Ensuring Health and Safety at the Workplace 13 . C H A P T E R T H I R T E E N Ensuring Health and Safety at the Workplace

Assumption of Risk An obsolete attitude toward accident prevention where the worker accepted all the customary risks and unsafe practices

Safety in the Workplace Models Early approach to safety in the workplace assuming accidents were due to workers’ carelessness Careless Worker An approach to workplace safety that relies on the cooperation of employer and employees Shared Responsibility

Health & Safety in the Workplace Growing emphasis on health and safety in the workplace Strong union pressure Increased public interest in greater corporate responsibility Better and more comprehensive federal and provincial legislation and health and safety measures

Workplace Injuries Workplace accidents and occupationa- related illnesses cost about $5 billion in direct compensation (more than $10 billion including indirect expenses) Work accidents are caused by a combination of unsafe employee behaviour and unsafe working conditions

Health Hazards Physical agents Exposure to physical elements eg. noise Biological agents Exposure to natural organisms eg. viruses Chemical agents Exposure to chemicals or other toxic substances Ergonomically related Caused by the work environment eg. repetitive strain

Younger Workers Growing emphasis on the health and safety of young workers 1 in 7 young workers is injured on the job One-fourth of all workplace injuries involve workers aged 15-29

Federal and Provincial Regulations Each province and the Federal jurisdiction have legislation addressing health and safety 3 Fundamental Employee Rights The right to know The right to participate The right to refuse

Joint OHS Committee Key element of health and safety laws Broad range of responsibilities: e.g. investigate & resolve complaints, monitor health & safety programs, etc. Usually required in every workplace with 20 or more employees

Federal Laws Hazardous Products Act (1985) Protects consumers by regulating the sale of dangerous products Workplace Hazardous Material Information System - WHMIS (1988) Requires labels on all hazardous products Requires use of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Responsibility for Health & Safety Top Management Responsibility for Health and Safety Employees Supervisors

Implications for HRM Consistent reinforcement Due diligence Human resource managers should ensure consistent enforcement of all safety and health rules Due diligence Organizations are responsible for ensuring all reasonable steps were taken to avoid a particular health and safety offence

Workplace Stress Workplace stress Stress management Harmful physical and emotional responses Stress management Ways of dealing with the problem of stress Conference Board of Canada Estimated financial cost associated with stress in the Canadian workplace exceeds $12 billion per year

Symptoms of Stress Symptoms of Stress Nervousness, chronic worry Easily provoked to anger Unable to relax Physical ailments Cardiovascular disease Injuries, suicide, cancer, ulcers Symptoms of Stress

Major Causes of Workplace Stress Factors unique to job Workload, work pace, autonomy, shift work, physical environment, isolation Role in the organization Role conflict/role ambiguity, level of responsibility Career development Under or over-promotion, job security, career opportunities, overall job satisfaction more

Major Causes of Workplace Stress Relationships at work Supervisors/co-workers and/or subordinates, threat of violence or harassment Organizational climate Level of participation in decision-making, management style, communication patterns

Burnout Burnout Human Resource department needs to be proactive Condition of mental, emotional, and sometimes physical exhaustion that results form substantial and prolonged stress Human Resource department needs to be proactive Example: Train supervisors to recognize stress, re-design jobs, provide counselling

Stress Management Curative measures Preventive measures Stress audit Try to correct the outcome of stress e.g. availability of exercise, counselling services Preventive measures Attempt to change the cause of stress e.g. stress management training sessions, improving working conditions Stress audit Identifies the causes of stress

HR Actions to Reduce Stress Compatible workload Human Resource Actions to Reduce Stress Establish policy Job design Provide training Define roles Work schedules Participate in decisions Improve communication

Fitness & Employee Wellness These programs: Improve employee health Decrease health-care costs Improve employee satisfaction Decrease absenteeism and turnover Improve corporate image

Other Contemporary Safety Issues Workplace Security Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) Workplace Violence Ergonomics AIDS

Ensuring Health and Safety at the Workplace 13 . C H A P T E R T H I R T E E N Ensuring Health and Safety at the Workplace