Safety and Accident Prevention

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Chapter 21

• Safety and Accident Prevention

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The Causes of Accidents

• Accidents are generally the result of unsafe
  personal acts or an unsafe physical environment
  or both
• Personal Acts
• These include taking unnecessary chances,
  engaging in horseplay, failing to wear or use
  protective equipment, using improper tools and
  equipment, taking unsafe shortcuts, operating
  equipment too fast, and throwing materials
• Employees with low morale tend to have more
  accidents
• Physical environment
• Unsafe situations wherever heavy, awkward
  material is handled, around any type of machinery
  that is used to produce something else, wherever
  people walk or climb, wherever people use hand
  tools, or electricity is used other than for the
  usual lighting purposes
• Unsafe physical conditions serious
  understaffing, improperly guarded machines, poor
  housekeeping, defective equipment and tools, poor
  lighting, improper ventilation, improper dress

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The Causes of Accidents

• Accident-proneness
• Some peoples physical and mental makeup make
  them more prone to accidents
• A temporary condition, such as excess fatigue,
  may make anyone more prone to accidents
• This tendency should not justify an accident.
  These employees should be identified and receive
  special attention

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Supervisors Responsibility for Safety

• Supervisors responsibilities for safety of their
  employees include the following
• See that safety directives of management are
  carried out
• Shape the employees attitudes about safety
• Listen to employee complaints about safety
• Give clear instructions regarding safety methods
  and procedures
• May also include accident investigation, first
  aid, maintenance of proper records, and the
  dissemination of changes in safety regulations
  and methods

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Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)

• Purpose of OSHA
• Encourage employers and employees to reduce
  workplace hazards and to implement safety
  programs
• Provide for research in occupational safety and
  health
• Establish responsibilities and rights for
  employers and employees
• Maintain a reporting and record keeping system to
  monitor job related injuries and illnesses
• Establish training programs to increase the
  number and competence of occupational safety and
  health personnel
• Develop and enforce mandatory job safety and
  health standards
• Provide for the development, analysis,
  evaluation, and approval of state occupational
  safety and health programs

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Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)

• The supervisor and OSHA
• Supervisor is required to keep very specific
  records
• Supervisors are often asked to accompany OSHA
  officials while these officials inspect an
  organizations physical facilities
• Supervisors should be familiar with the OSHA
  regulations affecting their departments since it
  is their responsibility to see that the employees
  follow all safety rules
• The employee and OSHA
• Request an inspection
• Have a representative accompany an OSHA
  compliance officer during an inspection.
• Have regulations posted
• Have medical examinations to determine exposure
• Post any citations made to the employer by OSHA

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The Cost of Accidents

• The cost of work related accidents is high and
  includes several factors
• Employee morale, employee relations, community
  relations
• Lost production and training replacements
• Insurance and medical costs
• Workers compensation
• Health insurance
• Disability insurance

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Industry Breakdown
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How to Measure Safety

• Frequency and severity are the two most widely
  accepted measures of an organizations safety
  record
• Useful comparisons can be made with other
  departments within the organization, with the
  rates of previous years or with the rates of
  other organizations to objectively evaluate a
  safety record

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The Safety Program

• Basic elements present in most safety programs
• The safety program has the support of top and
  middle management
• Safety is clearly established as a line
  organization responsibility
• A positive attitude toward safety exists and is
  maintained throughout the organization
• One person is in charge of the safety program and
  is responsible for its operation
• Organizational strategies for promoting safety
• Make the work interesting
• Incorporate ergonomics
• Establish a safety committee
• Feature employee safety contests
• Publicize safety statistics
• Periodically hold safety training sessions
• Use bulletin boards
• Reward employee participation

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The Safety Program

• How the supervisor can prevent accidents
• Be familiar with organizational policies that
  relate to safety
• Be familiar with the proper procedures for safely
  accomplishing work
• Know what safety devices and personal protective
  equipment should be used on each job
• Know what safety related reports and records are
  required
• Get to know the employees
• Know when and where to make safety inspections
• Learn to take the advice of the safety director
  and the safety committee
• Know what to do in case of an accident
• Know the proper procedures for investigating an
  accident and determining how it could have been
  prevented
• Always set a good example with regard to safety

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Violence in the Workplace

• Because most violent acts are not spontaneous,
  supervisors must learn to identify potentially
  violent situations. Specifically, supervisors
  should learn to spot the following warning signs
• Employees making threats or being threatened
• Employees who are suddenly terminated or
  anticipate being laid off
• Employees with serious problems at home
• Employees with a chemical dependency
• Employees showing signs of paranoia
• Employees fascinated by weapons