A8 - EE Safety and Health Flashcards
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
- “to assure the safety/health of America’s workers by setting/enforcing standards; providing training, olutreach, and ed.; establ. partnerships; and ecnouraging continual improvements in workplace safety and health”
- very effective in reducing the number of injuries resulting in lost work time, the incident rate of specific injuries such as back probs, and the number of job-related deaths
OSHA coverage requirements
ENTITIES - cov’d / not cov’d
- COVERED:
- all private sector EEs and public EEs in state/local gov’ts
- Fed’d agencies are required to estab. and maintain a safety and health program that is monitored by OSHA
- NOT COVERED: self-employed workers
- 1/2 of the states have their own program for private/public workers (enforce it)
OHSA Standards
- develop and enforce mandatory job safety and health standards
- cover the workplace, machinery/equipment, materials, power sources, processing, protective clothing, first aid, and admin. requirements
- ER responsibility: ensure that their EE use personal protective gear and equipment when required for safety
- use Sec. of Health and Human Services and Nat’l Instit. for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to begin setting standards
- the major source of setting standards
- agency of Dept. of HHS
- responsible for conducting research on various safety and health probs., including the psychological factors involved
Nat’l Insti. for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH)
Enforcing OSHA standards
- workplace inspections
- issue citations
- impose penalities on ERs
- Additional:
- provide free on-site consultation service to help firms ID hazardous conditions and how to correct them
- involved w/ voluntary, cooperative relationships among ERs, EEs, and unions
OSHA’s system of inspection priorities
- First Level: inspection of imminent danger situations
- Second Level: invest. of catastrophes, fatalities, and accidents that result in hospitalization of 5 or more EEs
- Third Level: Invest. of valid EE compliants 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 substance that are injurious to health
Workplace Inspections
- enter w/out delay and at reasonable times
- inspect and invest. during reg hrs and at other reasonable times and w/in reasonable limits and in a reasonable manner
- inpectors arrive at work site unannounced and ask for a meeting w/ rep of the ER
- inspectors explain the purpose of the visit
- describe the procedure for the inspection
- ask to review the ER’s safety/health records
- ER may either agree voluntarily or required to obtain a search warrant
- gives both the ER and the EEs the right to accompany inspections
Citations and Penalties
- may be issued immediately follwing the inspection or later by mail
- tells the ER and EEs which regs and standards that are violated
- amt of time allowed for their correction
- ER must post a copy of each citation at or near the place the violation occurred for 3 days or until the violation is abated - whichever is longer
(3) types of citations/penalties
- other-than-serious
- serious
- willful
- type of citation
- violation that has a direct relationship to job safety and health but one unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm
other-than-serious citation
penalty for other-than-serious citations
- could be as low as $100
- OSHA may propose a penalty of up to $7,000 for each violation depending on the circumstance
- type of citation
- violation for which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the ER knew, or should have known, of the hazard
serious citation
penalty for serious citations
- avg penalty imposed is $3,000 - $4,000
- max is $7,000 per violation
- type of citation
- violation that the ER intentionally and knowingly commits or ER commits w/ plain indifference to the law
willful citation
penalty for willful citation
- penalties of up to $70,000 for each violation or $75,000 per exposed EE for a willful penalty
- if it results in death: penalties up to $250,000 for an indiv. or $500,000 for a corporation, imprisonment of up to 6 months, or both
OSHA Consultation Assistance
- onsite consultation
- cooperative programs
- Alliances
- Strat. Partnership Progs. (SPPs)
- Voluntary Protection Progs. (VPPs)
- Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Prpg. (SHARP)
ONSITE Consultation Assistance
- free
- help ERs ID hazardous conditions and determine corrective measures
- ERs may receive training and ed.
- no citations are issued in connection w/ consultation
- may qualify ERs for a 1-yr exemption from routine OSHA inspections
- type of cooperative program consultation assistance
- enable orgs to collaborate w/ OSHA to prevent injuries and illnesses in the workplace
- define, implement, and meet a set of S/T and L/T goals to improve workplace health/safety
Alliances
- type of cooperative program consultation assistance
- L/T agreements b/w ERs and OSHA aimed at reducing serious workplace hazards and achieving a high level of worker health/safety
Strategic Partnership Progs. (SPPs)
- type of cooperative program consultation assistance
- OSHA’s effort to expand worker protection beyond the min. required OSHA standrads
- (3) - Star, Merit, and Demonstration - each designed to recognize, motivate, or estab. a cooperative relationship b/w ERs and OSHA
Voluntary Protection Programs (VPPs)
- type of cooperative program consultation assistance
- OSHA certif. prog. that recognizes small ERs w/ exemplary achievements in workplace safety/health
- exempted from OSHA’s reg. inspections as long as their certif. remain valid
Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Prog. (SHARP)
ERs’ Responsibilities and Rights
- provide hazard-free workplace
- comply w/ the applicable standards
- must inform all EEs about safety/health requirements of OSHA - listed in OSHA’s publication “All about OSHA”
- requ’d to keep certain records
- compile and post an annual summ of work-related injuries and illnesses - compute incident rate
- provide EEs w/ protective equipment and ensure it is used
- provide safety training and be prepared to discipline EEs for failing to comply w/ training/rules
- no discrim. against EEs that exercise their rights to file w/ OSHA
this can be used to provide a starting point for analyzing prob. areas, changing the working environment, and motivating personnel to promote safty and health
Incident Rate
Incident Rate =
of injuries/illnesses per 100 FT EEs per yr
- Can also be used to compute:
- # of workdays lost b/c of injuries/illnesses
- # of nonfatal injuries/illnesses w/o lost workdays
- cases involving only injuries or only illnesses
- used to compare dept to dept or across different orgs. doing similar work
EEs’ Responsibilities and Rights
- must comply w/ all OSHA standards
- rpt hazardous conditions
- follow all ER safety/health rules and regs
- have the right to demand safe and healthy conditions w/o fear of punishment
- rights to requresting and receiving info about safety/health conditions
- some states require ERs to provide certain info to EEs about toxic/hazardous chemicals they may be in contact w/
laws that require ERs to advise EEs about the hazardous chemicals they handle
right-to-know laws
evals randomly conducted to determine an EE’s physical, mental, and emotional fitness for a job
fitness-for-duty evals
Supervisor Role in workplace safety
- comm. to an EE the need to work safely
- s/b emphasized from the beginning continually
- proper work procedures, the use of protective clothing and devices, potential hazards s/b explained thoroughly
- encourage EEs to be proactive in their safety
- observe EEs at work, reinforce safe practices, and correct behaviors that are unsafe
Safety Training Programs
- not only good business, but sometimes required in certain occupations
- if mandated, ER must keep accurate records of all EEs education - can incur crim. penalties if not
- any educational tool can be used
- many advocate for EE involvement
ways to engage EEs in Safety Programs
- jointly set safety standards w/ mgrs
- partic. in safety training
- help design and implement special safety training progs.
