PART FIVE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

C H A P T E R S i x t e e n

16
Employee Safety
And Health

Lecture Outline

217
 Strategic Overview
Occupational Safety Law
OSHA Standards and Record Keeping
Inspections and Citations
Responsibilities and Rights of Employers and
Employees
Top Management’s Role in Safety
What Causes Accidents?
Unsafe Conditions and Other Work-Related
Factors
What Causes Unsafe Acts? In Brief: This chapter outlines
How to Prevent Accidents
occupational safety laws, and then
Reducing Unsafe Conditions
Reducing Unsafe Acts by Emphasizing Safety discusses causes of accidents and
Reducing Unsafe Acts Through Selection and how to prevent them. There is also a
Placement section devoted to employee health,
Reducing Unsafe Acts Through Training stress, company security and
Reducing Unsafe Acts Through Motivation employee privacy
Use Behavior-Based Safety
Use Employee Participation
Conduct Safety and Health Audits and
Interesting Issues: The role of
Inspections OSHA is somewhat controversial in
Research Insight: High Performance Systems today's society. Some feel it is an
and Safety intrusion by a bungling governmental
Controlling Workers’ Compensation Costs bureaucracy that doesn't really
Workplace Health Hazards: Problems and understand the nature of work and
Remedies
jobs, while others view it as the only
The Basic Industrial Hygiene Program
Asbestos Exposure at Work
check and balance available to help
Improving Productivity Through HRIS save employees' lives and limbs.
Infectious Diseases
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Stress, Burnout, and Depression
Computer-Related Health Problems
Workplace Smoking
Violence at Work
Occupational Security and Safety
Basic Prerequisites for a Security Plan
Setting up a Basic Security Plan
Evacuation Plans
Company Security and Employee Privacy

ANNOTATED OUTLINE

I. Occupational Safety Law

The Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed in 1970 to preserve the nation’s
human resources by assuring as much as possible that every worker has safe and
healthy working conditions. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) (within the Department of Labor, which enforces the standards) administers
the act, sets and enforces the safety and health standards, and has inspectors
working out of branch offices throughout the country to ensure compliance.

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A. OSHA Standards and Record Keeping

1. Figure 16 –1 provides an example of OSHA Standards.

2. Under OSHA, employers with 11 or more employees must maintain records

of, and report occupational injuries and occupational illnesses, which is any
abnormal condition or disorder caused by exposure to environmental factors
associated with employment. Figure 16-2 shows what accidents must be
reported under OSHA.

B. Inspections and Citations - are how OSHA enforces its standards. The agency
has limited funds so it tries to encourage cooperative safety programs as well.

1. Inspection Priorities – Inspections in order of priority are: 1) imminent danger

situations; 2) catastrophes, fatalities, and accidents that have already
occurred (employers must report within 48 hours); 3) valid employee
complaints of alleged violation of standards; 4) periodic special-emphasis
inspections aimed at high-hazard industries, occupations, or substances; and
5) random inspections and re-inspections. OSHA conducts an inspection
within 24 hours for immediate danger complaints, and within 3 working days
when a serious hazard exists. OSHA responds within 20 working days for a
non-serious complaint filed in writing by a worker or union.

2. The Inspection – An authorized employee representative can accompany the

officer during the inspection, during which time the inspector can question
workers about safety and health conditions. The inspector holds a closing
conference with the employer’s representatives to discuss apparent
violations for which OSHA may issue or recommend a citation and penalty
The area director determines what citations, if any, to issue, which inform the
employer and employees of the regulations and standards that the employer
violated. The employer must post these citations at or near the place where
the violation occurred.

3. Penalties – OSHA can impose penalties ranging from $5,000 up to $70,000

for willful or repeated serious violations, although in practice the penalties
can be far higher.

4. Inspection Guidelines – fall into three categories: initial contact, opening

conference, and walk-around inspection.

