Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
Chapter 13
Managing Health and Safety Risks
Learning Outcomes
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Outline the provisions and requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act..
2. Explain the inspection priorities, process, and penalties of the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA).
3. Explain the actions OSHA and employers take to create a safe and healthy work
environment.
4. Outline common workplace health concerns and ways to reduce or prevent them.
5. Explain causes and methods of reducing job stress.
6. List health and safety concerns for employees traveling internationally.
Chapter Overview
Is there a similarity between professional athletes and the drivers of FedEx, UPS, and the U.S.
Postal Service? There are the uniforms, of course, but the physical demands and injuries of
drivers also have similarities to those of professional athletes. FedEx, UPS and the postal service
have all hired athletic trainers to help employees maintain strength, agility, and stamina in
performing their jobs. The idea is to prevent injuries on the job, and it seems to be working as
one UPS region experienced an 85 percent reduction in injuries.
The chapter itself deals with both traditional and new topics in health and safety. The first part of
the chapter provides information on the Occupational Safety and Health Act, including
requirements, punitive actions and as a resource for employers. Next, issues related to both
safety and health in the workplace are summarized, with separate sections on workplace
violence, indoor air quality, repetitive stress injuries, stress, employee assistance programs, and
wellness programs. Guidelines for the international environment conclude the chapter.
Additional features of this chapter:
Exhibits
13 – 1 OSHA Form 300
13 – 2 Determining Recordablilty of a Case Under OSHA
13 – 3 OSHA Protection
Boxed Features
These features are located within the text and address current issues in HRM within the context
of the relevant learning objectives. They are short and thought provoking with thought questions
at the end providing a great opportunity to provide a break in class lecture to check student
understanding. Questions may be posed to students individually, in small groups, as quick
cooperative learning assignments or as large group discussions.
P a g e 1
Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
Ethical Issues in HRM – Legacy of a Tragedy on page 289 describes how the tragedy
of a factory fire led to laws protecting worker safety.
Contemporary Connection – OSHA’s Top Ten Violations on page 295 lists the most
common workplace safety violations in 2011.
Ethical Issues in HRM– Smokers and the Obese Need Not Apply on page 301
discusses why organizations do not want to hire those who smoke or are obese.
Making Concepts Relevant in Your Classroom
In addition to the activities provided in the lecture notes, these suggested activities help students
apply chapter 13 concepts:
The material in this chapter may seem new and different and, in many organizations,
health and safety issues are managed by a separate department from Human Resources.
It’s helpful to point out the interdisciplinary nature of health and safety activities; e.g.
medical personnel, industrial hygienists and other technically-trained personnel may
work with the HR specialists and line managers to keep the workplace safe. It’s also
helpful to remind students about previous topics, such as planning and job design which
are very relevant to the successful design and implementation of health and safety
programs.
Students often have good examples from their own work experiences of unhealthy or
unsafe employment conditions. For each example, discuss the employer’s and
employee’s responsibilities, as well as suggestions for making the workplace healthier.
Always bring up the question of how much it would cost to implement a suggestion, and
whether the benefits would justify the cost to the employer.
Chapter Outline And Lecture Suggestions
Introduction Slide 3
Management has both legal and moral responsibilities to provide a safe and healthy
workplace
Legal Obligations for Workplace Safety and Health Slide 4
Learning Outcome 1: Outline the provisions and requirements of the Occupational
Safety and Health Act.
Occupational Safety and Health Act
Established health and safety standards.
Authorized inspections and fines for violations.
Empowered OSH Administration to ensure standards are met.
Requires employers to keep records of illnesses and injuries, and calculate
accident ratios.
P a g e 2
Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
Applies to almost every U.S. business engaged in interstate commerce.
The act covers four major categories of employers: Slide 5
General industry
Construction
Agriculture
Maritime
General Duty Clause covers any potentially dangerous or unhealthy workplace
condition that isn’t covered by specific OSHA industry regulation
OSHA Record-Keeping Requirements Slide 6
Employers in most industries must keep safety and health records. Organizations
in low risk environments (education, retail) are exempt.
In addition to reporting any work-related illness, employers must report injuries
that require medical treatment besides first aid, involve loss of consciousness,
restriction of work or motion, or transfer to another job. Incidence rate is the
number of illnesses, injuries or lost workdays per 100 full-time workers.
Forms include: Slide 7
OSHA form 300—Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
OSHA form 300A—Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
OSHA form 301, Injury and Illness Incident Report
Used by OSHA to determine which industries and organizations are more
susceptible to injury.
Exhibit 13 – 1 OSHA Form 300 page 287 illustrates the current version of the
form.
Exhibit 13 – 2 Determining Recordability of a Case Under OSHA page 288 is
a flow chart that explains whether a work related injury or illness needs to be
recorded.
Class Activity: Ethical Issues in HRM – Legacy of a Tragedy page 289 What is the
purpose of regulation? How much regulation is necessary? This pivotal moment in
American history explains how dangerous a workplace can be when safety regulations
are lacking and employers do little beyond the minimum. Ethical questions ask students
to consider the ethical actions of employers when employee safety is at risk.
