Promoting Safety and Health
Content
Promoting Safety and Health
After studying this chapter, you should be able to
Learning OutcOme 1
Summarize the general provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
(OSHA).
Learning OutcOme 2
Describe the measures managers and employees can take to create a safe work
environment.
Learning OutcOme 3
Identify ways to control and eliminate various on-the-job health hazards.
Learning OutcOme 4
Describe the programs organizations utilize to build better health among their
workforces.
Learning OutcOme 5
Indicate the methods for coping with job stress.
Good health and safety practices are indicative of top-notch organizations. Annually
the Great Place to Work (GPTW) Institute surveys employees of organizations and
compiles a list of the best places to work in the United States. In a recent survey,
96 percent of employees who work at the 100 best companies named by the
institute answered “often true” or “almost always true” that their places of work are
physically safe. Employers also recognize the importance of implementing safety
and health programs because the benefits of doing so far exceed the costs
associated with sick leave, workers’ compensation, disability payments, and
replacing employees who are injured or killed. A study conducted by the insurance
company Liberty Mutual found that employers saved $3 for each $1 they invested in
workplace safety.
1
Employers are motivated by more than costs and their reputations to keep their
workers safe and healthy, though. Most organizations provide their employees with
good working conditions (1) because it is the right thing to do and (2) because firms
realize people are the most strategic asset they have. Truly proactive companies
can go further than this, though. Recall that in Chapter 1 we discussed total quality
management (TQM). TQM is a set of principles and practices whose core ideas
include understanding customer needs, doing things right the first time, and striving
for continuous improvement. Interestingly, a study that looked at companies that
had won awards for TQM concluded that these firms had not only maintained aboveaverage earnings, productivity, and growth rates, but had improved worker safety
by a remarkable amount. Perhaps part of the reason why this is so is that programs
such as TQM result in greater employee engagement. We will talk more about
employee engagement and safety later in the chapter.
Safety and Health: It’s the Law
Consider these facts:
1. In 2009, 3.6 million private-sectors workers suffered work-related injuries and
illnesses.
2. Back injuries, most of which occur because of improper lifting, are the
nation’s no. 1 workplace safety problem. More than 1 million workers suffer
back injuries each year.
3. Each year the cost of occupational injuries and illnesses totals more than
$156 billion.
4. In 2009, 4,340 employees died from work accidents.
5. Ninety percent of fatal work injuries involve workers in private industry.
Providing workers a safe and healthy environment is not just good for business and
the right thing to do. It is the law. In 1970 Congress passed the Occupational Safety
and Health Act (OSHA). The mission of OSHA is to “assure the safety and health of
America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach,
and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvements
in workplace safety and health.” In spite of the figures previously cited, the act has
been very effective in reducing the number of injuries resulting in lost work time,
the incident rate of specific injuries such as back problems, and the number of jobrelated deaths. For example, even though there were twice as many workers in
2009 as in the 1960s, in 2009 worker fatalities were less than one-third of what they
were in the late 1960s. Today, most employees report that the safety conditions in
their organizations are very good. In a survey by the University of Chicago’s
National Opinion Research Center, 92 percent of employees “agree” or “strongly
agree” that safety and health conditions where they work are good; 87 percent
strongly agree that there are no significant compromises or shortcuts taken when
worker safety is at stake.
1. HIgHLIgHtS In HRM Test Your Safety Smarts
OSHA’s Coverage
OSHA covers all private sector employees and public employees in state and local
governments. Self-employed workers are not covered by the law. Federal agencies
are required to establish and maintain a safety and health program that is
monitored by OSHA. Approximately half of the states currently have their own
OSHA-approved programs for private and public workers. Where state programs for
the private sector have been approved by the federal government as meeting
federal standards, the state carries out the enforcement functions that would
otherwise be performed by the federal government.
OSHA Standards
One of the responsibilities of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is
to develop and enforce mandatory job safety and health standards. These standards
cover the workplace, machinery and equipment, materials, power sources,
processing, protective clothing, first aid, and administrative requirements. To
comply with OSHA, employers need to become familiar with those standards that
are applicable to their establishments and to ensure that their employees use
personal protective gear and equipment when required for safety. Employers can be
cited and fined if they do not comply with OSHA standards.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration can begin standards setting
procedures on its own initiative or on petition from other parties, including the
Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Other bodies that may also initiate
standards-setting procedures are state and local governments and any nationally
recognized standards-producing organization, employer, or labor representative.
NIOSH, however, is the major source of standards. As an agency of the Department
of Health and Human Services, it is responsible for conducting research on various
safety and health problems, including the psychological factors involved.
Enforcing OSHA Standards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is authorized to conduct
workplace inspections, issue citations, and impose penalties on employers. In recent
years OSHA has stepped up its enforcement activities. In 201, OSHA workers
conducted approximately 40,000 workplace inspections, and more than 96,000
workplace violations were found, a 15.3 percent increase since 2006.
Workplace Inspections
Under the act, “upon presenting appropriate credentials to the owner, operator, or
agent in charge,” an OSHA compliance officer is authorized to do the following:
Enter without delay and at reasonable times any factory, plant,
establishment, construction site or other areas, workplace, or environment
where work is performed by an employee of an employer; and to
Inspect and investigate during regular working hours, and at other reasonable
times, and within reasonable limits and in a reasonable manner, any such
place of employment and all pertinent conditions, structures, machines,
apparatus, devices, equipment and materials therein, and to question
privately any such employer, owner, operator, agent, or employee.
OSHA has further established a system of inspection priorities:
First level: Inspection of imminent danger situations
Second level: Investigation of catastrophes, fatalities, and accidents that result in
hospitalization of five or more employees
Third level: Investigation of valid employee complaints of alleged violations of standards or of unsafe or unhealthful working conditions
Fourth level: Special-emphasis inspections aimed at specific high-hazard industries,
occupations, or substances that are injurious to health
Typically, OSHA inspectors arrive at a work site unannounced and ask for a meeting
with a representative of the employer. At the meeting, the inspectors explain the
purpose of the visit, describe the procedure for the inspection, and ask to review the
employer’s safety and health records. An employer may either agree voluntarily to
the inspection or require the inspectors to obtain a search warrant.
The act gives both the employer and the employees the right to accompany
inspectors on their tour of the work site. After the tour, the OSHA officials conduct a
closing conference to inform the employer and employee representatives, if any, of
the results of their inspection. They point out conditions or practices that appear to
be hazardous and issue a written citation if warranted.
Citations and Penalties
OSHA citations may be issued immediately following the inspection or later by mail.
Citations tell the employer and employees which regulations and standards are
alleged to have been violated and the amount of time allowed for their correction.
The employer must post a copy of each citation at or near the place the violation
occurred for three days or until the violation is abated, whichever is longer.
Under the act, OSHA may cite the following violations and propose the following
penalties:
Other-Than-Serious: A violation that has a direct relationship to job safety and
health, but one unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. Such a
penalty could be as low as $100. However, OSHA may propose a penalty of
up to $7,000 for each violation depending upon the circumstances.
Serious: A violation for which there is substantial probability that death or
serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have
known, of the hazard. The average penalty imposed by OSHA for serious
violations is now $3,000–$4,000. The maximum penalty is $7,000 for each
violation.
Willful: A violation that the employer intentionally and knowingly commits, or
a violation that the employer commits with plain indifference to the law.
OSHA may propose penalties of up to $70,000 for each violation or $75,000
per exposed employee for a willful penalty.
If a willful violation results in the death of an employee, OSHA can assess penalties
up to $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for a corporation, imprisonment of up
to six months, or both. The largest ever fine by OSHA was an $87 million penalty
levied in 2009 against the oil giant BP after a 2005 explosion killed 15 workers and
injured 170 others at a BP refinery in Texas. (BP will likely face more fines as a result
of the deadly explosion of its Deepwater Horizon platform in the Gulf of Mexico in
2010.) OSHA can adjust any penalty downward depending on the employer’s good
faith (such as demonstrating effort to comply with the act), history of previous
violations, and size of business. However, the agency can adjust penalties upward
too. OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) identifies employers with
repeated, serious citations, and, among other things, subjects them to increased,
multi-worksite inspections and higher penalties. The law provides for appeal by
employers and employees under certain circumstances.
