6 times more likely to be involved on-the-job accidents than other employees and more liability insurance

Drugs in the workplace (cont..) Symptoms include unexcused and frequent absence,

tardiness and early departures, fights with employees, on-the-job accidents and poor judgments

Solution – have policies on drug/alcohol abuse , drug testing programme, establish penalties for drug/alcohol abuse, educate employees on drug/alcohol abuse risks

Smoking in the workplace One of the most volatile issues for human resources

professional today is a company’s position on smoking

Growing information about the adverse effects of secondhand smoke has led some people to call for a ban on smoking in the workplace

Nonsmoking employees can file workers compensation and disability claims and legal suits against companies where smoking is not restricted

Smoking in the workplace (cont..) Action – develop restrictive smoking policies

ranging from the sue of designated smoking areas to banning smoking in the workplace to requiring non smoking as a condition for employment

Remember the law states that it is the duty of the employer to “provide places of employment free from recognise hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his/her employees”

Violence in the workplace Workplace violence is often perpetrated by

disgruntled employees, and can result to injury or death

Workplace violence has two levels: Moderately injurious level: includes property

damage, sabotage, pushing and fistfights, major violation of company policy, frequent arguments with customers, coworkers , or supervisors, theft

Violence in the workplace (cont..) Highly injurious: including physical attacks and

assaults, psychological trauma, anger related accidents, rape, arson, murder

Cost to employer for violence include: Immediate costs - human suffering, pain and

possibly loss of life Effect on traumatized employees – difficult to put

exact financial terms

Violence in the workplace (cont..) Aftermath costs – medical costs and post-trauma

stress treatment, lost wages due to increased absence, increased security and property damage, and investigation which may include use of external experts

Other costs - Loss of employee productivity, revenue losses from disruption in the work progress, diminishing public image may result in reduces sales

Violence in the workplace (cont..) Action by employer: -Violence prevention

programmes: Screening potential employees Communicating your company commitment to

nonviolence through policies and procedures

Violence in the workplace (cont..) Training and educating supervisors and

employees on recognise and response to highly stressed individuals and violent incidents and use nonconfrontational response techniques to defuse potential problems

Implement security measures – to protect employees from violence outside the organisations

Job related Stress and burnout Excessive stress can cause a number of disease

including heart disease, hypertensions, peptic ulcers, various psychological problem including anxiety and depressions

Stress is as a result of “a state of disequilibrium" which happens when a persons skill, abilities and goals do not fit with the work environment (boss, coworkers, compensation system)

Job related stress Cost of stress to an organisation include:

Premature death of employees, high rate of accidents, performance inefficiencies increased turnover, increased disability payments etc

Stress (cont..) Action by organisation:

eliminate the stressors by changing policies, the structure and work requirements or whatever is necessary

Deal with stress at individual level by introducing programmes for coping with stress ( training on stress management, goal setting, personality analysis, behaviour modification techniques meditation, exercise, diet)

Burnout Burnout is closely associated with job stress It is defined as the total depletion of physical

and mental resources Burnout is a psychological term for the

experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest

Feeling of physical and emotional exhaustion, due to stress from working with people under difficult or demanding conditions.

Burnout (cont..) Signs of impending burnout include:

You a re unable to relax You identify so closely with your activities when

they fall apart, you do, too The position you worked so hard to attain often

seems meaningless now You would describe yourself as a workaholic and

constantly strive to obtain your work related goals to the exclusion of almost all outside interest

Signs of burnout cont…. chronic fatigue, quickness to anger and suspicion, and susceptibility to colds, headaches, and

fevers

Solution to burnout

Break your pattern – first, survey how you spend your time. if you doing a variety of things or the same thing repeatedly, then you are a candidate for burnout and you nee to have a well rounded life

Get away from it all periodically – schedule occasional periods during which you can get away from the usual routine

Solution to burnout (Cont..) Reassess your goals in terms of intrinsic

worth – are the goals you have set for yourself attainable, are they worthy the sacrifice

Think about your work – could you do as good a job without being so intense or by also pursuing outside interests

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Over the last ten years, more employees have

expressed concerns over the qualify of indoor office environment

This is in context with IEQ and sick building syndrome

IEQ refers to the quality of the air in a business environment

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) (cont..) Sick building syndrome covers a wide range of

symptoms employees believe can be caused by the building itself

For example bad smells, air quality, discomfort, noise, poor lighting, poorly designed equipment for jobs, job related psychological stressor,

Symptoms for sick building syndrome include headaches, unusual fatigue, itching or burning eyes and skin, nasal congestion, dry throat, and nausea

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) (cont..) Indoor environmental quality problems are

increasing because of technological advancement like computers and other technologies which have forced changes in the way work is accomplished creating organizational stressor,

Remodeled buildings to concern energy and space have also contributed IEQ problems

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) (cont..) Sick building syndrome has been liked to several

factors: Inadequate ventilation and chemical contaminants

from indoor sources like adhesives, carpeting, copy machines, pesticide, and cleaning agents

Other factors are chemical contaminants form outdoor sources, biological contaminants (bacteria, molds, viruses0; inadequate temperature, high level of humidity

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) (cont..) Action by organisation: a combination of the

following: Removal of the pollutant Modification of ventilation Cleaning the air Installing particle control devices Banning smoking Education and communication

Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs)/ Repetitive Stress injuries (RSIs) A cumulative trauma disorder is a disorder

that can affect bones, muscles, tendons, nerves and other anatomical features.

It develops when micro traumas, or minute injuries, occur repeatedly from over use or misappropriate use of a body part or external force applied to the body

Refers to a repetitive activity which is not in itself harmful or injurious but which is alleged to become harmful owing to the sheer number of repetitions

Cumulative Trauma Disorders) and Repetitive Stress injuries (cont..) E.g. repetitive flexing and extension of the

wrist can cause thickening of the protective sheaths that surrounds the tendons cased by jobs involving cutting, assembling small parts, sewing, cleaning etc

Action: modify the work stations, rotating jobs and providing rest breaks

Requirements of a safety management programme Establishment of indicator systems ( e.g.

Accident statistics) Development of effective reporting systems Development of rule and procedures Rewarding supervisors for effective

management of safety functions

Requirements of a safety management programme (cont..) Support by management Employee participation Make the necessary adjustments at the work place -

Proper design of jobs and interaction of workers and machines

Prepare and conduct preventive programmes Identify employees at risk Periodically evaluating the programme to be sure it

is proving both service to employees and payback to the organization's bottom line – cost-benefit analysis

Requirements of a safety management programme (cont..) Costs include – cost of safety specialist, new

devices, new policies and systems Benefits include reduce accidents, lowered

insurance costs, lower fines improvement in job performance, decrease in sick leaves, reduction in disciplinary action and procedures etc