C. Responsibilities and Rights of Employers and Employees – Employers are

responsible for providing a hazard-free workplace, being familiar with mandatory
OSHA standards, and examining workplace conditions to make sure they
conform to applicable standards. Employers have the right to: seek advice and
off-site consultation from OSHA, request and to receive proper identification of
the OSHA compliance officer before inspection, and to be advised by the
compliance officer of the reason for an inspection. OSHA can’t cite employees
for violations of their responsibilities. Employees are responsible for complying
with all applicable OSHA standards, for following all employer safety and health
rules and regulations, and for reporting hazardous conditions to the supervisor.
Employees have a right to demand safety and health on the job without fear of
punishment. The act forbids employers from punishing or discriminating against
workers who complain to OSHA about job safety and health hazards.

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1. Dealing with Employee Resistance – In most cases, the employer remains liable for
any penalties associated with employees’ noncompliance with OSHA standards. It is
possible for employers to reduce their liability.

2. Staying Out of Trouble with OSHA – This segment contains a list of the top 10 ways
to incur OSHA’s wrath.

When You’re on Your Own, HR for Line Managers and

Entrepreneurs: Free On-Site Safety and Health Services for Small
Businesses – Discusses how OSHA helped Jan Anderson, president
of a Colorado steel installation company, and a group of similar
Colorado firms, draft new safety systems, created educational
materials, and provided inspections that were more cooperative than
adversarial, which have significantly decreased their workers’
compensation costs.

Ø NOTES Educational Materials to Use

II. Top Management’s Role in Safety

Safety commitment begins with top management. Employees need to see

convincing evidence of top management’s commitment to safety.

A. What Top Management Can Do –Safety needs to be part of everyone’s

responsibilities. Management needs to institutionalize their safety
commitment with a policy that is publicized. Analyzing the number of
accidents and setting specific safety goals is also important.

III. What Causes Accidents?

A. Unsafe Conditions and Other Work-Related Factors – Unsafe conditions are one
main cause of accidents. Three Other Work-Related Accident Factors: the job
itself, the work schedule, and the psychological climate of the workplace.

B. What Causes Unsafe Acts (A Second Basic Cause of Accidents) – Unfortunately,

there are no easy answers to the question of what causes them. The consensus
is that accident proneness is situational. Some accident repeaters are just
unlucky, or may be more meticulous about reporting. Certain traits have been
identified with accident prone-ness.

When You’re on Your Own, HR for Line Managers and

Entrepreneurs: The Supervisor’s Role in Safety – Discusses how
to make safety part of a department’s daily routine.

Ø NOTES Educational Materials to Use

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IV. How to Prevent Accidents

A. Reducing Unsafe Conditions – is always an employer’s first line of defense. Safety

Engineers should design jobs to remove hazards, additionally, supervisors and managers
should help identify and remove potential hazards.

The New Workforce: Protecting Vulnerable Workers – Employers

need to pay special attention to vulnerable workers when designing
safe environments. These include young workers, immigrant
workers, aging workers and women.

B. Reducing Unsafe Acts by Emphasizing Safety – It’s the supervisor’s

responsibility to set the tone so subordinates want to work safely.

C. Reducing Unsafe Acts Through Selection and Placement – Screening is another

way to reduce unsafe acts. The basic aim is to isolate the trait that might predict
accidents on the job in question, and then screen candidates for this trait.
Studies suggest that the Employee Reliability Inventory (ERI), which measures
emotional maturity, conscientiousness, safe job performance, and courteous job
performance, can help employers reduce unsafe acts at work. The ADA has
particular relevance for safety-related screening decisions.

D. Reducing Unsafe Acts Through Training – is especially appropriate for new

employees. OSHA has published two booklets: Training Requirements Under
OSHA and Teaching Safety and Health in the Workplace.

The New Workforce: Protecting Vulnerable Workers – Bilingual

safety training is important. With increasing numbers of Hispanic
workers in the United States, sometimes in hazardous jobs, experts
are expressing concern about the level of safety training they’re
receiving. It would hardly be useful to provide safety training in
English to someone with modest English comprehension, and
believe that you’ve accomplished your training aims. The program
should address cultural differences.

E. Reducing Unsafe Acts Through Motivation: Posters, Incentive Programs, and

Positive Reinforcement – have been successful at reducing workplace injuries.