OSHA Consultation Assistance
Besides helping employers identify and correct specific hazards, OSHA can help employers
develop and implement effective workplace safety and health programs that emphasize
preventing worker injuries and illnesses.
Onsite Consultation
OSHA provides free onsite consultation services. Consultants from the state
government or private contractors help employers identify hazardous conditions
and determine corrective measures. Employers also may receive training and
education services. No citations are issued in connection with a consultation, and
the consultant’s files cannot be used to trigger an OSHA inspection. Additionally, the
consultations may qualify employers for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA
inspections.
Cooperative Programs
Voluntary, cooperative relationships among employers, employees, unions, and
OSHA can be a useful alternative to traditional OSHA enforcement procedures,
serving as an effective way to ensure worker safety and health. There are four
specific cooperative programs—alliances, strategic partnerships, voluntary
protection programs, and the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program:
Alliances. Alliances enable organizations to collaborate with OSHA to prevent
injuries and illnesses in the workplace. OSHA and participating organizations define,
implement, and meet a set of short- and long-term goals to improve workplace
safety and health.
Strategic Partnership Programs (SPPs). Strategic partnerships are long-term
agreements between employers and OSHA aimed at reducing serious workplace
hazards and achieving a high level of worker safety and health.
Voluntary Protection Programs (VPPs). Voluntary protection programs represent
OSHA’s effort to extend worker protection beyond the minimum required OSHA
standards. There are three VPPs—Star, Merit, and Demonstration—each designed to
recognize, motivate, or establish a cooperative relationship between employers and
OSHA.
Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). SHARP is an
OSHA certification program that recognizes small employers with exemplary
achievements in workplace safety and health. Companies that receive SHARP
recognition are exempted from OSHA’s programmed, or regular, inspections as long
as their certifications remain valid.
Responsibilities and Rights under OSHA
Both employers and employees have certain responsibilities and rights under OSHA.
We will discuss only those that relate directly to the management of human
resources.
Employers’ Responsibilities and Rights
In addition to providing a hazard-free workplace and complying with the applicable
standards, employers must inform all of their employees about the safety and
health requirements of OSHA. Specific employer responsibilities are listed in OSHA’s
publication All about OSHA and illustrated in Highlights in HRM 2. Employers are
also required to keep certain records and to compile and post an annual summary of
work-related injuries and illnesses. From these records, organizations can compute
their incidence rate, the number of injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time
employees during a given year. The standard formula for computing the incidence
rate is shown by the following equation, in which 200,000 equals the base for 100
full-time workers who work forty hours a week, fifty weeks a year:
Incidence rate = 5 Number of injuries and illnesses x 200,000
Total hours worked by all employees during period covered
It should be noted that the same formula can be used to compute incidence rates
for (1) the number of workdays lost because of injuries and illnesses, (2) the
number of nonfatal injuries and illnesses without lost workdays, and (3) cases
involving only injuries or only illnesses.
Incidence rates are useful for comparing work groups, departments, and similar
units within an organization. They also provide a basis for comparing multiple
organizations doing similar work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics and other
organizations, such as the National Safety Council, compile data that an employer
can use as a basis for comparing its safety record with those of other organizations.
These comparisons provide a starting point for analyzing problem areas, changing
the working environment, and motivating personnel to promote safety and health.
It is the employer’s responsibility to provide employees with protective equipment
when necessary and ensure it is used. Employers must also provide their workers
with safety training and be prepared to discipline employees for failing to comply
with safety rules. In addition, employers must not discriminate against employees
who exercise their rights under the act by filing complaints with OSHA.
2. HIgHLIgHtS In HRM
What Are My Responsibilities under the OSH Act?
If you are an employer the OSH Act covers, you must:
Meet your general duty responsibility to provide a workplace free from
recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious
physical harm to employees, and comply with standards, rules, and
regulations issued under the act.
Be familiar with mandatory OSHA standards and make copies available to
employees for review upon request.
Inform all employees about OSHA.
Examine workplace conditions to make sure they conform to applicable
standards.
Minimize or reduce hazards.
Make sure employees have and use safe tools and equipment (including
appropriate personal protective equipment), and that such equipment is
properly maintained.
Use color codes, posters, labels, or signs when needed to warn employees of
potential hazards.
Establish or update operating procedures and communicate them so that
employees follow safety and health requirements.
Provide training required by OSHA standards (e.g., hazard communication,
lead, etc).
Report to the nearest OSHA office within eight hours any fatal accident or one
that results in the hospitalization of
three or more employees.
Keep OSHA-required records of work-related injuries and illnesses, and post a
copy of the totals from the last page
of OSHA No. 200 during the entire month of February each year. (This applies
to employers with eleven or more employees.)
Post, at a prominent location within the workplace, the OSHA poster (OSHA
2203) informing employees of their
rights and responsibilities. (In states operating OSHA-‘approved job safety
and health programs, the state’s equivalent poster and/or OSHA 2203 may be
required.)
Provide employees, former employees, and their representatives access to
the Log and Summary of Occupational
Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA 200) at a reasonable time and in a reasonable
manner.
Provide access to employee medical records and exposure records to
employees or their authorized representatives.
Cooperate with the OSHA compliance officer by furnishing names of
authorized employee representatives who may be asked to accompany the
compliance officer during an inspection. (If none, the compliance officer will
consult
with a reasonable number of employees concerning safety and health in the
workplace.)
Not discriminate against employees who properly exercise their rights under
the act.
Post OSHA citations at or near the worksite involved. Each citation, or copy
thereof, must remain posted until the violation has been abated, or for three
working days, whichever is longer.
Abate cited violations within the prescribed period.
If you are an employee the OSH Act covers, you should:
Read the OSHA poster at the job site.
Comply with all applicable OSHA standards.
Follow all employer safety and health rules and regulations, and wear or use
prescribed protective equipment while engaged in work.
What Are My Responsibilities under the OSH Act? (continued)
Report hazardous conditions to the supervisor.
Cooperate with the OSHA compliance officer conducting an inspection if he or
she inquires about safety and health conditions in your workplace.
Exercise your rights under the act in a responsible manner.
Although OSHA does not cite employees for violations of their responsibilities,
each employee must follow all applicable standards, rules, regulations, and
orders issued under the OSH Act. OSHA, however, does not expect employees to
pay for guardrails, floor cleaning, equipment maintenance, respirators, training,
or other safety and health measures.
employers are afforded many rights under the act, most of which pertain to
receiving information from OSHA, applying for variances in safety and health
standards, and contesting the agency’s penalties.
Employees’ Responsibilities and Rights
Employees are required to comply with all applicable OSHA standards, to report
hazardous conditions, and to follow all employer safety and health rules and
regulations, including those prescribing the use of protective equipment.
Workers have a right to demand safe and healthy conditions on the job without
fear of punishment. They also have many rights that pertain to requesting and
receiving information about safety and health conditions. For example, most
states—and federal law—require that employers provide information to
employees about the hazardous chemicals they handle. Commonly known as
right-to-know laws, these statutes require employers and manufacturers to give
employees information about the toxic and hazardous substances they could
come into contact with on the job and what the health risks related to those
substances are. Since state right-to-know laws can be more stringent than
federal law, employers are encouraged to contact their state’s health and safety
agency for a copy of their appropriate hazard communication standards.
OSHA’s Enforcement Record
Perhaps no federal government agency has been more severely criticized than
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Unions and safety groups
continue to worry that OSHA is lax in monitoring its agreements with
organizations. These groups would prefer mandatory standards instead of
voluntary guidelines for problems such as injuries related to jobs involving
repetitive motion—a topic to be considered later in the chapter.
Meanwhile employers often say that OSHA’s standards are unrealistic and
inspectors are overzealous. “It seems OSHA administration conducts research
and sets safety and health standards in an ivory tower, not knowing or caring if
standards are valid for the real world,” remarked one safety manager. Another
criticism is that many of OSHA’s standards are dangerously outdated.
