Key concepts
According to website Chron (Austin n.k.): “the primary objective of workplace safety is preventing workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Employers develop detailed plans that provide guidance in the event of an accident, fire, natural disaster or other emergency. Workplace safety plans also identify the roles and responsibilities of employers and employees when responding during incidents. For example, some employees are responsible for directing workers to emergency stairwells or exits. Another goal of workplace safety is reducing and removing current dangers to improve working conditions. Mining companies, which have some of the highest rates of work-related injuries and fatalities, may switch to different equipment or employ non-toxic chemicals to reduce hazards on the job.”
“There are two sets of workplace safety laws: workers’ compensation, an employer-funded insurance system that operates at the state level, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), a federal law that mandates safety standards in the workplace.” (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin & Cardy 2016) “Workers’ compensation insurance is part of Finnish social security. It provides cover for all employees and compensation is paid, in accordance with the Employment Accidents Insurance Act, for injuries resulting from an accident at work or an occupational disease.” (IF-Insurance n.k.) “OSHA compels employers to provide a safe and healthy work environment, to comply with specific occupational safety and health standards, and to keep records of occupational injuries and illnesses. Its safety standards are endorced through a system of inspections, citations, fines, and criminal pelalties.” (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin & Cardy 2016)
The most significant safety, health, and behavioural issues for employers are AIDS, violence in the workplace, cumulative trauma disorders, fetal protection, hazardous chemicals and genetic testing. (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin & Cardy 2016)
According to EHS Insight (Trimble 2017) there are 5 steps to developing an effective workplace safety program:
- Demonstrate company’s commitment to workplace safety
- Assess workplace risks and hazards
- Create a written protocol for employees
- Emphasize employee education
- Implement and evaluate
Overall, it takes a proper planning and considering all the possible workplace safety and health issues when working on with workplace safety and health plans. You need to be familiar with the regulations and workers’ rights. It is important to really care about your workers and their safety rather than just give them massive workload and too long working hours, money and profits in your mind. You can’t risk safety and health of the employers. It is important to also train and develop your employers so that they handle possible machines better and safely. Knowledge and skills are power. Make sure your employers are up to date how to be safe at work and keep up the good work, without accidents.
Cases 1 & 2, EU statistics and ‘There are no accidents’ video
As seen in the first case (Thomas 2013) it can be lethal to work too many hours. There are certain regulations and laws about how many hours you can work per day in Finland. Same laws are not valid in all the countries. In this very case the worker has serious medical condition and he did not mention that to the company, where he worked. We can’t know if the person would be alive whether he would have mentioned his condition and/or he wouldn’t have worked so many extra hours. In a summary, it is important to give information about your medical stats which may have an effect on your working. Also, the companies should respect that the workers also need free time to relax.
The second case (Morgaine 2018) about wellness programs is very informative and on point. It is important to let your workers know if you have some wellness programs. It is also needed to really think that what kind of wellness program would be most suitable and engaging in your company. It is proven that good, well-planned healthy programs can save money from healthcare expenses. According to this article it is essential to rather motivate people with carrots instead of sticks. Meaning giving for example penalties for smokers will not help them to quit their smoking. It is rather better to award them with something if they reach the goal of quitting smoking.
As seen in ‘Accidents at work statistics’ report (Eurostat 2019) Romania has much more accidents comparing to other countries. Generally, the Eastern European countries have more accidents. Nordic countries have less accidents in general, except Norway – it has almost same level as Belgium. Malta and Cyprus have the lowest rates.
The video ‘There are no accidents’ (Mildwinter 2016) sums up the thing that accidents are not just accidents. Usually there is something else behind them. It might be that the company did not follow the safety regulations and is neglecting with the safety plans. It is important to point out some specific person to be in charge of the safety planning and keeping track that the workplace is safe for the workers. This is how we can reduce and minimize the risks and accidents.
Similar cases
”Safety is a core value at Electrical Systems and Instrumentation Inc. (ESI). In fact, workers make it the top priority in every situation, says David Ramos, field safety supervisor. The company implemented a tiered approach to its safety auditing, with all levels of employees assigned with a safety activity designed to identify and correct unsafe conditions and behaviors. The four levels include:
• Management conducts field observations with a focus on top-down safety communications and involvement.
• Field supervision and safety focuses on safety systems, auditing and coaching to ensure that safety compliance goals and safe operations are met.
• Field team members perform behavioral-based safety observations designed to provide field-level observations of safety conditions related to safety systems design.
• A dedicated electrical safety auditor verifies compliance and competency directly related to electrical activities.” (Smith 2017)
”Employees at Texas Instruments Inc. worked nearly 34 million hours in 2016, and their lost-time injury rate was .014. Compared to their industry’s average lost-time injury rate of .8, you can tell safety is being done right at Texas Instruments. TI has one of the best safety records in the semiconductor industry, but simply being one of the best isn’t good enough. The company strives to create an injury-free workplace for all employees and continually invests in improving work environments. Through routine programs, facility self-assessments and audits, TI regularly assesses potential employee safety risks and makes corrections and improvements.
The Audit Committee of TI’s board of directors oversees the safety of employees and visitors to facilities. The company also has formal environmental, safety and health (ESH) committees at all of its manufacturing sites, which include manufacturing managers, ESH specialists and employee representatives.” (Smith 2017)
References
Austin, B. N.k. Goals of safety in the workplace. URL: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/goals-safety-workplace-20509.html. Accessed: 5 April 2020
Eurostat. 2019. Accidents at work statistics. URL: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Accidents_at_work_statistics. Accessed: 5 April 2020
Gomez-Mejia, L.R., Balkin, D.B. and Cardy, R.L. 2016. Managing Human Resources. Global Edition 8/E. Pearson. London.
IF-Insurance. N.k. Worker’s compensation insurance for Finland. URL: https://www.if-insurance.com/large-enterprises/insurance-solutions/employee-benefits/employee-benefits-in-finland/workers-compensation-finland. Accessed: 5 April 2020
Mildwinter, A. 2016. There are no accidents. Youtube. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV70yGce-ME. Accessed: 5 April 2020
Morgaine, B. 2018. Do corporate wellness programs really work? URL: https://www.liveplan.com/blog/does-corporate-wellness-work-the-surprising-truth-about-employee-wellness-programs/. Accessed: 5 April 2020
Smith, S. 2017. 2017 America’s safest companies. URL: https://www.ehstoday.com/americas-safest-companies-awards/article/21919357/2017-americas-safest-companies. Accessed: 5 April 2020
Thomas, E. 2013. ‘Exhausted’ Merrill Lynch intern died from epileptic fit in shower after he ‘pulled three all-nighters at bank where employees compete to work the longest hours’. URL: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2511911/Moritz-Erhardt-exhausted-Merrill-Lynch-intern-died-epileptic-fit.html – ixzz4RTj2xoP1. Accessed: 5 April 2020
Trimble, T. 2017. 5 steps to developing an effective workplace safety program. URL: https://www.ehsinsight.com/blog/5-steps-to-developing-an-effective-workplace-safety-program. Accessed: 5 April 2020
Basics of Human Resource Management 