1. Research Insight: Positive Reinforcement – Many employers stress positive

positive reinforcement to improve safety. This segment discusses the
experience of a wholesale bakery. The firm set and communicated a
reasonable goal; trained the employees; then posted a graph with their pre-
training safety record plotted and a list of safety rules. Observers walked
through collecting safety data to provide workers with feedback on their
safety performance as a form of positive reinforcement.

F. Use Behavior-Based Safety – which involves identifying the worker behaviors

that contribute to accidents and then training workers to avoid these behaviors.

G. Use Employee Participation – There are at least two reasons to get the
employees involved in designing the safety program. First, those actually doing
the jobs are often management’s best source of ideas about what the potential
problems are and how to solve them. Second, it is generally easier to get
employees to accept and enthusiastically follow the safety program when they’ve
had a hand in designing it.

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 H. Conduct Safety and Health Audits and Inspections – on all premises for possible
safety and health problems, using checklists as aids. All accidents and near
misses should be investigated. A system should be in place for employees to
notify management about hazardous conditions.

I. Research Insight: High Performance Systems and Safety – This study found that
high performance work systems, in addition to being associated with superior
organizational performance, profitability and customer service, produce fewer
work injuries.

J. Controlling Worker's Compensation Costs can affect what a firm pays in worker
compensation insurance premiums.

1. Before the Accident - Costs can be controlled before the accident by

removing unsafe conditions discussed above.

2. After the Accident – Employers should provide first aid, and make sure the
worker gets quick medical attention; document the accident; file required
accident reports; and encourage a speedy return to work.

3. Analyzing Claims – Claims-tracking software can help employers understand

what’s driving their workers’ compensation claims.

Ø NOTES Educational Materials to Use

V. Workplace Health Hazards: Problems and Remedies

A. The Basic Industrial Hygiene Program – First, the facility’s health and safety
officers must recognize possible exposure hazards. The evaluation phase
involves determining how severe the hazard is. Finally, the hazard control phase
involves taking steps to eliminate or reduce the hazard so that it no longer ranks
as dangerous.

B. Asbestos Exposure at Work – There are four major sources of occupational

respiratory diseases: asbestos, silica, lead, and carbon dioxide. Of these,
asbestos has become a major concern.

B. Improving Productivity Through HRIS: Internet-based Safety Improvement Solutions

– Managing the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) is an expensive and time-consuming
task. Putting such programs on line can save time and money. Web-based safety training
programs enable an employer to quickly launch a health and safety program for employees.

Teaching Tip: Do an Internet search using “Correction fluid MSDS” and print out or
display an actual MSDS. Students may not realize that even very common chemicals
are documented. Note the precautions for ingestion.

D. Infectious Diseases: The Case of SARS – With many employees traveling to

and from international destinations, monitoring and controlling infectious

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 diseases like Ebola and SARS has become an important safety issue.
Obviously, employers must make provisions for ensuring that a returning
employee does not inadvertently infect one or more colleagues. Employers can
take a number of steps to prevent the entry or spread of infectious diseases like
SARS into their workplaces.

E. Alcoholism and Substance Abuse – are serious and widespread problems at work
because they usually lead to declines in the quality and quantity of work.

1. Dealing With Substance Abuse – Various techniques can be used to deal

with these problems, which start with testing, and include: disciplining,
discharge, in-house counseling, and referral to an outside agency.

.Know Your Employment Law: Workplace Substance Abuse -The

federal Drug-Free Workplace Act requires employers with federal
government contracts or grants to ensure a drug-free workplace by
taking and certifying that they have taken a number of steps.
Dealing with alcoholism and drugs at work entails legal risks
because employees have sued for invasion of privacy, wrongful
discharge, defamation, and illegal searches.

F. Stress, Burnout, and Depression – can sometimes lead to problems such as

alcoholism and drug abuse, which are problematic for the employee and
employer. A variety of external environmental factors can lead to job stress.
Personal factors also influence stress – no two people react to the same job in
the very same way. Human consequences of stress include anxiety, depression,
anger, and various physical consequences. Organizational consequences
include reductions in the quantity and quality of job performance, increased
absenteeism and turnover, increased grievances, and increased health care
costs. Stress is not necessarily dysfunctional; it can lead some people to be
more productive and/or creative.