However, the complaint most registered against OSHA is uneven enforcement
efforts by the agency from one political administration to the next. Under some
administrations, the funding for the agency has been cut and enforcement
efforts have been seen as virtually nonexistent (or at least very lax). Under other
administrations, regulatory enforcement has seemed more proactive. In recent
years, the funding for OSHA has increased, and it has stepped up its
enforcement measures.
Promoting a Safe Work Environment
Typically, a firm’s HR department or the industrial relations department is
responsible for its safety program. Although the success of a safety program
depends largely on managers and supervisors of operating departments, the HR
department typically coordinates the safety communication and training
programs, maintains safety records required by OSHA, and works closely with
managers and supervisors in a cooperative effort to make the program a
success.
Organizations with formal safety programs generally have employeemanagement safety committees that include representatives from management,
each department or manufacturing/service unit, and employee representatives.
Committees are typically involved in investigating accidents and helping to
publicize the importance of safety rules and their enforcement.
Creating a Culture of Safety
Lower-level operational managers and supervisors have traditionally been the
bedrock for encouraging health and safety in their organizations. Indeed, one
study by the American Institute of Plant Engineers showed that there was a
direct correlation between an increase in the commitment to safety by managers
and a decrease in accidents. However, firms today try to create a “culture” of
safety within their organizations that goes beyond managing operational
processes and reducing accidents. A culture of safety exists when everyone
within an organization consciously works to improve its safety and health
conditions. HR managers play a key role in this effort. “HR executives should be
the point persons on creating and making sure that a corporate safety culture
exists,” Carolyn Merritt, the late chairperson of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board
(CSB) once noted. “These are the people who have their fingers on the culture
pulses of the organization.”
Furthermore, the CSB advocates a culture of safety that focuses specifically on
process safety metrics. For example, instead of counting injuries, managers
should set goals on how many unit safety meetings should be held quarterly and
measure goal attainment. Greg Andress, executive manager at Gallagher Bassett
Services (safety consultants), states, “You want to measure the drivers within
your organization that are going to create a change in the culture.
Interviewing for Safety and Fitness-for-Duty Tests
One of the ways HR managers can help create a culture of safety within in an
organization is to encourage supervisors to incorporate safety into their
interviews with job candidates. Have you ever known someone who seemed
accident prone? What about someone who rarely ever experienced a scratch?
Several researchers have reported finding a correlation between different
employees and their propensity for safety. Although asking job candidates about
the injuries they have experienced is off limits, interviewers can ask candidates
other behavioral-type questions designed to elicit their propensity for safety. For
example, an interviewer might ask a candidate a question about an unsafe
incident they witnessed and how they handled it.
Some companies periodically conduct fitness-for-duty evaluations on their
current employees. Fitness-for-duty evaluations are similar to prehire physical
exams but can be done any time during employment. They determine an
employee’s physical, mental, and emotional fitness and are most often used for
in safety or security sensitive positions. For example, federal rules require
nuclear-plant workers to undergo random fitness-for-duty evaluations on the job
to determine if they have been using alcohol or drugs.
The Key Role of the Supervisor
Supervisors can do much more than interview candidates for their safety tendencies, however.
As we have explained, like HR managers, supervisors play a key role in their employer’s safety
programs. One of a supervisor’s major responsibilities is to communicate to an employee the
need to work safely.Beginning with new employee orientation, safety should be emphasized
continually. Proper work procedures, the use of protective clothing and devices, and potential
hazards should be explained thoroughly.
Furthermore, employees’ understanding of all these considerations should be verified during
training sessions, and employees should be encouraged to be proactive when it comes to
safety. In other words, they should be coached to look for safety problems before they occur.
Moreover, supervisors must continually observe employees at work, reinforce safe practices,
and immediately correct behaviors that are unsafe.
Proactive Safety Training Programs
Safety training is not only good business; in certain occupational areas, safety and health training
is legally required. For example, employers regulated by a federal agency called the Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are legally required to provide their employees with
environmental-safety protection training. When training is mandated, employers must keep
accurate records of all employee education. Violations can incur criminal penalties.
Baggage Handling
Ticket Counter
Make-up Room
Ramp Area
Most organizations have a safety awareness program that entails the use of several different
media. Safety lectures and courses, and printed and audiovisual material are common. use of
games has also become an interactive way to provide employees with safety training. Costco
and Amazon.com, for example, have successfully used a product called Safety Bingo to
motivate employees on a daily basis to create a safetyconscious atmosphere and remind them
of their safety goals. Of course, the Web has become a popular way to disseminate safety
training materials as well. One safety manager went so far as to describe his company’s intranet
as the “the organization’s SWAT team to develop and implement timely and efficient health and
safety programs.” In addition to distributing safety and compliance information via the Web,
CDs, and PowerPoint presentations downloadable from its website, OSHA has developed
online modules called “eTools” that deal with various safety and health topics and provide
employers and employees information on how OSHA regulations apply to their work
organizations.
Figure 12.1 shows OSHA’s eTool designed to help workers who handle baggage do so safely.
HR professionals and safety directors in particular advocate employee involvement when
designing and implementing safety programs. Employees can offer valuable ideas regarding
specific safety and health topics to cover, instructional methods, and proper teaching
techniques. Furthermore, employees are more likely to embrace safety training when they feel a
sense of ownership in the instructional program.
Enforcing Safety Rules
Firms communicate specific safety rules and regulations in a variety of ways, including through
supervisors, bulletin board notices, employee handbooks, and signs attached to equipment. To
keep employees aware of hazards, some organizations provide their employees with small,
laminated OSHA “Quick Cards.” The cards contain brief, easy-to-follow safety and health
information employees can keep on hand and refer to as necessary. Figure 12. 2 shows an
example of a Quick Card. Safety rules are also emphasized in regular safety meetings, at new
employee orientations, and in an organization’s manual of standard operating procedures.
Chain Saw Safety
Operating a chain saw can be hazardous. Potential injuries can be minimized by using
properpersonalprotective equipment and safe operating procedures.
Before Starting a Chain Saw
• Check controls, chain tension, and all bolts and handles to ensure that they are
functioning properly and that they are adjusted according tothe manufacturer’s
instructions.
• Make sure that the chain is always sharp and that the oil tank is full.
• Start the saw on the ground or on another rm support. Drop starting is never allowed.
• Start the saw at least 10 feet from the fueling area, with the chain’s brake engaged.
Fueling a Chain Saw
• Use approved containers for transporting fuel to the saw.
• Dispense fuel at least 10 feet away from any sources of ignition when performing
construction activities. No smoking during fueling.
• Use a funnel or a exible hose when pouring fuel into the saw.
• Never attempt to fuel a running or HOT saw.
Chain Saw Safety
• Clear away dirt, debris, small tree limbs and rocks from the saw’s chain path. Look for
nails, spikes or other metal in the tree before cutting.
• Shut off the saw or engage its chain brake when carrying the saw on rough or uneven
terrain.
• Keep your hands on the saw’s handles, and maintain balance while operating the saw.
• Proper personal protective equipment must be worn when operating the saw, which
includes hand, foot, leg, eye, face, hearing and head protection.
• Do not wear loose- tting clothing.
• Be careful that the trunk or tree limbs will not bind against the saw.
• Watch for branches under tension; they may spring out when cut.
• Gasoline-powered chain saws must be equipped with a protective device that
minimizes chain saw kickback.
• Be cautious of saw kickback. To avoid kickback, do not saw with the tip. Keep tip
guard in place.
The consequences for violating safety rules are usually stated in a firm’s employee handbook.
Usually the consequences include an oral or written warning for the first violation, suspension
for repeated violations, and, as a last resort, dismissal. However, for serious violations—such as
smoking around volatile substances—even the first offense could be cause for an employee’s
termination.
