Hrmg100 week 11

Week 11

ORGANISATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

(OHS)

A HEALTHY ORGANISATIONis profitablegrows – and has a competitive advantagehas employees who experience job

satisfactionvalues and enjoys workplace diversitypractices the principles of equal opportunityhas low absenteeism and low staff turnoverhas a minimum of workplace accidents,

injuries, deaths and diseaseshas very few working days lost (strikes)

because of industrial disputes

Industrial Relations in Australia © 2006 Pearson Education Australia

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DefinitionMayhew and Peterson define Occupational

Health & Safety (OHS) as ‘the physical, physiological and psychosocial conditions of an organisation’s workforce, related to aspects of work and the work context’

the role of effective OHS management is to reduce the risks that exist at a workplace and improve OHS conditions


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Costs of poor OHSdespite the lack of comprehensive data, it is

clear that work-related injury, illness and fatalities have had significant impacts in Australia

estimated that every year in Australia OHS directly costs the Australian economy at least $30 billion

also substantial indirect costs loss of productivity loss of goodwill and corporate image social security payments to injured or ill workers

STATISTICS ARE HARD TO FIND!In 1994 the Industry Commission estimated:

68% of workplace accidents and injuries are experienced by men

73% of claims are for accidents27% of claims are for disease

>500 workplace fatalities (deaths) per yearThe main injuries are from:

- falls, sprains, crushing- construction workers, transport workers, factory

workers


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Some Workplace HazardsThere are a range of physical and psychological workplace hazards including:physical factors - noise, heat and cold;chemical and biological agents - toxins, poisons

and other irritant substances;other hazardous substances - asbestos and

cigarette smoke;workplace organisation - dangerous work

procedures that involve factors such as loading and handling goods;

stress is becoming an increasingly important factor affecting OHS at the workplace


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Addressing OHSAddressing OHS can normally be categorised under four broad categories:environmental modification and monitoring

individual screening and monitoring

individual behavior changebroader organisation strategies


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Key Principles of Effective OHSOHS management should be integrated into

core management and work activities the use of a systems approach to OHS; that is,

there should be a risk assessment and audit as well as a comprehensive and carefully structured control system that allows for monitoring feedback and modifying the system as a result

OHS management needs to address and accommodate change

management system should ensure worker involvement – OHS is everyone’s responsibility

senior staff need to demonstrate their commitment to OHS


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National and State OHS Legislation

Several Acts of Parliament concerned with OHS in Australia

Commonwealth government, for constitutional reasons, has had limited power to enact national OHS legislation

State and, more recently, Territory governments have had primary responsibility for OHS regulation

legislation is often supplemented by codes of practice that advise companies how to comply with legislative requirements

employees have also accessed common law to pursue claims against employers


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The Purpose of RegulationIn general, the legal rules and institutions in Australia have been developed to: prevent the occurrence of workplace injury,

disease and deathrehabilitate workers suffering from work-

related injuries or illness in order to assist their return to work

provide monetary compensation to workers who have suffered permanent work-related illness and injury or fatal accident (or to their relatives in the case of death)


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Historical Development of OHS Legislationcolonies, and later the States, between 1873 and

1910, adopted a ‘command and control’ legislative approach to OHS based on the British Factory Acts

1970s and 1980s new state OHS legislation in Australia followed the Britishbased on the concept of ‘duty of care’ by

employers to provide a safe workplaceadoption of self-regulation instead of punishmentefforts made to promote joint workplace health

and safety committees and OHS management systems


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Historical Development of OHS Legislation (2)

Australian Commonwealth Government established the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) in 1985

NOHSC established to lead and coordinate national efforts to prevent workplace death, injury and disease in Australia


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Work-related stressa 1995 study of Australian workplaces

found that stress was the second most common cause of injury or illness behind dislocation and sprains

several factors contribute to stress:high employmentjob insecurityshort-term contractscontinuous changebullying


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Addressing stress Employers should:minimise opportunities for stress to occur,

through improved personnel managementprovide employees with information about the

causes and effects of stressprovide employees with assistance to overcome

stress, including providing employees with information about the need for regular exercise, proper diet, time management and relaxation techniques etc


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Workplace bullyinghas emerged as a major and growing OHS issue estimated that at least 10% of Australian workers

experience some form of occupational violence each year

the consequences of occupational violence for an individual can be physical and/or

psychologicalperspective of target (not perpetrator) is criticalmost bullying behaviour is subtle. Violence is a

minority of cases; has been long suffered in silence

toughening of legislation and penalties, emphasising ‘duty of care’


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Sexual Harassmentan increasingly important issue can result in significant law suits against an

organisation as well as a damaged public imageincludes a range of behaviours from sexually

suggestive remarks and the unnecessary display of sexual material, to persistent and unwanted physical contact

victims of this type of behavior often suffer a loss of self- esteem and considerable stress

changing workplace behavior and culture can be a slow process through introduction of appropriate policies and training


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ObesityObesity has reached crisis point in several developed countries

Obesity rates have more than doubled in Aus. in the last 20 years and accelerating

A major health concern that can affect worker and company productivity. Emerging as perhaps the greatest threat to national health

Several organisations and govt are introducing campaigns aimed at lowering obesity levels. Major emphasis on educating people


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HIV/AIDSAustralia has been relatively successful at

containing HIVevery organisation should develop

acceptable and sensitive polices that protect workers without discriminating against HIV-infected workers

HIV/AIDS policy should inform employees about HIV and explain how the organisation is responding to the issues in the workplace

some organisations have refused to issue a special policy because they are treating as another infectious disease (Stone, 2005)

TerrorismAwareness of security issues in Aus

organisations has increased markedly in last 10 years

Security screening, ‘debugging’ of board rooms

Visible and undercover security personnelProactive training of staff to deal with

security incidentsEncourage staff to report unusual behaviour


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The Risk Management ProcessIdentify and assess hazard

Can the source of the hazard be removed?

Yes

Do so

No

Can workers be separated from the source of the hazard?

Yes

Do so

No

Would training remove the hazard?

Yes

Do so Negotiate introduction and use

of personal protective clothing

and equipment

No

Hrmg100 week 11

Health & Medicine

Transcript of Hrmg100 week 11