OSHA Inspection and Enforcement
Learning Outcome 2: Explain the inspection priorities, process, and penalties of the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
OSHA has six levels of inspection priorities. Slide 8 – 9
Imminent danger
A condition where an accident is about to occur.
Fatalities and catastrophes
P a g e 3
Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
Employer must report within 8 hours, so OSHA can review the scene and
try to determine cause.
Employee complaints
Employees who see a violation of standards have the right to call OSHA.
Referrals
From other federal, state or local agencies, individuals or news media.
Follow-ups
Organizations that have previously been cited to make sure corrective
action has taken place.
Planned or programmed investigations
Limited resources require OSHA to direct attention to industries with
highest injury rates.
Exhibit 13 – 3 OSHA Protection page 290 is the current version of the OSHA poster
required to be posted.
Inspection Process Slide 10
When a complaint is received, OSHA follows a standard procedure to follow:
Inspector’s Credentials
Inspector arrives and presents credentials.
Employers can require a search warrant.
Opinions vary whether that is a good idea or not.
Opening Conference
OSHA Compliance Officer explains purpose of inspection.
Employer receives a copy of the complaint.
Employee name can be withheld.
Inspection Tour
OSHA Compliance Officer and employer representative inspect work
areas.
Compliance Officer takes notes and photos and records other observations.
Forms are inspected.
Compliance Officer may make suggestions for safer work conditions.
Closing Conference
Compliance Officer explains any unsafe conditions found to employer.
Violations are explained.
Appeal process is explained.
OSHA Penalties Slide 11 – 12
Willful Violations
Employer knew about a regulation and purposely ignored it or acted with
indifference for worker safety.
Missing or inadequate safety equipment is a common example.
Fines between $5,000 and $70,000 per violation.
Can increase to $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 if a willful
violation resulted in the death of an employee.
P a g e 4
Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
Executives in the company may be criminally liable.
Repeated Violations
Organization has previously been cited for a violation and a similar
violation is found, fines up to $70,000 may be imposed for each violation.
Creating Safer Workplaces Slide 13
Learning Outcome 3: Explain the actions OSHA and employers take to create a safe and
healthy work environment.
OSHA’s mission is to promote safety and health of American workers in a variety of
ways.
Special attention is given to industries with high rates of injury or illness.
Suggestions for safer workplaces include:
Management Commitment and Employee Involvement
Management commits to creating a safe environment and communicates this to
employees asking for their insight and cooperation. The cost savings benefits:
healthier employees
lower worker’s compensations costs
reduced medical expenses
better quality products
increased productivity
increased morale
better labor/management relations
Managers can get employees involved in the following ways:
Develop and post a company worker safety policy near the required
OSHA workplace poster.
Hold regular meetings on safety and health with employees.
Require all management to follow the same safety standards.
Create and post written safety responsibilities for all.
Allow adequate time and resources to determine hazards and correct them.
Regularly review and evaluate safety initiatives with employees.
Provide safety incentives.
Establish safety committees.
Worksite Analysis
Employers who lack expertise in determining all possible hazards and standards
can request a visit from OSHA to evaluate their environment.
Hazard Prevention and Control
Worksite analysis may uncover hazards that must be eliminated or controlled.
Where necessary employees must use protective equipment and management
must be committed to ensure compliance.
Safety data sheets (SDS)
P a g e 5
Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
All hazardous materials should be labeled and employees must have
access to SDS.
Training for Employees, Supervisors and Managers
Owners and managers need to ensure employees understand workplace hazards
and are trained in how to handle them.
Training should be memorable by making it interesting and interactive.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Slide 14
Researches work hazards and sets OSHA standards.
Makes recommendations to prevent work-related illness and injury.
Contemporary Connection: OSHA’s Top Ten Violations page 295 This list changes
annually, but the content stays essentially the same.
Health and Safety Issues Slide 15
Learning Outcome 4: Outline common workplace health concerns and ways to reduce
or prevent them.
Workplace Violence
Homicide is in the top three causes of work-related deaths in the USA.
Employees at increased risk of violence are workers who:
Exchange money with the public.
Make deliveries.
Work alone or in small groups.
Work late at night or early morning hours.
Work in community settings where extensive contact with the public is
necessary.
While a specific plan of action for companies is difficult to detail, some
suggestions include: Slide 16
Develop a plan to deal with workplace violence, including review of
policies and employee treatment.
Train supervisory personnel to identify and deal with troubled employees.
Implement stronger security mechanisms.
Prepare employees to deal with violent situations.
Bullying Slide 17 – 18
Mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators.
It includes:
Verbal abuse
Behavior that is threatening, humiliating, or intimidating
Sabotage or other work interference
Gossip
Unfair criticism
Isolation
P a g e 6
Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
Intolerable work conditions
Results in:
Poor morale
Reduced productivity
Increased turnover
Stress
Reduce by:
Creating a culture of respect
Education
Policy on workplace bullying with procedures for reporting.