While discipline may force employees to work safely, safety managers understand that the most
effective enforcement of safety rules occurs when employees willingly adhere to and “champion”
safety rules and procedures. This can be achieved when managers actively encourage
employees to participate in all aspects of the organization’s safety program. This is important
because employees who are involved in their companies’ safety programs are not only more
engaged employees but safer employees. According to a study by the Society of Human
Resources Management, engaged employees were five times less likely than nonengaged
employees to have a safety incident and seven times less likely to have a lost-time safety
incident. In addition, the average cost of a safety incident was $392 for nonengaged employees,
but only $63 for engaged employees.
There are a number of ways to involve and engage employees in company safety programs. In
addition to TQM programs, they include having employees (1) jointly set safety standards with
managers, (2) participate in safety training, (3) help design and implement special safety
training programs, (4) establish safety incentives and rewards, and (5) be involved in accident
investigations. Other ways to engage employees is to solicit their ideas and opinions when
assessing the risk of jobs during the job analysis process. The idea behind this is to help identify
potential hazards and develop protective measures before accidents occur. Establishing an
employee safety suggestion program and asking employees to formally participate in the
process of observing the safety behavior of their coworkers are two other ways. So is soliciting
employees’ opinions about the safety of the tools a company is considering purchasing.
The consequences for violating safety rules are usually stated in a firm’s employee handbook.
Usually the consequences include an oral or written warning for the first violation, suspension
for repeated violations, and, as a last resort, dismissal. However, for serious violations—such as
smoking around volatile substances—even the first offense could be cause for an employee’s
termination.
While discipline may force employees to work safely, safety managers understand that the most
effective enforcement of safety rules occurs when employees willingly adhere to and “champion”
safety rules and procedures. This can be achieved when managers actively encourage
employees to participate in all aspects of the organization’s safety program. This is important
because employees who are involved in their companies’ safety programs are not only more
engaged employees but safer employees. According to a study by the Society of Human
Resources Management, engaged employees were five times less likely than nonengaged
employees to have a safety incident and seven times less likely to have a lost-time safety
incident. In addition, the average cost of a safety incident was $392 for nonengaged employees,
but only $63 for engaged employees.
There are a number of ways to involve and engage employees in company safety programs. In
addition to TQM programs, they include having employees (1) jointly set safety standards with
managers, (2) participate in safety training, (3) help design and implement special safety
training programs, (4) establish safety incentives and rewards, and (5) be involved in accident
investigations. Other ways to engage employees is to solicit their ideas and opinions when
assessing the risk of jobs during the job analysis process. The idea behind this is to help identify
potential hazards and develop protective measures before accidents occur. Establishing an
employee safety suggestion program and asking employees to formally participate in the
process of observing the safety behavior of their coworkers are two other ways. So is soliciting
employees’ opinions about the safety of the tools a company is considering purchasing.
Investigating and Recording Accidents
Every accident, even those considered minor, should be investigated by the supervisor and a
member of the safety committee. Such an investigation may determine the Every accident, even
those considered minor, should be investigated by the supervisor and a member of the safety
committee. Such an investigation may determine the factors contributing to the accident and
reveal what corrections are needed to prevent it from happening again. Correction may require
rearranging workstations, installing safety guards or controls, or, more often, giving employees
additional safety training and reassessing their motivation for safety.
OSHA requirements mandate that employers with eleven or more employees maintain records of
work-related occupational injuries and illnesses.
As stated in an earlier section, OSHA also requires a Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
(OSHA Form 300) to be maintained by the organization. All recordable cases are to be entered in
the log. A recordable case is any injury or illness that results in any of the following: death, days
away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, or medical treatment beyond first aid.
Other problems employers must record as work-related include loss of consciousness or
diagnosis of a significant injury or illness by a health care professional.
Figure 12.3 illustrates OSHA’s diagram for classifying accidents under the law. For every
recordable case written in the log, an Injury and Illness Incident Report (OSHA Form 301) is to
be completed. OSHA Form 301 requires answers to questions about the case. Each year OSHA
Form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, must be completed and posted in a
conspicuous place or places where notices to employees are customarily posted. Remember,
when completing all OSHA forms, employers must not list the name of an injured or ill
employee if the case has “privacy concerns,” such as those involving sexual assault, HIV
infection, and mental illness. We conclude our discussion of OSHA by showing the OSHA poster
that employers are required to display at the workplace (see Highlights in HRM 5).
Safety Hazards and Issues
Workers face many different safety hazards on the job, which differ depending upon their
occupations. It is impossible to discuss all of them in this chapter. However, we will discuss a
number of hazards that have been getting a great deal of attention from HR managers and firms
lately.
Fatigue
Few safety issues have been in the news more lately than employee fatigue. You have probably
heard about air traffic controllers who have fallen asleep on the job and could not be awakened
by pilots trying to contact them. Fatigue is more of a problem in organizations that operate
around the clock or have night shifts. Studies show that 30 percent to 50 percent of night-shift
workers report falling asleep at least once a week while on the job, according to Dr. Charles
Czeisler, chief of sleep medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Fatigue may not result in “life or death” consequences for most jobs. Nonetheless managers,
employees, and the public are concerned about how it affects workplace safety and
performance. The regulations in certain industries limit the number of hours employees can
work per shift. The airline industry is one such industry. However, even with the limits, workers
are finding themselves fatigued. Some experts say downsizing may be a factor as fewer
workers are being asked to cover more shifts. Recently the U.S. government vowed it would
give air traffic controllers an extra hour off between shifts to combat fatigue. Continental has
given its pilots permission to call in and report they‘re too fatigued to fly.
Although OSHA currently has no fatigue standard, it is seeking to establish one, and unions are
increasingly negotiating fatigue contracts. Employees at Dow Chemical’s Freeport, Texas,
facility have negotiated a fatigue standard in their new labor contract. Under the new
agreement, employees who work three consecutive sixteenhour days must receive a twentyfour-hour break. Employees on regular shifts must get a forty-eight-hour break if they work
twenty-one days in a row.
Distracted Driving
Do you know what the leading cause of worker fatalities each year is? Motor vehicle crashes.
Moreover, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, people who
send text messages while driving are three times more likely to crash than other drivers, and
distracted driving accounts for 80 percent of all accidents. When it comes to mass transit, the
consequences of distracted driving can be catastrophic. For example, in 2008, a Los Angeles
commuter train collided head on with another train. Twenty-five people died, including the
operator of the train. Another 135 others were injured. A subsequent investigation of the accident
found that operator had sent or received fifty-seven text messages while on the job that day,
including one sent twenty-two seconds before the crash.
To help prevent distracted driving accidents, a growing number of employers are adopting
mandatory cell-phone policies for their employees. A survey of more than 2,000 employers
conducted by the National Safety Council found that 58 percent had some type of cell-phone
usage policy in place, and roughly one-quarter of those surveyed prohibit both handheld and
handsfree devices while driving for some or all employees.
Highlights in HRM 3 shows a template of such a policy developed by AT&T that companies can
utilize. Other companies are doing more than establishing policies. They are outfitting their
phones with apps like Phone Guard, which prevents drivers from texting, browsing the web, or
checking e-mail when they are traveling ten miles per hour or faster.
OSHA does not have specific regulations on distracted driving. However, the agency has vowed
that if an employer encourages or gives its workers an incentive to engage in distracted driving,
it will penalize a company for creating an unsafe environment under OSHA’s “general duty”
clause. The general duty clause [Section 5(a) (1)] states that each employer “shall furnish . . . a
place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to
cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” The clause is used to enforce a wide
range of safety and health violations for which specific regulations have not been implemented.
In 2009 President Obama signed an Executive Order on distracted driving, which prohibits
federal employees from texting behind the wheel while working or while using government
vehicles and communications devices. More than thirty states also prohibit texting while driving.
Mobile phones are not the only electronic safety culprit, though. Workers who stop hearing the
world around them because they are wired up to MP3 players also create risks. One aerospace
manufacturer banned its 1,500 employees from using them at work. “Even though there have
been no incidents, there are aircraft, forklifts, trucks, and so on moving around. We feel people
should always be concentrating fully,” said a spokesperson for the company.