1. Reducing Job Stress – can range from getting more sleep and eating better
to negotiating with your boss for realistic deadlines on important projects to
reducing the amount of trivia to which you give your attention. The three-
step stress-reduction technique involves: developing awareness; adjusting
attitudes; and taking action. The HR department can take a positive role in
reducing stress.

2. Burnout is the total depletion of physical and mental resources caused by

excessive striving to reach an unrealistic work-related goal. Some
suggestions for alleviating burnout include: breaking your patterns; getting
away from it all periodically; reassessing your goals in terms of their intrinsic
worth; and think about your work.

3. Research Insight – One study found that burnout can be reduced by

removing the stressors that caused it in the first place, but without other
changes, the burnout will quickly return once the vacation is over.

G. Computer-Related Health Problems – Short-term eye problems (like burning,

itching, tearing, eyestrain, and eye soreness), backaches, and neck-aches are
common complaints among video display operators. The National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has several recommendations for
reducing these problems.

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 H. Workplace Smoking – The Nature of the Problem is serious for employees and
employers. Smokers have significantly greater risk of occupational accidents and
higher absenteeism rates than nonsmokers. They increase the cost of health
and fire insurance.

1. What You Can and Cannot Do – It depends on the state in which you are
located, whether or not your firm is unionized, and the details of the situation.
A Michigan firm gave employees warning, offered smoking cessation
programs, and then fired those who still smoked, even in the privacy of their
own homes.

J. Violence at Work – Violence against employees has become an enormous

problem at work, including homicide and robbery.

1. Heightened Security Measures – include: improve external lighting; use drop

safes to minimize cash on hand, and post signs noting that only a limited
amount of cash is on hand; install silent alarms and surveillance cameras;
increase the number of staff on duty; provide staff training in conflict
resolution and nonviolent response; close establishments during high-risk
hours late at night and early in the morning; and issue weapons policy.

2. Improved Employee Screening – of potentially explosive employees and

applicants by instituting a rigorous pre-employment investigation is a line of
defense.

3. Workplace Violence Training – should supplement enhanced security and

screening.

4. Organizational Justice – A related step is to create a workplace culture

emphasizing mutual respect, justice, and civility. Of course, this is easier said
than done. In general, management should emphasize by word and deed
that it believes deeply in and demands civility.

5. Enhanced Attention to Employee Retention/Dismissal – to reduce the

potential liability of retaining employees who subsequently commit violent
acts.

6. Dismissing Violent Employees – Use caution when firing or disciplining

potentially violent employees. Analyze anticipate their behavior. Have a
security guard or a violence expert present when the dismissal takes place.

7. Dealing with Angry Employees – includes: making eye contact; stopping

what your are doing and giving you full attention; speaking in a calm voice
and creating a relaxed environment; being open and honest; letting the
person have his/her say; asking for specific examples of what the person is
upset about; being careful to define the problem; asking open-ended
questions and exploring all sides of the issue; and listening.

8. Legal Constraints on Reducing Workplace Violence – Most states have

policies that encourage the employment and rehabilitation of ex-offenders,
thus limiting the use of criminal records in hiring decisions.

Ø NOTES Educational Materials to Use

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VI. Occupational Security and Safety,

A. Basic Prerequisites for a Security Plan – Ideally, a comprehensive corporate

security program should start with the following prerequisites:

1. Company philosophy and policy on crime—In particular, make sure

employees understand that no crime is acceptable and that the employer has
a zero tolerance policy with respect to workers who commit crimes.

2. Investigations of job applicants—Make sure to conduct a full background

check as part of your selection process for every position.

3. Security awareness training—Make it clear, during training and orientation

programs, that the employer takes a tough approach to workplace crime.

4. Crisis management—Establish and communicate the procedures employees

should follow in the event of a terrorist threat, bomb threat, fire, or other
emergency.

B. Setting Up a Basic Security Plan – In simplest terms, instituting a basic security

program requires four steps: analyzing the current level of risk, and then
installing mechanical, natural, and organizational security systems.

C. Evacuation Plans – Evacuation plans should contain several elements. These

include early detection of a problem, methods for communicating the emergency
externally, and communications plans for initiating an evacuation and for
providing information to those the employer wants to evacuate.

