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Introduction to Occupational Safety

Management
Dr. Ernie Sheldon

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What is Occupational Safety

and
Health?
Discipline concerned with preserving and
protecting human and facility resourses in the
workplace
prevent deaths and injuries
prevent catastrophic losses
prevent conditions which can result in disasters
Under OSHAct--Every employer in U.S. must
provide safe and healthful workplace
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Scope of the problem

3,200,000 workers injured annually

9,000 workplace fatalities annually
$114 billion in losses annually
Source: Accident Facts: 1993
Approximately 3.5 out of 1,000 people will
die from occupational injuries and illnesses
Average cost per fatality--$780,000
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Accidental Deaths
Accidental Deaths--1991

Motor vehicle
Work-related
Home-related
Other

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A lesson in History
Occupational Health and Safety is not really
a new idea.
Most legislation enacted in last 30 years
The safety profession is dynamic and
challenging.
Incorporating new technology into
inherently dangerous fields of endeavor

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A While Back...

Like about 400 B.C.

A gentleman by the name of Hippocrates
observed a high mortality rate among lead miners
and their children and noted the toxicity of lead.
Then about 50 B.C.
Pliny the Elder recognized hazards of molten lead
and silver, mercury & designed first crude face
mask

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And a little later...

150 A.D.--Galen, a Greek physician wrote a length

on occupational disease among lead and copper
miners
1473--Ellenbog publishes pamphlet on hazards of
dusts, fumes, vapors
1540--Paracelsus--All substances are poison
The right dose differentiates a poison and a
remedy.
known as Father of Toxicology
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More historical hysteria

1770--Bernardino Ramazzini--Father of
IH
When a doctor visits a workingclass home, he
should be content to sitand he should take
time for examination, and to questions
recommended by Hippocrates, he should add
one more--What is your occupation?

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More titillating tidbits...

1775--Sir Percival Pott associates scrotal cancer

with chimney sweeping
1st occupational cancer identified

1895--Rehn associates bladder cancer with

aniline dye workers
1904--Institution of Sanitary Engineering
measures at Panama Canal dropped malaria case
rate from 821 per 1000 to 76 per 1000 in 10 years

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The 20th Century

1912--Phossy jaw noted in phosphorus

match workers
1925--Necrosis of the jaw noted in radium
dial painters
1936--Walsh -Healy Act--FLSA
1959--Dr. Selikoff found a high incidence of
cancer among NYC insulators using asbestos
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Modern Occupational Health History

1970--Congress passes Occupational Safety and

Health Act
1972--NIOSH began writing criteria for standards
1974--Vinyl chloride found to cause rare liver
cancer in Goodrich employees
1976--Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA)
passes, giving EPA power to regulate chemical
development

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Modern continued.

1977--pesticide DBCP found to cause male

sterility
1977--MSHA passed
1977--Clean Air Act & Clean Water Act
1978--Benzene standard proposed to drop from
10 ppm to 1 ppm
1979--Supreme Court ruled new Benzene std.
unjustified
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Modern continued...

1980--Comprehensive Env. Response Comp. And

Liability Act (Superfund)
1981--Hearing Conservation Amendment proposed
(finalized in 1983)
1983--Asbestos emergency std. Lowered from 2
fiber/cc to 0.5 fiber/cc
1986--Hazard Communication Standard in operation
1986--Asbestos std. Lowered to 0.2 fiber/cc
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Terms and Concepts

Disciplines involved in safety

Engineering, education, psychology, physiology,
industrial hygiene, chemistry, physics, mathematics,
statistics, management

Loss Prevention
Describes program to identify and correct potential
accident problems before a loss

Loss Control
Designed to minimize financial losses
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Safety Management

Includes responsibilities of planning,

organizing, leading and controlling activities
to achieve loss prevention and loss control
goals
Safety--an acceptable or low probability or
risk associated with conditions or activities
with the potential to cause harm to people,
equipment, or facilities
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Types of Losses
Worker--injuries, illnesses, fatalities
Workplace--damaged equipment, damaged
raw materials or finished product, damaged
or destroyed facilities, downtime,
service/production interruption, loss or
reputation

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Risk and Hazards

Risk is a measure of the probability and

severity of a loss event taking place
Hazards are conditions which could result in
injury, illness, or other loss
Evaluation of risks begin by identifying
workplace hazards
Risks associated with hazards are reduced by
eliminating the hazard
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Nothing is Risk-free!!

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Accident

Unplanned events that often result in injuries or

damage that interrupt the routine operation or
activity
Accidents are always preceded by unsafe act of
employees or hazardous conditions in the workplace

**Sudden, unintentional event that results in

death, injury, and/or property damage resulting
from an uncontrolled release of energy

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Job Titles and Descriptions

Safety Professional--usually certified by Board of

Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
Safety Engineer--uses application of scientific
principles to control and modify the workplace to
reduce hazards
Safety Manager--coordinates safety organization,
administers safety program, manages safety
specialist, industrial hygienst, fire coordinator, and
security personnel

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More Jobs Titles

Industrial Hygienist--trained in chemistry,
physics, engineering, biology. Monitors
exposures to hazardous materials.
Risk Manager--responsible for insurance
programs and other activities that minimize
losses from fire, accidents, and other natural
and man-made losses.

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Responsibilities

Hazard Recognition
Inspections/Audits
Fire Protection
Regulatory
Compliance
Health Hazard Control
Ergonomics

Hazardous Materials
Management
Environmental
Protection
Training
Accident Investigation
Recordkeeping
Emergency Response
Teams

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