531
After studying this chapter, you should be able to
Learning OutcOme 1
Summarize the general provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
(OSHA).
Learning OutcOme 2
Describe the measures managers and employees can take to create a safe work
environment.
Learning OutcOme 3
Identify ways to control and eliminate various on-the-job health hazards.
Learning OutcOme 4
Describe the programs organizations utilize to build better health among their
workforces.
Learning OutcOme 5
Indicate the methods for coping with job stress.
Good health and safety practices are indicative of top-notch organizations. Annually
the Great Place to Work (GPTW) Institute surveys employees of organizations and
compiles a list of the best places to work in the United States. In a recent survey,
96 percent of employees who work at the 100 best companies named by the
institute answered “often true” or “almost always true” that their places of work are
physically safe. Employers also recognize the importance of implementing safety
and health programs because the benefits of doing so far exceed the costs
associated with sick leave, workers’ compensation, disability payments, and
replacing employees who are injured or killed. A study conducted by the insurance
company Liberty Mutual found that employers saved $3 for each $1 they invested in
workplace safety.
1
Employers are motivated by more than costs and their reputations to keep their
workers safe and healthy, though. Most organizations provide their employees with
good working conditions (1) because it is the right thing to do and (2) because firms
realize people are the most strategic asset they have. Truly proactive companies
can go further than this, though. Recall that in Chapter 1 we discussed total quality
management (TQM). TQM is a set of principles and practices whose core ideas
include understanding customer needs, doing things right the first time, and striving
for continuous improvement. Interestingly, a study that looked at companies that
had won awards for TQM concluded that these firms had not only maintained aboveaverage earnings, productivity, and growth rates, but had improved worker safety
by a remarkable amount. Perhaps part of the reason why this is so is that programs
such as TQM result in greater employee engagement. We will talk more about
employee engagement and safety later in the chapter.
Safety and Health: It’s the Law
Consider these facts:
1. In 2009, 3.6 million private-sectors workers suffered work-related injuries and
illnesses.
2. Back injuries, most of which occur because of improper lifting, are the
nation’s no. 1 workplace safety problem. More than 1 million workers suffer
back injuries each year.
3. Each year the cost of occupational injuries and illnesses totals more than
$156 billion.
4. In 2009, 4,340 employees died from work accidents.
5. Ninety percent of fatal work injuries involve workers in private industry.
Providing workers a safe and healthy environment is not just good for business and
the right thing to do. It is the law. In 1970 Congress passed the Occupational Safety
and Health Act (OSHA). The mission of OSHA is to “assure the safety and health of
America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach,
and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvements
in workplace safety and health.” In spite of the figures previously cited, the act has
been very effective in reducing the number of injuries resulting in lost work time,
the incident rate of specific injuries such as back problems, and the number of jobrelated deaths. For example, even though there were twice as many workers in
2009 as in the 1960s, in 2009 worker fatalities were less than one-third of what they
were in the late 1960s. Today, most employees report that the safety conditions in
their organizations are very good. In a survey by the University of Chicago’s
National Opinion Research Center, 92 percent of employees “agree” or “strongly
agree” that safety and health conditions where they work are good; 87 percent
strongly agree that there are no significant compromises or shortcuts taken when
worker safety is at stake.
1. HIgHLIgHtS In HRM Test Your Safety Smarts
OSHA’s Coverage
OSHA covers all private sector employees and public employees in state and local
governments. Self-employed workers are not covered by the law. Federal agencies
are required to establish and maintain a safety and health program that is
monitored by OSHA. Approximately half of the states currently have their own
OSHA-approved programs for private and public workers. Where state programs for
the private sector have been approved by the federal government as meeting
federal standards, the state carries out the enforcement functions that would
otherwise be performed by the federal government.
OSHA Standards
One of the responsibilities of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is
to develop and enforce mandatory job safety and health standards. These standards
cover the workplace, machinery and equipment, materials, power sources,
processing, protective clothing, first aid, and administrative requirements. To
comply with OSHA, employers need to become familiar with those standards that
are applicable to their establishments and to ensure that their employees use
personal protective gear and equipment when required for safety. Employers can be
cited and fined if they do not comply with OSHA standards.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration can begin standards setting
procedures on its own initiative or on petition from other parties, including the
Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Other bodies that may also initiate
standards-setting procedures are state and local governments and any nationally
recognized standards-producing organization, employer, or labor representative.
NIOSH, however, is the major source of standards. As an agency of the Department
of Health and Human Services, it is responsible for conducting research on various
safety and health problems, including the psychological factors involved.
Enforcing OSHA Standards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is authorized to conduct
workplace inspections, issue citations, and impose penalties on employers. In recent
years OSHA has stepped up its enforcement activities. In 201, OSHA workers
conducted approximately 40,000 workplace inspections, and more than 96,000
workplace violations were found, a 15.3 percent increase since 2006.
Workplace Inspections
Under the act, “upon presenting appropriate credentials to the owner, operator, or
agent in charge,” an OSHA compliance officer is authorized to do the following:
Enter without delay and at reasonable times any factory, plant,
establishment, construction site or other areas, workplace, or environment
where work is performed by an employee of an employer; and to
Inspect and investigate during regular working hours, and at other reasonable
times, and within reasonable limits and in a reasonable manner, any such
place of employment and all pertinent conditions, structures, machines,
apparatus, devices, equipment and materials therein, and to question
privately any such employer, owner, operator, agent, or employee.
OSHA has further established a system of inspection priorities:
First level: Inspection of imminent danger situations
Second level: Investigation of catastrophes, fatalities, and accidents that result in
hospitalization of five or more employees
Third level: Investigation of valid employee complaints of alleged violations of standards or of unsafe or unhealthful working conditions
Fourth level: Special-emphasis inspections aimed at specific high-hazard industries,
occupations, or substances that are injurious to health
Typically, OSHA inspectors arrive at a work site unannounced and ask for a meeting
with a representative of the employer. At the meeting, the inspectors explain the
purpose of the visit, describe the procedure for the inspection, and ask to review the
employer’s safety and health records. An employer may either agree voluntarily to
the inspection or require the inspectors to obtain a search warrant.
The act gives both the employer and the employees the right to accompany
inspectors on their tour of the work site. After the tour, the OSHA officials conduct a
closing conference to inform the employer and employee representatives, if any, of
the results of their inspection. They point out conditions or practices that appear to
be hazardous and issue a written citation if warranted.
Citations and Penalties
OSHA citations may be issued immediately following the inspection or later by mail.
Citations tell the employer and employees which regulations and standards are
alleged to have been violated and the amount of time allowed for their correction.
The employer must post a copy of each citation at or near the place the violation
occurred for three days or until the violation is abated, whichever is longer.
Under the act, OSHA may cite the following violations and propose the following
penalties:
Other-Than-Serious: A violation that has a direct relationship to job safety and
health, but one unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. Such a
penalty could be as low as $100. However, OSHA may propose a penalty of
up to $7,000 for each violation depending upon the circumstances.
Serious: A violation for which there is substantial probability that death or
serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have
known, of the hazard. The average penalty imposed by OSHA for serious
violations is now $3,000–$4,000. The maximum penalty is $7,000 for each
violation.
Willful: A violation that the employer intentionally and knowingly commits, or
a violation that the employer commits with plain indifference to the law.
OSHA may propose penalties of up to $70,000 for each violation or $75,000
per exposed employee for a willful penalty.
If a willful violation results in the death of an employee, OSHA can assess penalties
up to $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for a corporation, imprisonment of up
to six months, or both. The largest ever fine by OSHA was an $87 million penalty
levied in 2009 against the oil giant BP after a 2005 explosion killed 15 workers and
injured 170 others at a BP refinery in Texas. (BP will likely face more fines as a result
of the deadly explosion of its Deepwater Horizon platform in the Gulf of Mexico in
2010.) OSHA can adjust any penalty downward depending on the employer’s good
faith (such as demonstrating effort to comply with the act), history of previous
violations, and size of business. However, the agency can adjust penalties upward
too. OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) identifies employers with
repeated, serious citations, and, among other things, subjects them to increased,
multi-worksite inspections and higher penalties. The law provides for appeal by
employers and employees under certain circumstances.
