Employee Health and Safety

Aim to protect and promote the health and

safety of people working at or visiting member
company work sites.
Safety Protection of employees from injuries
caused by work related accidents.
Health Employees freedom from physical or
emotional illnesses.



Management to Focus
Unsafe employee
action
Train new
employees on safety
esp in early months
of service.
Work injuries
decrease with length
of service

unsafe working
environment
Design and maintain
a safe physical
working
environment to
prevent accidents
e.g. for the machine
operator

Why management is concerned
It is a moral as well as a legal responsibility.
Personal loss pain and anguish for the injured worker. Can
lead to disability or death
Financial loss to the injured employee the injury may not be
covered by insurance
Loss of productivity and hidden costs e.g. replacement
worker pay He may not be at par
Higher insurance premiums compensation premiums
usually based on history of insurance claims
Fines and imprisonment for the employer by government
for violating OSHA
Social responsibility many organizations feel responsible for
H and S of employees. Even before OSHA

Benefits of workplace H and S

No man hours lost through absenteeism
A lot of savings on medical costs e.g.
insurance

HEALTH and SAFETY at work

1.DEVELOP HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES
Written policies are required to demonstrate
top mgt concern about the protection of
workers from hazards at work



2. CONDUCT A RISK
ASSESSMENT

Is the identification of hazards and the analysis
of risks attached to them i.e. the level of risk
associated with them. Purpose to initiate
preventive action
Hazard = anything that can harm eg working
on rooftops, electricity, chemicals and toxic
substances, heavy objects, machines, etc


ranking hazards
Catastrophic hazard capable of causing
death
Critical can result in serious illness/severe
injury, equipment damage
Marginal can cause the above but not with
serious results
Negligible remote possibility of damage
beyond minor 1
st
aid

Possible safety actions


Hazard elimination use of alternatives/change
of design
Substitution e.g. of one chemical for another
Use of barriers removing the hazard from the
worker or vice versa
Use of procedures e.g. limitation or dilution of
exposure
Use of warning systems e.g. signs, instructions,
labels
Use of personal protective clothing

3. HEALTH AND SAFETY AUDITS

examine the entire org to see if it is meeting its
safety aims and objectives. Done by safety
advisors (H/S committee) or external audit
agencies.
Managers should take charge of safety audits
in their departments and individual members
of the department can be trained to audit a
particular area. A checklist should be used.

4.OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
PROGRAMMES
Millions of people suffer from illnesses
believed to be caused by their work.
Eg are muscular disorders, back pain,
repetitive strain injury (RSI), stress.
RSI also called cumulative trauma disorders
CTDs e.g. data entry, or assembly line work


Key concerns
Physical Work Settings light, temp, space
etc
Sick Building Syndrome SBS: acute health
problems and discomfort due to the time spent
in a building (poor air quality, low ventilation,
improper cleanliness, rodents, stench of
adhesives and glues
Ergonomics: the study of human interaction
with tasks equipments and tools. Aim - fit the
machine and work environment to the person.
Eg computer workstations



Engineering of Work Equipments and
Materials: safety guards and covers on
equipments, emergency stop buttons
Individual actions more accidents by self
than employer actions