D. Security for Other Sources of Property Loss – Evacuation plans should contain
several elements. These include early detection of a problem, methods for
communicating the emergency externally, and communications plans for initiating
an evacuation and for providing information to those the employer wants to
evacuate.

E. Company Security and Employee Privacy – Employers must consider employee

privacy when using monitoring to investigate possible employee security
breaches.

Ø NOTES Educational Materials to Use

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Explain how to reduce the occurrence of unsafe act on the part of your employees. The text
lists 10 different ways to help reduce unsafe acts. Answers should reflect at least a majority of these.

2. Discuss the basic facts about OSHA – its purpose, standards, inspection, and rights and
responsibilities. The purpose of OSHA is "to assure so far as possible every working man and
woman in the nation safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources."

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 The basic purpose of OSHA is to set safety and health standards and to ensure compliance through
inspections and reporting. The standards are contained in five volumes covering general industry
standards, maritime standards, construction standards, other regulations and procedures, and a field
operations manual. The standards are very complete and seem to cover just about any hazard one
could think of. Standards are enforced through a series of inspections and, if necessary, citations.
OSHA may not conduct warrantless inspections without an employer's consent. It may inspect after
acquiring a search warrant. An authorized employee representative must be given the opportunity to
accompany the officer during the inspection. Employees are protected under the act from
discrimination for exercising their disclosure rights. Employers are responsible for being familiar with
OSHA standards and for bringing conditions into compliance.

3. Explain the supervisor's role in safety. Beyond trying to make the workplace safe, the basic aim of
the supervisor is to instill in workers the desire to work safely. Then, when needed, enforce safety
rules.

4. Explain what causes unsafe acts. People are the main cause of unsafe acts. Some researchers
say that certain personal characteristics are the basis for behavior tendencies that result in unsafe
acts. There are several human traits that contribute to accident proneness and they are listed in the
chapter. There is also a list of some examples of unsafe acts.

5. Describe at least five techniques for reducing accidents. The text lists 10 techniques: 1)
selection and placement; 2) posters and other propaganda; 3) training; 4) incentive programs and
positive reinforcement; 5) top-management commitment; 6) emphasizing safety; 7) establishing a
safety policy; 8) setting specific loss control goals; 9) conducting safety and health inspections; 10)
monitoring work overload and stress. These are detailed in the chapter.

6. Analyze the legal issues concerning AIDS. Case law is only now developing, but several tentative
conclusions are warranted: 1) you cannot single out any employee for AIDS testing; 2) You can
require a physical exam that includes AIDS testing as a condition of employment, but you may not be
able to refuse to hire someone whose test is positive; 3) Mandatory leave of someone with AIDS
cannot be required unless their work performance has deteriorated.

7. Explain how you would reduce stress at work. Both environmental and personal factors can lead
to job stress. If individuals are feeling dysfunctional levels of stress, the work schedule, pace of work,
job security, and number or nature of clients, modifications in these factors should be made.
Because personal factors influence stress, health and exercise programs can be promoted.
Sometimes counseling should be offered, especially through an EAP, or a job more suitable to the
individual should be found. Supervisors should monitor performance to identify symptoms of stress,
and inform the employee of organizational remedies that may be available, such as job transfers or
counseling.

8. Describe the steps employers can take to reduce workplace violence. Some of the steps
employers can take to reduce workplace violence include: heighten security measures, improve
employee screening, provide training on workplace violence, enhance attention given to employee
retention and dismissal of violent employees, institute proactive measures for dealing with angry
employees, and be aware of the legal constraints associated with workplace violence.

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the Prentice Hall Web site for the best online business support available. This site
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such as Internet Resources, an HRCI Exam Prep Guide, assessment exercises, and
more.

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INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ACTIVITIES

1. Working individually or in groups, answer the question, "Is there such a thing as an accident-
prone person?" Develop your answer using examples of actual people you know who seemed
to be accident-prone on some endeavor. Yes and No. While most psychologists agree that
accident proneness is not universal, most do agree that accident proneness is situational. For
example, personality traits may distinguish accident-prone workers on jobs involving risk, and lack of
motor skills may distinguish accident-prone workers on jobs involving coordination. Many human
traits have been found to be related to accident repetition in specific situations.