OSHA Consultation Assistance
Besides helping employers identify and correct specific hazards, OSHA can help employers
develop and implement effective workplace safety and health programs that emphasize
preventing worker injuries and illnesses.
Onsite Consultation
OSHA provides free onsite consultation services. Consultants from the state
government or private contractors help employers identify hazardous conditions
and determine corrective measures. Employers also may receive training and
education services. No citations are issued in connection with a consultation, and
the consultant’s files cannot be used to trigger an OSHA inspection. Additionally, the
consultations may qualify employers for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA
inspections.
Cooperative Programs
Voluntary, cooperative relationships among employers, employees, unions, and
OSHA can be a useful alternative to traditional OSHA enforcement procedures,
serving as an effective way to ensure worker safety and health. There are four
specific cooperative programs—alliances, strategic partnerships, voluntary
protection programs, and the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program:
Alliances. Alliances enable organizations to collaborate with OSHA to prevent
injuries and illnesses in the workplace. OSHA and participating organizations define,
implement, and meet a set of short- and long-term goals to improve workplace
safety and health.
Strategic Partnership Programs (SPPs). Strategic partnerships are long-term
agreements between employers and OSHA aimed at reducing serious workplace
hazards and achieving a high level of worker safety and health.
Voluntary Protection Programs (VPPs). Voluntary protection programs represent
OSHA’s effort to extend worker protection beyond the minimum required OSHA
standards. There are three VPPs—Star, Merit, and Demonstration—each designed to
recognize, motivate, or establish a cooperative relationship between employers and
OSHA.
Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). SHARP is an
OSHA certification program that recognizes small employers with exemplary
achievements in workplace safety and health. Companies that receive SHARP
recognition are exempted from OSHA’s programmed, or regular, inspections as long
as their certifications remain valid.
Responsibilities and Rights under OSHA
Both employers and employees have certain responsibilities and rights under OSHA.
We will discuss only those that relate directly to the management of human
resources.
Employers’ Responsibilities and Rights
In addition to providing a hazard-free workplace and complying with the applicable
standards, employers must inform all of their employees about the safety and
health requirements of OSHA. Specific employer responsibilities are listed in OSHA’s
publication All about OSHA and illustrated in Highlights in HRM 2. Employers are
also required to keep certain records and to compile and post an annual summary of
work-related injuries and illnesses. From these records, organizations can compute
their incidence rate, the number of injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time
employees during a given year. The standard formula for computing the incidence
rate is shown by the following equation, in which 200,000 equals the base for 100
full-time workers who work forty hours a week, fifty weeks a year:
Incidence rate = 5 Number of injuries and illnesses x 200,000
Total hours worked by all employees during period covered
It should be noted that the same formula can be used to compute incidence rates
for (1) the number of workdays lost because of injuries and illnesses, (2) the
number of nonfatal injuries and illnesses without lost workdays, and (3) cases
involving only injuries or only illnesses.
Incidence rates are useful for comparing work groups, departments, and similar
units within an organization. They also provide a basis for comparing multiple
organizations doing similar work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics and other
organizations, such as the National Safety Council, compile data that an employer
can use as a basis for comparing its safety record with those of other organizations.
These comparisons provide a starting point for analyzing problem areas, changing
the working environment, and motivating personnel to promote safety and health.
It is the employer’s responsibility to provide employees with protective equipment
when necessary and ensure it is used. Employers must also provide their workers
with safety training and be prepared to discipline employees for failing to comply
with safety rules. In addition, employers must not discriminate against employees
who exercise their rights under the act by filing complaints with OSHA.
2. HIgHLIgHtS In HRM
What Are My Responsibilities under the OSH Act?
If you are an employer the OSH Act covers, you must:
Meet your general duty responsibility to provide a workplace free from
recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious
physical harm to employees, and comply with standards, rules, and
regulations issued under the act.
Be familiar with mandatory OSHA standards and make copies available to
employees for review upon request.
Inform all employees about OSHA.
Examine workplace conditions to make sure they conform to applicable
standards.
Minimize or reduce hazards.
Make sure employees have and use safe tools and equipment (including
appropriate personal protective equipment), and that such equipment is
properly maintained.
Use color codes, posters, labels, or signs when needed to warn employees of
potential hazards.
Establish or update operating procedures and communicate them so that
employees follow safety and health requirements.
Provide training required by OSHA standards (e.g., hazard communication,
lead, etc).
Report to the nearest OSHA office within eight hours any fatal accident or one
that results in the hospitalization of
three or more employees.
Keep OSHA-required records of work-related injuries and illnesses, and post a
copy of the totals from the last page
of OSHA No. 200 during the entire month of February each year. (This applies
to employers with eleven or more employees.)
Post, at a prominent location within the workplace, the OSHA poster (OSHA
2203) informing employees of their
rights and responsibilities. (In states operating OSHA-‘approved job safety
and health programs, the state’s equivalent poster and/or OSHA 2203 may be
required.)
Provide employees, former employees, and their representatives access to
the Log and Summary of Occupational
Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA 200) at a reasonable time and in a reasonable
manner.
Provide access to employee medical records and exposure records to
employees or their authorized representatives.
Cooperate with the OSHA compliance officer by furnishing names of
authorized employee representatives who may be asked to accompany the
compliance officer during an inspection. (If none, the compliance officer will
consult
with a reasonable number of employees concerning safety and health in the
workplace.)
Not discriminate against employees who properly exercise their rights under
the act.
Post OSHA citations at or near the worksite involved. Each citation, or copy
thereof, must remain posted until the violation has been abated, or for three
working days, whichever is longer.
Abate cited violations within the prescribed period.
If you are an employee the OSH Act covers, you should:
Read the OSHA poster at the job site.
Comply with all applicable OSHA standards.
Follow all employer safety and health rules and regulations, and wear or use
prescribed protective equipment while engaged in work.
What Are My Responsibilities under the OSH Act? (continued)
Report hazardous conditions to the supervisor.
Cooperate with the OSHA compliance officer conducting an inspection if he or
she inquires about safety and health conditions in your workplace.
Exercise your rights under the act in a responsible manner.
Although OSHA does not cite employees for violations of their responsibilities,
each employee must follow all applicable standards, rules, regulations, and
orders issued under the OSH Act. OSHA, however, does not expect employees to
pay for guardrails, floor cleaning, equipment maintenance, respirators, training,
or other safety and health measures.
employers are afforded many rights under the act, most of which pertain to
receiving information from OSHA, applying for variances in safety and health
standards, and contesting the agency’s penalties.
Employees’ Responsibilities and Rights
Employees are required to comply with all applicable OSHA standards, to report
hazardous conditions, and to follow all employer safety and health rules and
regulations, including those prescribing the use of protective equipment.
Workers have a right to demand safe and healthy conditions on the job without
fear of punishment. They also have many rights that pertain to requesting and
receiving information about safety and health conditions. For example, most
states—and federal law—require that employers provide information to
employees about the hazardous chemicals they handle. Commonly known as
right-to-know laws, these statutes require employers and manufacturers to give
employees information about the toxic and hazardous substances they could
come into contact with on the job and what the health risks related to those
substances are. Since state right-to-know laws can be more stringent than
federal law, employers are encouraged to contact their state’s health and safety
agency for a copy of their appropriate hazard communication standards.
OSHA’s Enforcement Record
Perhaps no federal government agency has been more severely criticized than
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Unions and safety groups
continue to worry that OSHA is lax in monitoring its agreements with
organizations. These groups would prefer mandatory standards instead of
voluntary guidelines for problems such as injuries related to jobs involving
repetitive motion—a topic to be considered later in the chapter.
Meanwhile employers often say that OSHA’s standards are unrealistic and
inspectors are overzealous. “It seems OSHA administration conducts research
and sets safety and health standards in an ivory tower, not knowing or caring if
standards are valid for the real world,” remarked one safety manager. Another
criticism is that many of OSHA’s standards are dangerously outdated.