Indoor Air Quality Slide 19
Sick buildings are office environments that contain harmful airborne chemicals,
asbestos, or indoor pollution. Suggestions for keeping the environment healthy
include:
Making sure workers get enough fresh air.
Avoiding suspect building materials and furnishings.
Testing new buildings for toxins before occupancy.
Providing a smoke-free environment.
Keeping air ducts clean and dry.
Paying attention to workers’ complaints.
The Smoke-Free Environment Slide 20 – 21
Costs of smokers include:
Increased health premiums.
Absenteeism.
Lost productivity due to smoke breaks.
Maintenance costs.
Harm to coworkers by second-hand smoke.
Smoke-free policies at work include banning smoking or restricting it to properly
ventilated designated areas.
Employees should be involved in phase-in of smoke-free programs.
Some employers offer incentives and help for employees to stop smoking.
Musculoskeletal Disorders Slide 22 – 23
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) also known as repetitive stress injuries result
from continuous, repetitive movements.
MSD accounts for over 30 percent of worker injury and illness.
Include:
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Lumbar strain
Hernias
Tendonitis
Occur in any industry, but BLS reports highest rates occur in:
P a g e 7
Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
Healthcare
Transportation and warehousing
Retail and wholesale
Construction
Cost to employers:
Lost work days
Reduced productivity
Worker’s compensation claims
Medical costs
Absenteeism
Turnover
Ergonomics, or fitting the work environment to the individual, can prevent
repetitive motion injuries. This includes the design of the environment and
furniture to fit the individual.
Stress Slide 24
Learning Outcome 5: Explain causes and methods of reducing job stress.
Stress is a dynamic condition in which an individual confronts an opportunity, constraint
or demand related to what he or she desires, for which outcome is perceived as uncertain
and important.
May be caused by either positive factors (opportunities) or negative.
Common Causes of Stress Slide 25
Factors that cause stress are called stressors.
Organizational stressors include:
Task demands relate to an employee’s job and include job design, working
conditions, the physical layout, and work quotas.
Role demands relate to pressures placed on an employee as a function of
the role played in an organization and include role conflicts, role
overload and role ambiguity.
Interpersonal demands are pressures created by other employees and
include lack of social support and poor interpersonal relationships.
Organizational structure causes include excessive rules and lack of
opportunity to participate.
Organizational leadership represents the supervisory style of the
organization’s company officials which can cause unrealistic pressures,
tight controls, and the threat of job loss.
Personal stressors include:
Family issues
Personal economic problems
Inherent personality characteristics:
Some individuals may have a tendency to accentuate negative aspects
of life.
P a g e 8
Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
Type A employees are more likely to show symptoms of stress and
typically have a chronic sense of time urgency and excessive
competitive drive.
Type B employees rarely suffer from time urgency or impatience.
Burnout is associated with: Slide 26
Chronic emotional stress with emotional and/or physical exhaustion.
Lowered job productivity.
Dehumanizing of jobs.
Reducing Stress Slide 27
Eliminating stress isn’t possible, but employers can reduce it by utilizing these steps:
Monitor employee workloads and deadlines.
Have a zero -tolerance policy toward employee aggression.
Establish and encourage use of wellness programs.
Encourage vacations and discourage working on weekends and vacations.
Sponsor seminars, workshops, and programs on stress management.
Utilize employee participation, communication, and empowerment programs.
Participation in Employee Assistance Programs.
Establishing a culture that values fun, light-hearted play, and laughter.
Review job descriptions.
Support an informal social network within the workplace.
Provide a safe workplace
Establish work-–life balance programs
Class Activity: Ethical Issues in HRM – Smokers and the Obese Need Not Apply
page 301 Students may be surprised that there is little protection for job discrimination
for smokers or the obese in the workplace. The ethics of this type of discrimination are
easy to question and just as easy to defend. Student responses to the ethical questions will
lead to lively class discussion. See if any employers in your area prohibit smoking and
how far they go to enforce the policy.
International Safety And Health Slide 28
Learning Outcome 6: List health and safety concerns for employees traveling
internationally.
Cultural differences exist in laws and expectations regarding safe working conditions,
especially in less-developed countries, so it is imperative for American firms to learn the
complex regulations and the cultural expectations of the local labor force.
International Health Issues
Before sending an employee on an overseas assignment, a few basic
health-related items need to be put in place.
Up-to-date vaccinations against infectious diseases.
P a g e 9
Chapter 13: Managing Health and Safety Risks
A general first aid kit that includes over-the-counter and prescription
medications and other supplies that might not be available to U.S. workers
abroad.
An emergency plan to help expatriates anticipate medical needs and locate
resources while traveling.
International Safety Issues Slide 29
U.S. Department of State “hotline” provides travel alerts about such issues as
terrorist activity or disease outbreaks.
Security concerns prompt recommendations regarding travel modes, attire, and
“blending in.” Set routines should be avoided by both the employee and his or her
family.
HRM Workshop
The HRM Workshop includes several different types of activities requiring students to apply
chapter concepts aligned with the learning objectives. Suggested answers are provided.
P a g e 10