Employee Safety and Health
1. Explain the supervisor s role in safety.
Supervisors are responsible for a great deal of what goes on day to day in the workplace; it's not
just a position that solely assigns tasks. Supervisors must ensure a safe and healthful workplace
for employees. Employees must be able to report unsafe or unhealthful workplace conditions or
hazards to a supervisor without fear of reprisal.
Conduct Orientation and Training of Employees:
Enforce Safe Work Practices:
Correct Unsafe Conditions:
Prevent Lingering Unsafe or Unhealthful Workplace Conditions or Hazards:
Investigate Workplace Accidents:
Promote Quick Return to Work:
2. Explain the basic facts about safety law and OSHA.
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
The law passed by Congress in 1970 to assure so far as possible every working man and woman
in the nation safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
The agency created within the Department of Labor to set safety and health standards for almost
all workers in the United States.
3. Answer the question, what causes accidents?
Unsafe employee acts can undo even the best attempts to reduce unsafe conditions.
The problem is that there are no easy answers to the question of what causes people to act
recklessly.
It may seem obvious that some people are simply accident prone, but the research ins t clear. On
closer inspection it turns out some accident repeaters were just unlucky, or may have been more
meticulous about reporting their accidents.
However, there is growing evidence that people with specific traits may indeed be accident prone.
4. List and explain five ways to prevent accidents.
1. Always be alert. There’s a reason why many workers insist upon that morning coffee. Being
awake and alert isn’t just important in order to complete tasks adequately, but it also helps to keep
both you and your co-workers out of harm’s way. According to Julian Hall on Character-
Training.com, “most of the people who become involved with accidents at work are those who
feel sleepy while working.”
2. Don’t rush your work. In many workplaces, time is of the essence. Employees are given
deadlines that they must meet, so there is often a sense of urgency when it comes to completing
certain tasks. It’s important, however, to take the appropriate amount of time to perform your
duties safely. On Arbill.com, it is explained that “it’s natural to want to get the job finished on
schedule — or even ahead of time — but with a ‘get it done quick’ attitude, accidents happen.”
3. Wear required safety gear. Many jobs require uniforms. But the jobs that require the wearing
of safety equipment are the ones where dress codes are the most important. “A person who works
in a factory has a greater chance of being involved in an accident at work,” reminds Hall, “Thus,
he should be more vigilant about the wearing of proper uniforms and other protective garments
when working. Never take safety to chance so always go to work with the proper dress code.”
4. Follow instructions to a tee. Sometimes, workers get complacent. It’s easy to fall into the trap
of assuming that you’re an expert at your job, so you don’t need to follow every last instruction.
However, paying attention to detail can help you to avoid making mistakes that can lead to injury.
“Don’t take shortcuts,” insists Arbill.com, “stick to the instructions and work with diligence and
awareness of your surroundings.”
5. Pay attention to and follow emergency drills. Workers also tend to take safety drills for
granted. If they’re not “the real thing”, they often go through the motions carelessly. However,
participation in such drills couldn’t be more important. As Hall points out, these emergency drills
are conducted for the purpose of teaching employees what to do in the event of an emergency and
so that they can avoid accidents.
6. Insist upon proper training. This is especially important if you plan on taking on a job that
may present a number of risks. Knowing exactly what you’re in for and how to react during
emergency situations is imperative for your safety. “It is stupid for anyone to take on a high-risk
job especially if he has not been trained for the job,” states Arbill.com, “Imagine an untrained
person doing the job of a fireman? Doing this will not only expose you to a great danger but will
expose other people to danger as well.”
5. Minimize unsafe acts by employees.
Reducing Unsafe Acts through Selection and Placement
Proper employee screening and placement reduces unsafe acts. Here, the employer s aim is to
identify the traits that might predict accidents on the job in question, and then screen candidates
for this trait.
Reducing Unsafe Acts through Training
Safety training reduces unsafe acts, especially for new employees. You should instruct employees
in safe practices and procedures, warn them of potential hazards, and work on developing a safety-
conscious attitude.OSHAs standards require more than training.
Employees must demonstrate that they actually learned what to do.
Reducing Unsafe Acts through Motivation: Posters, Incentives, and Positive Reinforcement
Employers also use various tools to motivate workers to work safely. Safety posters are one.
However, although safety posters can increase safe behavior, they are no substitute for a
comprehensive safety program.
Reducing Unsafe Acts through Behavior-Based Safety
Behavior-based safety means identifying the worker behaviors that contribute to accidents and
then training workers to avoid these behaviors. Tenneco Corporation (which manufactures Monroe
brand suspensions) implemented a behavior-based safety program.
Reducing Unsafe Acts through Employee Participation
Employees are often your best source of ideas about what the safety problems are and how to solve
them.
Behavior-based safety
Identifying the worker behaviors that contribute to accidents and then training workers to avoid
these behaviors.
Safety awareness program
Program that enables trained supervisors to orient new workers arriving at a job site regarding
common safety hazards and simple prevention methods.
6. List five workplace health hazards and how to deal with them.
WORKPLACE HEALTH HAZARDS: PROBLEMS AND REMEDIES
Most workplace hazards aren’t t as obvious as unguarded equipment or slippery floors. Many are
unseen hazards (such as mold) that the company inadvertently produces as part of its production
processes.
The Basic Industrial Hygiene Program
Managing such exposure hazards comes under the area of industrial hygiene and involves
recognition, evaluation, and control. First, the facility s health and safety officers (possibly
working with teams of supervisors and employees) must recognize possible exposure hazards. This
typically involves conducting plant/facility walk around surveys, employee interviews, records
reviews, and reviews of government (OSHA) and nongovernmental standards.
Asbestos Exposure at Work
There are four major sources of occupational respiratory diseases: asbestos, silica, lead, and carbon
dioxide. Of these, asbestos is a major concern, in part because of publicity surrounding asbestos
in buildings constructed before the mid-1970s.
Infectious Diseases
With many employees traveling to and from international destinations, monitoring and controlling
infectious diseases has become an important safety issue.
1. Closely monitor Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel alerts about health
concerns. Access this information at www.cdc.gov.
2. Provide daily medical screenings for employees returning from infected areas.
3. Deny access to your facility for 10 days to employees or visitors returning from affected areas.
4. Tell employees to stay home if they have a fever or respiratory system symptoms.
5. Clean work areas and surfaces regularly.
6. Stagger breaks. Offer several lunch periods to reduce overcrowding.
7. Emphasize the importance of frequent hand washing and make hand sanitizers easily available.
Air Quality
One of the downsides of opting for environmentally green office buildings is that sealed buildings
can produce illnesses such as itchy eyes and trouble breathing, a phenomenon some call sick
building syndrome.
Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
Alcoholism and substance abuse are problems at work. About two-thirds of people with an alcohol
disorder work full-time.
