Introduction to Human Resource Management

1
Introduction to Human Resource Management

• Chapter 15
• Health Safety

2
Highlights

• Look _at_ health safety laws/regulations
• Look at employees rights
• Discuss impact of stress on employees
• Look _at_ relationship of HRM to health safety
  management

3
Health Safety

• today sharing responsibility between employee
  employer
• need to have commitment by both parties work
• related accidents can be the result of unsafe
  conditions or unsafe employee behavior

4
Federal Provincial Safety Regulations

• PtII of Canada Lab code health safety code
  PtIV details elements of industrial safety
  programs regulations
• administration of regulations falls under each
  province (Flin Flon example)
• often specific legislation programs for various
  industries
• all industrial units are inspected min each yr
  for their safety operations

5
Federal Provincial Safety Regulations

• Normally use OSHA (occupational, safety health
  admin) guide
• priorities include
• imminent dangers
• catastrophes fatal accidents
• employee complaints
• special emphasis programs
• random inspections
• re-inspections

6
Federal Provincial Safety Regulations

• Red to have a joint occupational health safety
  committee if have gt80 employees
• need to meet 1/mth, keep records of
  accidents/hazard, deal with complaints,
  participate in investigations, monitor programs,
  record injuries and illnesses

7
Federal Provincial Safety Regulations

• Also need to co-opt with safety officers ,
  establish/promo programs, and obtain info on
  existing or potential hazards

8
Hazardous Product Act Workplace Hazardous
Material Info System

• Requires employee training to recognize WHMIS
  symbols and understand info on data sheets
• includes substance properties, hazard details
  emergency procedures

9
Health Safety Responsibility

• accident procedures
• personal clothing
• protective equipment
• material chem hazards
• waste disposal
• safety reps safety committees
• occupational health
• safety policies procedures

• Only min. requirements set
• programs more effective if all involved working
  towards prevention
• good safety orientation program s/b set up and
  normally includes
• fire safety

10
Health Safety Responsibility

• Some Co. outsource health safety needs
  increased specialist)
• mgmt training a good idea so that they know what
  to do how

11
Implications on HRM

• Often HR dept responsible for health safety
• someone in HR normally is the firms safety
  officer
• office is responsible for devising safety
  programs, internal inspections, ID remove
  safety violations, record keeping assisting
  safety inspectors
• note employees can refuse to work when
  conditions are perceived to be unsafe w/o loss of
  pay

12
Workplace Stress

• Stress management ways of dealing with problems
  of stress
• stress often result of lack of control feeling
  related to life and/or career

13
Workplace Stress

• Stress can result in both mental physical
  problems including
• nervousness
• chronic worry
• easily angered
• inability to relax
• ulcers
• high blood pressure

14
Workplace Stress Sources

• Person Environment Fit - resources demands of
  work environment do not get the needs abilities
  of the worker
• Stressors - conditions that tend to cause
  stress

15
Workplace Stress Sources

• Job Causes of Stress - any job can cause stress
  it depends on the employees reaction
• Physiological - found in jobs that have high
  demands with little authority

16
Workplace Stress Sources

• Work overload deadlines - role ambiguity,
  expectations differ between parties or unclear as
  to role in Co.
• Change Stress - occurs especially if change is
  unusual, major or frequent

• Personal Problems - death of a spouse, close
  family member, divorce/separation, illness etc.

17
Workplace Stress Sources

• Burnout - condition of mental, emotional, and
  physical exhaustion from prolonged substantial
  stress
• employees feel used up, worn out, end of rope,
  depressed, low self esteem, withdrawn etc.

18
Workplace Stress Sources

• HR dept role can be prevention
• train supervisors to recognize stress rearrange
  work assignment to min. it (ie redesign job,
  resolve staff conflicts, provide counseling, temp
  leave)

19
Stress Job Performance

• Stress can be helpful harmful
• 0 stress low challenge, and performance matches
  this
• as stress increases so does performance until
  plateau occurs
• over this limit performance declines
• each person has a different threshold

20
Stress Management

• Curative aerobics, meditation, sensitivity
  training, yoga etc.
• Preventative stress mgmt sessions, EAP, ID
  stress improve working conditions

21
Stress Management

• Stress Audit HR dept ID sources and causes of
  stress in workplace normally done through a
  series of questions
• HR actions to decrease stress or reduce its cause
  - trsf to another, training counseling, help
  qualify for another position etc.

22
Stress Management

• Fitness Wellness Programs
• shown to have a positive impact on stress,
  productivity, absenteeism
• improve corporate image as well

23
Other Issues - Work Place Health Safety

• Sick Building Syndrome - air conditioning,
  insulation, etc can leave bio pollutants in the
  air can cause
• headaches
• dizziness
• nausea etc
• HR should try to prevent as much as possible

• Work Place Violence
• caused quite often by terminations
• on the increase
• can have good security system, training and 0
  tolerance policies