1 Copyright © 2007 by McGraw-Hill Ryerson. All rights reserved.Schwind 8th Canadian Edition. 13 T H...

1Copyright © 2007 by McGraw-Hill Ryerson. All rights reserved. Schwind 8th Canadian Edition

.13T H I R T E E N

Ensuring Health and Ensuring Health and Safety at the WorkplaceSafety at the WorkplaceEnsuring Health and Ensuring Health and Safety at the WorkplaceSafety at the Workplace

C H A P T E R


Assumption of RiskAssumption of RiskAssumption of RiskAssumption of Risk

An obsolete attitude toward

accident prevention where the

worker accepted all the

customary risks and unsafe

practices


Recognizing Hazards Recognizing Hazards Recognizing Hazards Recognizing Hazards

Hazard – anything that can hurt you or make you ill

Assessing hazards by learning 4 types

• Physical hazard: electricity, machinery parts, ladders, liquids on the floor.


Recognizing Hazards (cont.)Recognizing Hazards (cont.)Recognizing Hazards (cont.)Recognizing Hazards (cont.)

• Biological hazards: blood, body fluids, plants, fungi, insect bites, bacteria, viruses, animal droppings.


Recognizing Hazards (cont.) Recognizing Hazards (cont.) Recognizing Hazards (cont.) Recognizing Hazards (cont.)

• Chemical hazards: cleaning products, paint, acid, welding fume, flammable materials, gas.

• Ergonomic hazards: poor lighting, constant lifting, repeating the same movements over and over, poor workstation and chair.


Safety in the Workplace ModelsSafety in the Workplace ModelsSafety in the Workplace ModelsSafety in the Workplace Models

Early approach to safety in the workplace Early approach to safety in the workplace assuming accidents were due to workers’ assuming accidents were due to workers’

carelessnesscarelessness

Careless WorkerCareless Worker

An approach to workplace safety that relies An approach to workplace safety that relies on the cooperation of the employer and on the cooperation of the employer and

employeesemployees

Shared ResponsibilityShared Responsibility


Health & Safety in the WorkplaceHealth & Safety in the WorkplaceHealth & Safety in the WorkplaceHealth & Safety in the Workplace

• Growing emphasis on health and safety in the workplace– Strong union pressure– Increased public interest in greater

corporate responsibility

• Better and more comprehensive federal and provincial legislation and health and safety measures


Workplace InjuriesWorkplace InjuriesWorkplace InjuriesWorkplace Injuries

• Workplace accidents and occupational-related illnesses cost about $5 billion in direct compensation (more than $10 billion including indirect expenses) annually

• Work accidents are caused by a combination of unsafe employee behaviour and unsafe working conditions


Health HazardsHealth HazardsHealth HazardsHealth Hazards

PhysicalPhysicalagentsagents

Exposure toExposure tophysicalphysicalelementselementseg. noiseeg. noise

BiologicalBiologicalagentsagents

Exposure toExposure tonaturalnatural

organismsorganismseg. viruseseg. viruses

ChemicalChemicalagentsagents

Exposure to Exposure to chemicals or chemicals or other toxic other toxic substancessubstances

ErgonomicallyErgonomicallyrelatedrelated

Caused by Caused by the work the work

environment environment eg. repetitive eg. repetitive

strainstrain


Younger WorkersYounger WorkersYounger WorkersYounger Workers

• Growing emphasis on the health and safety of young workers

• 1 in 7 young workers is injured on the job

• One-fourth of all workplace injuries involve workers aged 15-29


Federal and Provincial RegulationsFederal and Provincial RegulationsFederal and Provincial RegulationsFederal and Provincial Regulations

• Each province and the Federal jurisdiction have detailed legislation addressing health and safety

• 3 Fundamental Employee Rights– The right to know about workplace hazards– The right to participate in correcting hazards– The right to refuse dangerous work


Joint OHS CommitteeJoint OHS CommitteeJoint OHS CommitteeJoint OHS Committee

• Key element of health and safety laws

• Broad range of responsibilities:– e.g. investigate & resolve complaints,

monitor health & safety programs, etc.

• Usually required in every workplace with 20 or more employees


Federal LawsFederal LawsFederal LawsFederal Laws

• Hazardous Products Act (1985)– Protects consumers by regulating the sale of

dangerous products

• Workplace Hazardous Material Information System - WHMIS (1988)– Requires labels on all hazardous products– Requires use of Material Safety Data Sheets

(MSDS)

• Safety Enforcement


Responsibility for Health & SafetyResponsibility for Health & SafetyResponsibility for Health & SafetyResponsibility for Health & Safety

ResponsibilityResponsibilityfor Health andfor Health and

SafetySafety

Top Top ManagementManagement

SupervisorsSupervisorsEmployeesEmployees


Implications for HRMImplications for HRMImplications for HRMImplications for HRM

• Consistent reinforcement & due diligence– Ensure consistent enforcement of all safety and

health rules and all reasonable steps were taken to avoid a particular health and safety offence