- estab. safety incentives and rewards
- be involved in accident investigations
Investigating and Recording Accidents
- all, even minor ones, s/b reported to super or member of safety committee
- investigation would more than likely determine factors that led to the accident in hopes to preventing them from happening again
- OSHA requires ERs with 11 or more EEs must record all incidents
- any occupational death, illness, or injury to be recorded in the log
- that requires days away from work, restricted work, or transfer to another job, or medical treatment beyond first aid
recordable case
(OSHA Form 300)
this form requires answers to questions about the injury/illness case
Injury and Illness Incident Report
(OSHA Form 301)
this summary form must be completed each year and posted in a conspicuous place where notices to EEs are customarily posted
Summ of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
(OSHA Form 300A)
Safety Hazards and Issues
(most frequent)
- fatigue
- distracted driving
- workplace violence
- workplace emergencies
as defined by the Nat’l Instit. for Occupational Safety and Health - any phys assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting.
workplace violence
ways to reduce chances of workplace violence
- analyzing the workplace to uncover areas of potential
- providing violence prevention training throughout the org.
- having workers team up in pairs rather than working alone and making environmental adjmts
- havin the HR dept. effectively comm. to a firm’s EEs that it has a zero tolerance policy for violence
a plan an org. develops that contains step-by-step procedures for dealing w/ various emergency situations
emergency action plan
Ergonomics
- ensure that jobs are designed for safe and efficient work while improving the safety, comfort, and perf. of users
- involves looking at the design of equipment and the physical abilities of the operators who use it
keys to successful ergonomics prog.
- provide notice and training for EEs
- conduct preinjury hazard assessment
- involve EEs
- plan and execute
- file injury reports
- eval. and assess the ergonomics prog.
injuries involving tendons of the fingers, hands, and arms that become inflamed from repeated stresses and strains
cumulative trauma disorders
(repetitive motion injuries)
computer workstation issues
- visual difficulties - blurred vision, sore eyes, burning and itchy eyes, and glare
- muscular aches and pains - pains in back, neck, and shoulder
- job stress - eye stress, postural probs, insufficient training, excessive workloads, adn monotonous work
how to minimize the negative effects of computer use on the eyes and body
- place PC screen 4 to 9 inches below eye level
- keep the monitor directly in front of you
- sit in adjustable-height chari /w lower back support and w/ feet flat on the floor
- use shades or blinds to reduce the PC screen glare created by window lighting
- elbows close to body and supported
- wrist and hands in-line w/ forearms
the purpose of this standard is to ensure the testing and eval. of chemicals by producers and the distrib. of the chemical hazard info to users of the chemical
OSHA Hazard Comm. Standard
- docs that contain vital info about hazardous substances
- potential health risks
- safe handling practices
- personal protective equipment needed
- first aid in the event of an accidnet
- info ID’g the manufacturer
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
OSHA - required chem. training includes:
- informing EEs of methods used to detect the presence or release of hazardous chems.
- physical and health probs posed by hazardous chems
- ways in which EEs can protect themselves from chem. dangers
- any adjustive demand caused by physical, mental, or emotional factors that requires coping behavior
- (2) types -
- Eustress (positive)
- Distress (negative)
stress
- positive stress that accompanies achievement and exhilaration
- a beneficial force that helps us to forge ahead against obstacles
eustress
- harmful stress characterized by a loss of feelings of security and adequacy
- helplessness, desperation, and disappointment turn stress into this
distress
- a severe stage of distress, manifesting itself in depression, frustration, and loss of productivity
- due to lack of personal fulfillment in the job or a lack of postive feedback about one’s perf.
burnout
(4) factors that influence EE stress
- High Demand: having too much to do in too short a time
- High Effort: having to expend too much mental or physical energy over too long a period
- Low Control: having too littel influence over the way a job is done on a day-to-day basis
- Low Reward: receiving inadequate feedback on perf. and no recognition for a job well done
- requires fed’l contractors and recipients of fed’l grants to take specific steps to ensure drug-free work environment
- prep and distrib. of an antidrug policy stmt
Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988
International Union v. Johnson Controls
- forbids ERs from prohibiting women from holding certain jobs just b/c of potential job-related risks to their fetuses