However, the complaint most registered against OSHA is uneven enforcement
efforts by the agency from one political administration to the next. Under some
administrations, the funding for the agency has been cut and enforcement
efforts have been seen as virtually nonexistent (or at least very lax). Under other
administrations, regulatory enforcement has seemed more proactive. In recent
years, the funding for OSHA has increased, and it has stepped up its
enforcement measures.
Promoting a Safe Work Environment
Typically, a firm’s HR department or the industrial relations department is
responsible for its safety program. Although the success of a safety program
depends largely on managers and supervisors of operating departments, the HR
department typically coordinates the safety communication and training
programs, maintains safety records required by OSHA, and works closely with
managers and supervisors in a cooperative effort to make the program a
success.
Organizations with formal safety programs generally have employeemanagement safety committees that include representatives from management,
each department or manufacturing/service unit, and employee representatives.
Committees are typically involved in investigating accidents and helping to
publicize the importance of safety rules and their enforcement.
Creating a Culture of Safety
Lower-level operational managers and supervisors have traditionally been the
bedrock for encouraging health and safety in their organizations. Indeed, one
study by the American Institute of Plant Engineers showed that there was a
direct correlation between an increase in the commitment to safety by managers
and a decrease in accidents. However, firms today try to create a “culture” of
safety within their organizations that goes beyond managing operational
processes and reducing accidents. A culture of safety exists when everyone
within an organization consciously works to improve its safety and health
conditions. HR managers play a key role in this effort. “HR executives should be
the point persons on creating and making sure that a corporate safety culture
exists,” Carolyn Merritt, the late chairperson of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board
(CSB) once noted. “These are the people who have their fingers on the culture
pulses of the organization.”
Furthermore, the CSB advocates a culture of safety that focuses specifically on
process safety metrics. For example, instead of counting injuries, managers
should set goals on how many unit safety meetings should be held quarterly and
measure goal attainment. Greg Andress, executive manager at Gallagher Bassett
Services (safety consultants), states, “You want to measure the drivers within
your organization that are going to create a change in the culture.
Interviewing for Safety and Fitness-for-Duty Tests
One of the ways HR managers can help create a culture of safety within in an
organization is to encourage supervisors to incorporate safety into their
interviews with job candidates. Have you ever known someone who seemed
accident prone? What about someone who rarely ever experienced a scratch?
Several researchers have reported finding a correlation between different
employees and their propensity for safety. Although asking job candidates about
the injuries they have experienced is off limits, interviewers can ask candidates
other behavioral-type questions designed to elicit their propensity for safety. For
example, an interviewer might ask a candidate a question about an unsafe
incident they witnessed and how they handled it.
Some companies periodically conduct fitness-for-duty evaluations on their
current employees. Fitness-for-duty evaluations are similar to prehire physical
exams but can be done any time during employment. They determine an
employee’s physical, mental, and emotional fitness and are most often used for
in safety or security sensitive positions. For example, federal rules require
nuclear-plant workers to undergo random fitness-for-duty evaluations on the job
to determine if they have been using alcohol or drugs.
The Key Role of the Supervisor
Supervisors can do much more than interview candidates for their safety tendencies, however.
As we have explained, like HR managers, supervisors play a key role in their employer’s safety
programs. One of a supervisor’s major responsibilities is to communicate to an employee the
need to work safely.Beginning with new employee orientation, safety should be emphasized
continually. Proper work procedures, the use of protective clothing and devices, and potential
hazards should be explained thoroughly.
Furthermore, employees’ understanding of all these considerations should be verified during
training sessions, and employees should be encouraged to be proactive when it comes to
safety. In other words, they should be coached to look for safety problems before they occur.
Moreover, supervisors must continually observe employees at work, reinforce safe practices,
and immediately correct behaviors that are unsafe.
Proactive Safety Training Programs
Safety training is not only good business; in certain occupational areas, safety and health training
is legally required. For example, employers regulated by a federal agency called the Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are legally required to provide their employees with
environmental-safety protection training. When training is mandated, employers must keep
accurate records of all employee education. Violations can incur criminal penalties.
Baggage Handling
Ticket Counter
Make-up Room
Ramp Area
Most organizations have a safety awareness program that entails the use of several different
media. Safety lectures and courses, and printed and audiovisual material are common. use of
games has also become an interactive way to provide employees with safety training. Costco
and Amazon.com, for example, have successfully used a product called Safety Bingo to
motivate employees on a daily basis to create a safetyconscious atmosphere and remind them
of their safety goals. Of course, the Web has become a popular way to disseminate safety
training materials as well. One safety manager went so far as to describe his company’s intranet
as the “the organization’s SWAT team to develop and implement timely and efficient health and
safety programs.” In addition to distributing safety and compliance information via the Web,
CDs, and PowerPoint presentations downloadable from its website, OSHA has developed
online modules called “eTools” that deal with various safety and health topics and provide
employers and employees information on how OSHA regulations apply to their work
organizations.
Figure 12.1 shows OSHA’s eTool designed to help workers who handle baggage do so safely.
HR professionals and safety directors in particular advocate employee involvement when
designing and implementing safety programs. Employees can offer valuable ideas regarding
specific safety and health topics to cover, instructional methods, and proper teaching
techniques. Furthermore, employees are more likely to embrace safety training when they feel a
sense of ownership in the instructional program.
Enforcing Safety Rules
Firms communicate specific safety rules and regulations in a variety of ways, including through
supervisors, bulletin board notices, employee handbooks, and signs attached to equipment. To
keep employees aware of hazards, some organizations provide their employees with small,
laminated OSHA “Quick Cards.” The cards contain brief, easy-to-follow safety and health
information employees can keep on hand and refer to as necessary. Figure 12. 2 shows an
example of a Quick Card. Safety rules are also emphasized in regular safety meetings, at new
employee orientations, and in an organization’s manual of standard operating procedures.
Chain Saw Safety
Operating a chain saw can be hazardous. Potential injuries can be minimized by using
properpersonalprotective equipment and safe operating procedures.
Before Starting a Chain Saw
• Check controls, chain tension, and all bolts and handles to ensure that they are
functioning properly and that they are adjusted according tothe manufacturer’s
instructions.
• Make sure that the chain is always sharp and that the oil tank is full.
• Start the saw on the ground or on another rm support. Drop starting is never allowed.
• Start the saw at least 10 feet from the fueling area, with the chain’s brake engaged.
Fueling a Chain Saw
• Use approved containers for transporting fuel to the saw.
• Dispense fuel at least 10 feet away from any sources of ignition when performing
construction activities. No smoking during fueling.
• Use a funnel or a exible hose when pouring fuel into the saw.
• Never attempt to fuel a running or HOT saw.
Chain Saw Safety
• Clear away dirt, debris, small tree limbs and rocks from the saw’s chain path. Look for
nails, spikes or other metal in the tree before cutting.
• Shut off the saw or engage its chain brake when carrying the saw on rough or uneven
terrain.
• Keep your hands on the saw’s handles, and maintain balance while operating the saw.
• Proper personal protective equipment must be worn when operating the saw, which
includes hand, foot, leg, eye, face, hearing and head protection.
• Do not wear loose- tting clothing.
• Be careful that the trunk or tree limbs will not bind against the saw.
• Watch for branches under tension; they may spring out when cut.
• Gasoline-powered chain saws must be equipped with a protective device that
minimizes chain saw kickback.
• Be cautious of saw kickback. To avoid kickback, do not saw with the tip. Keep tip
guard in place.
The consequences for violating safety rules are usually stated in a firm’s employee handbook.
Usually the consequences include an oral or written warning for the first violation, suspension
for repeated violations, and, as a last resort, dismissal. However, for serious violations—such as
smoking around volatile substances—even the first offense could be cause for an employee’s
termination.
