Safety and health issues in industry

1. Safety and Health
• Dr. N. Yuvaraj
• Assistant Professor
• Achariya Arts and Science College
• Villianur , Puducherry

2. Strategic Importance of Workplace
Safety and Health
• Benefits of a Safe and Healthy Workforce:
Higher productivity
Increased efficiency and quality
Reduced medical and insurance costs
Lower workers’ compensation rates and payments
Improved reputation as an employer of choice

3. Consequences of an Unsafe and Unhealthy
Work Environment
• Injury and Disease
 Back injuries are most
prevalent
 Exposure to Chemicals
 Undetected effects,
possible long-term risk
• Mental Health
 Psychological symptoms
can affect productivity
and life away from work
• Deaths and Violence
• Economic Costs

4. Workplace Safety and Health in an Integrated HRM System

5. The External Environment
• Global Consideration
 There are substantial differences in national standards
regarding workplace safety and health.
• Global Organizations
 International Labour Organization (ILO)
 World Health Organization (WHO)
 Strengthen international and national policies.
 Develop practices for improving health at work.
 Promote health at work through technical
assistance/support.
 Develop human resources for the field of occupational
health.
 Establish relevant and useful registration and data
systems.
 Raise public awareness.
 Strengthen research on occupational health.

6. Workplace Safety and Health Hazards
• Occupational Accidents
 Organizational Qualities
 Factors most affecting workplace accidents:
– Working conditions and times
– Tools and technology available to do the job

7. Individual Qualities: The Unsafe
Employee
• Characteristics that make people more
susceptible to accidents:
Emotionally ―low‖
Stressed

8. Violent Employees
• Homicide is leading
cause of workplace
deaths after highway
accidents
• Signs of potential
violence:
 Verbal threats
 Physical Actions
 Intimidation
 Show weapons
 Try to gain access
 Frustration
 mania

9. Occupational Diseases
• Disease-Causing Hazards:
 Arsenic, asbestos, benzene, bichloromethylether
 Coal dust, coke-oven emissions, cotton dust
 Lead, radiation, vinyl chloride
• Workers most likely to be exposed:
 Chemical and oil refinery workers, miners, textile workers
 Steelworkers, lead smelters
 Medical technicians, painters, shoemakers, plastics industry
workers.

10. Diseases Linked to Workplace Hazards
• Cancer
 Liver, lung, brain, kidney
• Lung Disease
 White, brown, and black lung
• Leukemia
• Bronchitis, emphysema
• Lymphoma, aplastic anemia
• Central nervous system damage
• Reproductive Disorders
• Skin Diseases

11. Accident Prevention
• Design a safe work environment
Guards, handrails
Safety goggles, helmets
Warning lights
Self-correcting mechanisms
Automatic shutoffs
• Ergonomics
Change job environment to match
capabilities limitations of employees

12. Accident Prevention (cont’d)
• Health and Safety Committees
 At the department level, do implementation and
administration
 At the organization level, formulate policies
• Behavior Modification
 Small percentage of workforce responsible for
majority of health insurance claims
 Measure, communicate, monitor, and reinforce desired
behavior
• Assessing Intervention Effectiveness

13. Disease Prevention
• Reducing the Incidence of Diseases
 Record keeping
 Monitoring exposure
 Genetic screening

14. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
of 1970
• Mission of OSHA
 To assure the safety and health of America’s workers
by setting and enforcing standards
 providing training and education
 establishing partnerships with businesses
 encouraging continual improvements in workplace
safety and health
 Coverage of employees—all nongovernmental employers
and employees; state and local government employees

15. Provisions of OSHA
• OSHA Standards
 Apply to general industry, maritime, construction, and
agriculture
 Cover the workplace, machinery and equipment, material,
power sources, processing, protective clothing, first aid, and
administrative requirements.
• Enforcement of the Act
 The Secretary of Labor is authorized by the Act to conduct
workplace inspections, to issue citations, and to impose
penalties on employers.
 Inspections are conducted by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration of the Department of Labor.

16. Creating a Safe Work Environment
Safety Awareness
Programs
Safety Motivation
and Knowledge
Enforcement of
Safety Rules
Accident
Investigations
and Records
Elements in Creating a Safe
Work Environment

17. Creating a Safe Work Environment
• Promoting Safety Awareness
 The Key Role of the Supervisor
 Communicating the need to work safely.
 Proactive Safety Training Program
 First aid, defensive driving, accident prevention
techniques, hazardous materials, and emergency
procedures.
 Information Technology and Safety Awareness and
Training

18. Creating a Safe Work Environment
• Typical Safety Rules
 Using proper safety devices
 Using proper work procedures
 Following good housekeeping practices
 Complying with accident- and injury-reporting
procedures
 Wearing required safety clothing and equipment
 Avoiding carelessness and horseplay

19. Creating a Healthy Work Environment
• Recognizing and Controlling Health Hazards Related to
Hazardous Materials and Processes
 Use substitutes for hazardous materials.
 Alter hazardous processes and engineering controls.
 Enclose or isolate hazardous processes.
 Issue clothing to protect against hazards.
 Improve ventilation.

20. Key Elements for a Successful
Ergonomics Program
Provide notice and training for employees.
Conduct pre-injury hazard assessment.
Involve employees.
File injury reports.
Plan and execute.
Evaluate and assess the ergonomics program.

21. Workplace Violence
• Reducing Violence in the Workplace
 Commitment to prevent violence
 Identify areas of potential violence
 Develop violence prevention policies
 Provide violence prevention training
 Evaluate program effectiveness

22. Building Better Health
Alternative
Approaches
Wellness Programs
Health Services Focus on Nutrition

23. Employee Health
Cleanliness ( sewerage and sanitation)
Air ventilation and temperature (maximum 25 – 30 degree
Celsius)
Cross ventilation, required no of fans and exhaust fans
Thermometer kept in visible place
Dust Sucker, Mask
Lighting

24. Safe drinking water
Minimum 4 ltr per day
Min 6 mtr away from toilets
Water cooler ( 250 employees and more)
3 ltr saline water if needed
Toilets
 one / 25 (female) up to first 500
 one / 40 (male) up to first 500

25. Employee Safety
Safety of building equipment and other infrastructure
Fire fighting and safety ( emergency door, 2 per room,
emergency staircase)
Fire fighting equipment
Safety against electrical wearing and connections
Crane and lift etc
Turbine