2. Working individually or in groups, compile a list of the factors at work in school that create
dysfunctional stress for you. What methods do you use for dealing with the stress. The
students should refer to the section of the chapter on reducing job stress to compile their lists of
stress factors and methods for dealing with the stress. to also find out more about some specific
types of jobs in which they may have an interest.

3. The HRCI “Test Specifications” appendix at the end of this book lists the knowledge someone
studying for the HRCI certification exam needs to have in each area of human resource
management (such as in Strategic Management, Workforce Planning, and Human Resource
Development). In groups of four to five students, do four things: (1) review that appendix now;
(2) identify the material in this chapter that relates to the required knowledge the appendix
lists; (3) write four multiple choice exam questions on this material that you believe would be
suitable for inclusion in the HRCI exam; and (4) if time permits, have someone from your team
post your team’s questions in front of the class, so the students in other teams can take each
others’ exam questions. The sections of material that relate to the HRCI test would include:
Occupational Safety Law, Management Commitment and Safety, What Causes Accidents, How to
Prevent Accidents, Workplace Health Hazards: Problems and Remedies, and Occupational Security,
Safety, and Health in a Post 9/11 World. In short, virtually the entire chapter is applicable to the test.

4. The March 2004 issue of the journal Occupational Hazards presented some information about
what happens when OSHA refers criminal complaints about willful violations of OSHA
standards to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Between 1982 and 2002, OSHA referred
119 fatal cases allegedly involving willful violations of OSHA to DOJ for criminal prosecution.
The DOJ declined to pursue 57% of them, and some were dropped for other reasons. Of the
remaining 51 cases, the DOJ settled 63% with pretrial settlements involving no prison time.
So, counting acquittals, of the 119 cases OSHA referred to the DOJ, only nine resulted in
prison time for at least one of the defendants. “The Department of Justice is a disgrace,”
charged the founder of an organization for family members of workers killed on the job. One
possible explanation for this low conviction rate is that the crime in cases like these is
generally a misdemeanor, not a felony, and the DOJ generally tries to focus its attention on
felony cases. Given this information, what implications do you think this has for how
employers and their managers should manage their safety programs, and why do you take
that position? Hopefully students will understand that it really should not have any implication as to
how they should manage their safety programs. Just as was discussed in Chapter 14 on Ethics,
Justice, and Fair Treatment, the legal implications should be the least of the motivations for doing
what is right. Just because the penalties may not be severe is not a reason to allow unsafe
conditions to exist.

5. In February 2004 a 315 foot-tall, 2-million pound erection crane collapsed on a construction
site in East Toledo, Ohio, killing four ironworkers. Do you think catastrophic failures like this
are avoidable? If so, what steps would you suggest the general contractor take to avoid a
disaster like this? Without knowing the specifics, the likelihood is that the failure was avoidable.

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 Most such failures are the result of someone working outside of known safety parameters, or not
following (or having established) safety procedures that assure that things are done correctly.

EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES & CASES

Experiential Exercise: How Safe is My University?

This is a great opportunity for the students to actually use the information they have learned in the chapter
to identify unsafe conditions.

Application Case: The New Safety and Health Program

1. Based upon your knowledge of health and safety matters and your actual observations of
operations that are similar to theirs, make a list of the potential hazardous conditions
employees and others face at LearnInMotion.com. What should they do to reduce the
potential severity of the top five hazards? Tripping, ergonomic, and electrical hazards top the list
(with several specific items in each). There are many techniques and products available to help
reduce all these hazards. Safety procedures are also needed (not working on any electrical item
such as computers while they are plugged in).

2. Would it be advisable for them to set up a procedure for screening out stress-prone or
accident-prone individuals? Why or why not? If so, how should they screen them? There are
a number of issues here. One likely question from students is whether accident-prone behavior can
change with training or incentives. In most cases, training and incentives can resolve the problem.
Some students may argue that screening-out employees who are accident-prone raises ethical
issues.

3. Write a short position paper on the subject, “What should we do to get all our employees to
behave more safely at work?” The paper should include insights gained from this paper and/or
work experiences they have. Look for reasonableness and the likelihood of adoption in real life.