• Healthy and Safety Audit

• Safety Climate– Commitment to safety– HRM practices– Local work group support & processes


Workplace StressWorkplace StressWorkplace StressWorkplace Stress

• Workplace stress– Harmful physical and emotional responses

• Stress management– Ways of dealing with the problem of stress

• Conference Board of Canada– Estimated financial cost associated with stress

in the Canadian workplace exceeds $12 billion per year


Symptoms of StressSymptoms of StressSymptoms of StressSymptoms of Stress

SymptomsSymptomsof Stressof StressSymptomsSymptomsof Stressof Stress

Nervousness, chronic worry

Easily provoked to anger

Depression, burnout

Physical ailments

Cardiovascular disease

Injuries, suicide, cancer, ulcers


Major Causes of Workplace StressMajor Causes of Workplace StressMajor Causes of Workplace StressMajor Causes of Workplace Stress

Role in the Role in the organizationorganization

Career Career developmentdevelopment

• Role conflict/role ambiguity, level of responsibility

• Under or over-promotion, job security, career development opportunities, job satisfaction

Factors unique Factors unique to jobto job

• Workload, work pace, autonomy, shift work, physical environment, isolation

more


Major Causes of Workplace StressMajor Causes of Workplace StressMajor Causes of Workplace StressMajor Causes of Workplace Stress

Organizational Organizational climateclimate

• Level of participation in decision-making, management style, communication patterns

Relationships Relationships at workat work

• Supervisors/co-workers and/or subordinates, threat of violence or harassment


BurnoutBurnoutBurnoutBurnout

• Burnout– Condition of mental, emotional, and sometimes

physical exhaustion that results form substantial and prolonged stress

– Body is at work but mind is at home

HR Role: Human Resource department needs to be proactive – Help employees prevent burnout before it occurs– Other preventative strategies e.g. job redesign


Stress and Job performanceStress and Job performanceStress and Job performanceStress and Job performance

• Stress can be either helpful or harmful

No stress-----No Job challenges----performance tends to be low

Stress increases---performance tends increases

Stress becomes too great-----performance begins to decline

An employee loses the ability to cope and unable to make decisions


Stress ManagementStress ManagementStress ManagementStress Management

There are several solutions to manage workplace stress:

• Curative measures – Try to correct the outcome of stress e.g. yoga,

exercise program, counselling services

• Preventive measures – Attempts to change the causes of stress e.g.

stress management training sessions, improving working conditions


Stress Management (cont.)Stress Management (cont.)Stress Management (cont.)Stress Management (cont.)

• Stress audit

– Identifies the causes of stress.

» Is job satisfaction low? » Do interpersonal relations contribute

to the symptoms described?» Do career development variables

contribute to the symptoms described?


HR Actions to Reduce StressHR Actions to Reduce StressHR Actions to Reduce StressHR Actions to Reduce Stress

Human ResourceHuman ResourceActions to ReduceActions to Reduce

StressStress

EstablishEstablishpolicypolicy Job designJob design

ProvideProvidetrainingtraining

WorkWorkschedulesschedules

Define rolesDefine roles

Participate inParticipate indecisionsdecisions

ImproveImprovecommunicationcommunication

CompatibleCompatibleworkloadworkload


Fitness & Employee WellnessFitness & Employee WellnessFitness & Employee WellnessFitness & Employee Wellness

• Improve employee health

• Decrease health-care costs

• Improve employee satisfaction

• Decrease absenteeism and turnover

• Improve corporate image


Other Contemporary Safety IssuesOther Contemporary Safety IssuesOther Contemporary Safety IssuesOther Contemporary Safety Issues

• Workplace Security - evacuation of building

• Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) – caused by major combustion (very strong) pollutants such as malfunctioning heating system, pesticides, etc.

• Workplace Violence – to prevent incidents of workplace violence ….. anti-violence policy, zero-tolerance policy, self-defense training, safety-security measures.


Other Contemporary Safety Other Contemporary Safety Issues (cont.)Issues (cont.)Other Contemporary Safety Other Contemporary Safety Issues (cont.)Issues (cont.)• Ergonomics – proactive employers

provide safe work environment and maintain employee privacy concerns.


Other Contemporary Safety Other Contemporary Safety Issues (cont.)Issues (cont.)Other Contemporary Safety Other Contemporary Safety Issues (cont.)Issues (cont.)

• AIDS – policy regarding HIV-

infected employee– mandatory training for

managers, supervisors and union leaders

– education programs for all employees

– counseling and support


.13T H I R T E E N

Ensuring Health and Ensuring Health and Safety at the WorkplaceSafety at the WorkplaceEnsuring Health and Ensuring Health and Safety at the WorkplaceSafety at the Workplace

C H A P T E R

1 Copyright © 2007 by McGraw-Hill Ryerson. All rights reserved.Schwind 8th Canadian Edition. 13 T H...

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Transcript of 1 Copyright © 2007 by McGraw-Hill Ryerson. All rights reserved.Schwind 8th Canadian Edition. 13 T H...