While discipline may force employees to work safely, safety managers understand that the most
effective enforcement of safety rules occurs when employees willingly adhere to and “champion”
safety rules and procedures. This can be achieved when managers actively encourage
employees to participate in all aspects of the organization’s safety program. This is important
because employees who are involved in their companies’ safety programs are not only more
engaged employees but safer employees. According to a study by the Society of Human
Resources Management, engaged employees were five times less likely than nonengaged
employees to have a safety incident and seven times less likely to have a lost-time safety
incident. In addition, the average cost of a safety incident was $392 for nonengaged employees,
but only $63 for engaged employees.
There are a number of ways to involve and engage employees in company safety programs. In
addition to TQM programs, they include having employees (1) jointly set safety standards with
managers, (2) participate in safety training, (3) help design and implement special safety
training programs, (4) establish safety incentives and rewards, and (5) be involved in accident
investigations. Other ways to engage employees is to solicit their ideas and opinions when
assessing the risk of jobs during the job analysis process. The idea behind this is to help identify
potential hazards and develop protective measures before accidents occur. Establishing an
employee safety suggestion program and asking employees to formally participate in the
process of observing the safety behavior of their coworkers are two other ways. So is soliciting
employees’ opinions about the safety of the tools a company is considering purchasing.
The consequences for violating safety rules are usually stated in a firm’s employee handbook.
Usually the consequences include an oral or written warning for the first violation, suspension
for repeated violations, and, as a last resort, dismissal. However, for serious violations—such as
smoking around volatile substances—even the first offense could be cause for an employee’s
termination.
While discipline may force employees to work safely, safety managers understand that the most
effective enforcement of safety rules occurs when employees willingly adhere to and “champion”
safety rules and procedures. This can be achieved when managers actively encourage
employees to participate in all aspects of the organization’s safety program. This is important
because employees who are involved in their companies’ safety programs are not only more
engaged employees but safer employees. According to a study by the Society of Human
Resources Management, engaged employees were five times less likely than nonengaged
employees to have a safety incident and seven times less likely to have a lost-time safety
incident. In addition, the average cost of a safety incident was $392 for nonengaged employees,
but only $63 for engaged employees.
There are a number of ways to involve and engage employees in company safety programs. In
addition to TQM programs, they include having employees (1) jointly set safety standards with
managers, (2) participate in safety training, (3) help design and implement special safety
training programs, (4) establish safety incentives and rewards, and (5) be involved in accident
investigations. Other ways to engage employees is to solicit their ideas and opinions when
assessing the risk of jobs during the job analysis process. The idea behind this is to help identify
potential hazards and develop protective measures before accidents occur. Establishing an
employee safety suggestion program and asking employees to formally participate in the
process of observing the safety behavior of their coworkers are two other ways. So is soliciting
employees’ opinions about the safety of the tools a company is considering purchasing.
Investigating and Recording Accidents
Every accident, even those considered minor, should be investigated by the supervisor and a
member of the safety committee. Such an investigation may determine the Every accident, even
those considered minor, should be investigated by the supervisor and a member of the safety
committee. Such an investigation may determine the factors contributing to the accident and
reveal what corrections are needed to prevent it from happening again. Correction may require
rearranging workstations, installing safety guards or controls, or, more often, giving employees
additional safety training and reassessing their motivation for safety.
OSHA requirements mandate that employers with eleven or more employees maintain records of
work-related occupational injuries and illnesses.
As stated in an earlier section, OSHA also requires a Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
(OSHA Form 300) to be maintained by the organization. All recordable cases are to be entered in
the log. A recordable case is any injury or illness that results in any of the following: death, days
away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, or medical treatment beyond first aid.
Other problems employers must record as work-related include loss of consciousness or
diagnosis of a significant injury or illness by a health care professional.
Figure 12.3 illustrates OSHA’s diagram for classifying accidents under the law. For every
recordable case written in the log, an Injury and Illness Incident Report (OSHA Form 301) is to
be completed. OSHA Form 301 requires answers to questions about the case. Each year OSHA
Form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, must be completed and posted in a
conspicuous place or places where notices to employees are customarily posted. Remember,
when completing all OSHA forms, employers must not list the name of an injured or ill
employee if the case has “privacy concerns,” such as those involving sexual assault, HIV
infection, and mental illness. We conclude our discussion of OSHA by showing the OSHA poster
that employers are required to display at the workplace (see Highlights in HRM 5).
Safety Hazards and Issues
Workers face many different safety hazards on the job, which differ depending upon their
occupations. It is impossible to discuss all of them in this chapter. However, we will discuss a
number of hazards that have been getting a great deal of attention from HR managers and firms
lately.
Fatigue
Few safety issues have been in the news more lately than employee fatigue. You have probably
heard about air traffic controllers who have fallen asleep on the job and could not be awakened
by pilots trying to contact them. Fatigue is more of a problem in organizations that operate
around the clock or have night shifts. Studies show that 30 percent to 50 percent of night-shift
workers report falling asleep at least once a week while on the job, according to Dr. Charles
Czeisler, chief of sleep medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Fatigue may not result in “life or death” consequences for most jobs. Nonetheless managers,
employees, and the public are concerned about how it affects workplace safety and
performance. The regulations in certain industries limit the number of hours employees can
work per shift. The airline industry is one such industry. However, even with the limits, workers
are finding themselves fatigued. Some experts say downsizing may be a factor as fewer
workers are being asked to cover more shifts. Recently the U.S. government vowed it would
give air traffic controllers an extra hour off between shifts to combat fatigue. Continental has
given its pilots permission to call in and report they‘re too fatigued to fly.
Although OSHA currently has no fatigue standard, it is seeking to establish one, and unions are
increasingly negotiating fatigue contracts. Employees at Dow Chemical’s Freeport, Texas,
facility have negotiated a fatigue standard in their new labor contract. Under the new
agreement, employees who work three consecutive sixteenhour days must receive a twentyfour-hour break. Employees on regular shifts must get a forty-eight-hour break if they work
twenty-one days in a row.
Distracted Driving
Do you know what the leading cause of worker fatalities each year is? Motor vehicle crashes.
Moreover, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, people who
send text messages while driving are three times more likely to crash than other drivers, and
distracted driving accounts for 80 percent of all accidents. When it comes to mass transit, the
consequences of distracted driving can be catastrophic. For example, in 2008, a Los Angeles
commuter train collided head on with another train. Twenty-five people died, including the
operator of the train. Another 135 others were injured. A subsequent investigation of the accident
found that operator had sent or received fifty-seven text messages while on the job that day,
including one sent twenty-two seconds before the crash.
To help prevent distracted driving accidents, a growing number of employers are adopting
mandatory cell-phone policies for their employees. A survey of more than 2,000 employers
conducted by the National Safety Council found that 58 percent had some type of cell-phone
usage policy in place, and roughly one-quarter of those surveyed prohibit both handheld and
handsfree devices while driving for some or all employees.
Highlights in HRM 3 shows a template of such a policy developed by AT&T that companies can
utilize. Other companies are doing more than establishing policies. They are outfitting their
phones with apps like Phone Guard, which prevents drivers from texting, browsing the web, or
checking e-mail when they are traveling ten miles per hour or faster.
OSHA does not have specific regulations on distracted driving. However, the agency has vowed
that if an employer encourages or gives its workers an incentive to engage in distracted driving,
it will penalize a company for creating an unsafe environment under OSHA’s “general duty”
clause. The general duty clause [Section 5(a) (1)] states that each employer “shall furnish . . . a
place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to
cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” The clause is used to enforce a wide
range of safety and health violations for which specific regulations have not been implemented.
In 2009 President Obama signed an Executive Order on distracted driving, which prohibits
federal employees from texting behind the wheel while working or while using government
vehicles and communications devices. More than thirty states also prohibit texting while driving.
Mobile phones are not the only electronic safety culprit, though. Workers who stop hearing the
world around them because they are wired up to MP3 players also create risks. One aerospace
manufacturer banned its 1,500 employees from using them at work. “Even though there have
been no incidents, there are aircraft, forklifts, trucks, and so on moving around. We feel people
should always be concentrating fully,” said a spokesperson for the company.
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