4. Based on what you know and on what other dot-coms are doing, write a short position paper
on the subject, “What can we do to reduce the potential problems of stress and burnout in our
company?” The long hours and high pressure need to be reduced, or at least offset in some ways.
Look for creative ways to accomplish this.

Continuing Case: Carter Cleaning Company The New Safety Program

1. How should the firm go about identifying hazardous conditions that should be rectified? Use
checklists such as Figures 16-6 and 12-12 to list at least 10 possible dry cleaning store
hazardous conditions. Using the information provide in the case, Internet research, and their
personal knowledge, the students should be able to list at least ten potential hazards in a dry cleaning
store, if not more. This hazard should not be limited to chemical, but should include physical,
mechanical and electrical hazards as well.

2. Would it be advisable for the firm to set up a procedure for screening out accident-prone
individuals? How should they do so? There are a number of issues here. One likely question
from students is whether accident-prone behavior can change with training or incentives. In most
cases, training and incentives can resolve the problem. Some students may argue that screening-out
employees who are accident-prone raises ethical issues.

3. How would you suggest the Carters get all employees to behave more safely at work? Also
how would you advise them to get those who should be wearing goggles to do so? The

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 student should suggest that Carter’s management contact OSHA for assistance in developing safety
policies and procedures on the job, along with including suggestions discussed in the chapter. They
should also make it clear that those who violate the policies will be disciplined, and then follow-up by
doing it. If employees see that management is serious about it and that they will be disciplined, or
even loose their jobs, they will begin to use them.

Translating Strategy Into HR policies and practices case: the Hotel Paris:
The New Safety and Health Program In this case, Lisa Cruz, the HR manager, finds that the hotel’s
safety record compares unfavorably with the industry statistics. She is intent on developing a safety
program.
1. Based on what you read in this chapter, what’s the first step The Hotel Paris should take
as part of its new safety and health program, and why?

According to the text, reducing unsafe conditions is always an employer’s first line of defense.
Lisa should work on designing jobs to remove hazards and supervisors and managers should
help identify and remove potential hazards immediately. They can then focus on other aspects of
safety awareness and training.

2. List ten specific high risk areas in a typical hotel you believe Lisa and her team should
look at first, including examples of the safety or health hazards they should look for there.

Answers will vary. The case notes several areas, including the pool, the valet parking area,
chemical storage areas. Additionally, guest areas like bathtubs will be of concern.

3. Give three specific examples of how Hotel Paris can measure the results of its safety
efforts.

Worker’s Compensation costs have been high, so Lisa can measure a reduction in the number of
claims, or in total claim costs, lost time injuries, etc. The hotel can also measure the number and
severity of violations that are found on internal safety inspections.

4 . Write a one page summary addressing the topic, "How improving safety and health
at the Hotel Paris will contribute to us achieving our strategic goals”.

This summary should include reduced costs, employee satisfaction and safety, guest safety and
health and increased revenues.

KEY TERMS
Occupational Safety and The law passed by congress in 1970 "to assure so far as possible every
Health Act working man and woman in the nation safe and healthful working
conditions and to preserve our human resources."

Occupational Safety and The agency created within the Department of Labor to set safety and
Health Administration health standards for almost all workers in the United States.
(OSHA)

occupational illness Any abnormal condition or disorder caused by exposure to environmental

factors associated with employment.

citation Summons informing employers and employees of the regulations and

standards that have been violated in the workplace.

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unsafe conditions The mechanical and physical conditions that cause accidents.

behavior-based safety Identifying the worker behaviors that contribute to accidents and then
training workers to avoid these behaviors.

burnout The total depletion of physical and mental resources caused by

excessive striving to reach an unrealistic work-related goal.

material safety data sheets Sheets that describe the precautions required by OSHA that employees
are to take when dealing with hazardous chemicals, and what to do if
problems arise.

natural security Taking advantage of the facility’s natural or architectural features in order
to minimize security problems.

mechanical security The utilization of security systems such as locks, intrusion alarms,
access control systems, and surveillance systems.

organizational security Using good management to improve security.

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