Introduction to Safety and Health

Preface and Chapter.1 (Goetsch)

Safety vs Health
Safety and health although closely related are not the same. One view is that
Safety is concerned with injury-causing situations, whereas health is concerned with disease causing situations. Another view is that safety is concerned with hazards to humans that result from sudden severe conditions; health deals with adverse reactions to prolonged exposure to dangerous but less intense hazards.
An acute effect is a sudden reaction to a severe condition, while a chronic effect is a long-term deterioration due to a prolonged exposure to a milder adverse condition (Asfahl).

Safety vs Health
Both concepts are accurate in portraying safety and health issues. However, there is no clear line between the two concepts.
For example, stress is a hazard can cause both p__________ and p__________ problems over a prolonged period. So, it is a ________concern. On the other hand, an overly stressed worker may be prone to accidents generating a __________concern.

Safety vs Health
Long term exposure to noise levels in the range of 90 -100 decibels causes permanent damage._____ A sudden acute exposure to impact noise can injure the hearing system. ______ (Asfahl) Lets come up with a similar example or two

Safety and Health Movement, Then and Now

The safety area in the US has developed steadily since early 1900s. In the early 1900s, industrial accidents were common.
In 1907 over 3200 people were killed in mining accidents. Then, legislation and public opinion all favored management.. There were a few protections for workers safety.

Safety and Health Movement, Then and Now

Working conditions for industrial employees have improved significantly.
Chance of a worker being killed is less than half of what it was 60 years ago. According to the NSC ________________, the current death rate from work-related injuries is approx. 4 per 100,000 or less than a third of the rate 50 years ago.

Safety and Health Movement, Then and Now

Improvements have been the result of:
The pressure for legislature to promote safety and health, The steadily increasing costs associated with accidents and injuries,
The future improvements will be driven by cost effectiveness and resultant competitiveness gained from a safe and healthy workplace.

The professionalization of safety as an occupation.

Development Before the Industrial Revolution

Code of Hammurabi contained clauses pertaining to safety and health.
If a man has caused the loss of a gentlemens eye, his own eye shall be caused to be lost.

Egyptians used slaves in building temples and pyramids.

Rameses II to ensure the maintenance of a workforce sufficient to build his major project, created an industrial medical service and required each worker to bathe daily.

Development Before the Industrial Revolution

The Romans were very concerned about safety and health.
___________________________________

In the 16th Century, Philippus Aureolus looked at pulmonary disease of miners/diseases of smelter workers/metallurgists and Georgius Agricola emphasized the need for ventilation systems in the mines.

Development Before the Industrial Revolution

In the 18th Century, Bernardino Ramazzini drew parallels between diseases suffered by workers and their occupations.
Handling of harmful materials, irregular or unnatural movements of the body

The Industrial Revolution change the nature of production:

Introduction of inanimate power Substitution of machines for people Introduction of new methods in fabrication Organization and specialization of work

Milestones in the Safety Movement

The safety movement traces its roots to England. Industrial Revolution
Outbreak of fever among the children working in cotton mills led people in Manchester demand better working conditions in the factories. In 1802 the Health of Morals of Apprentices Act was passed.

Milestones in the Safety Movement

When the industrial sector began to grow in the US, hazardous working conditions became common.
Following the Civil War, the seeds of the safety movement were sown.
Factory Inspection 1867 in MA. First barrier safeguard patent 1868 PA legislature mine safety law 1869 Bureau of Labor Statistics established - 1869

Milestones in the Safety Movement

MA legislature passed a law requiring safeguards for hazardous machinery 1877 Employers liability law 1877 First recorded safety program established in IL 1892 Frederick Taylor conducts first systematic study on efficiency in manufacturing 1900 Bureau of Mines created 1907 Concept of Workers Compensation introduced 1908
WI passed the first effective law on WC

Milestones in the Safety Movement

First cooperative study congress in Milwaukee - 1912 National Council of Industrial Safety formed 1913 NCIS changed name to National Safety Council 1915 Concept of negligent manufacturer established - 1916

Milestones in the Safety Movement

National Silicosis Conference organized by US Secretary of Labor 1936 Relation between quality and safety and job accidents have negative effect on productivity OSH act passed 1970 Federal Mine Safety Act passes 1977 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization passes 1986 Amended Clean Air Act of 1970 passes

Milestones in the Safety Movement

Total Safety Management concept introduced 1996 US firms begin to pursue ISO 14000 registration for ESM___________________ 2000 Workplace terrorism is an ongoing concern of safety and health professionals - 2003

Tragedies That Have Changed the Safety Movement

Hawks Nest Tragedy Asbestos Menace Bhopal Tragedy

Role of
Organized Labor
Seeked safe and healthy work environments Some say they focused too much on wages and benefits Overturn the antilabor laws relating to safety
Fellow Servant Rule (in still NH) /Contributory Negligence Assumption Risk

Specific Safety and Health Problems

Lung Disease in Miners
Anthrocosis / Black Spit Coal Workers Pneumonoconosis Gauley Bridge Disaster

Explosion in a mine in WV in 1968

Role of
Mercury Poisoning in 1930s Japan due to release of methyl mercury into the sea
Mercury nitrate was used in hat-making in the US

Asbestos exposure
Asbestosis or (Mesothelioma) Cancer

Development of Accident Prevention Programs

Will be covered with the Accident related chapters.

Safety and Health Movement Today

Came a long way from Industrial Revolution ways. Tone was set during the WWII.
Need for various specialists arose: safety engineers, safety managers, industrial hygienists, occupational health nurses, and physicians.

Safety and Health Movement Today

H.G. Dyktor proposed the following objectives of integration (cooperation):
Learn more through sharing knowledge about health problems in the workplace, particularly those caused by toxic substances Provide a greater level of expertise in evaluating health and safety problems. Provide a broad database that can be used to compare health and safety problems experienced by different companies in the same industry. Encourage accident prevention Make employee health and safety a high priority

Integrated Approach to Safety and Health

By working together and drawing on their areas of expertise, S & H professionals are better able to identify, predict, control, and correct S & H problems. OSHA reinforces this integrated approach by requiring companies to have a plan for doing:
Providing appropriate medical treatment for injured or ill workers Regularly examining workers who are exposed to toxic substances Having qualified first-aid person available during all work hours

Integrated Approach to Safety and Health

Small companies may contract, while the large ones have their own staff:
Industrial Hygiene Chemist and/or Engineer
Periodically test the work environment and the workers Dust levels, ventilation, and noise levels..

Radiation Control Specialist

Electrical Engineer and Physicist Test radiation levels Prepare plans for accidents/decontamination procedures

Industrial Safety Manager or Engineer

Developing Programs

Other

Development of Safety Organizations

Alliance for American Insurers American Board of Industrial Hygiene American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists American Industrial Hygiene Association American Insurance Association American National Standards Institute American Occupational Medical Association American Society of Testing and Materials American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Development of Safety Organizations

Chemical Transportation Emergency Center Human Factors Society National Fire Protection Association National Safety Council National Safety Management Society Society of Automotive Engineers System Safety Society Underwriters Laboratories

Government Organizations
Bureau of Labor Statistics Bureau of National Affairs Environmental Protection Agency National Institute for Standards and Technology National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Occupational Safety and Health Administration Superintendent of Documents, US Government Printing Office US Consumer Product Safety Commission

Other Organizations
American Public Health Association Commerce Clearing House

New
Materials, Processes, and New Problems