CHAPTER 12
PROMOTING SAFETY AND HEALTH
CHAPTER OUTLINE
12.1 Safety and Health: It’s the Law
12.1a OSHA’s Coverage
12.1b OSHA Standards
12.1d OSHA Consultation Assistance
12.1e Responsibilities and Rights under OSHA
12.2 Promoting a Safe Work Environment
12.2b Enforcing Safety Rules
12.2d Safety Hazards and Issues
12.3 Creating a Healthy Work Environment
12.3a Ergonomics
12.3c Building Better Physical and Emotional Health among Employees
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After studying this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Summarize the general provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).
3. Identify ways to control and eliminate various on-the-job health hazards.
4. Describe the programs organizations utilize to build better health among their
workforces.
GENERATING INTEREST
Introduce the chapter by using a recent example of a workplace accident by going to
www.google.com/news and keying in “OSHA fines.”
DEALING WITH TROUBLE SPOTS
Relate your recent example from the “Generating Interest” feature to OSHA’s statistical
data found in OSHA’s annual report. Analyzing some of this data and relating it to a
recent example will help students understand OSHA’s role in workplace safety.
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LECTURE OUTLINE
Discussion Starter #1: An ergonomically designed computer workstation will reduce the strain on
the worker’s eyes, neck and shoulders, wrists, and back. Ergonomics has proven cost effective at
organizations such as Compaq Computer, 3M, Pratt and Whitney, and the U.S. Postal Service. What
are some other benefits that ergonomics offers to both employers and employees?
12.1 Safety and Health: It’s the Law
The mission of OSHA is to “assure the safety and health of America’s workers by setting
Teaching Tip: Use Figures 12.1-12.3 to discuss OSHA’s mission and the expense of worker injury and
death.
12.1a OSHA’s Coverage
12.1b OSHA Standards
OSHA is responsible for developing and enforcing mandatory job safety and
health standards. Employers need to become familiar with the standards that apply
Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.4 to discuss how OSHA standards are set and who can request that
standards be set.
12.1c Enforcing OSHA Standards
OSHA is authorized to conduct workplace inspections, issue citations, and impose
penalties on employers.
Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.5 to discuss the most frequently violated OSHA standards. Ask students
to consider how each of these categories can be a danger to American workers.
Workplace Inspections
After presenting credentials, an OSHA compliance officer is authorized to enter
without delay and to inspect and investigate any place of employment.
Chapter 12: Promoting Safety and Health 3
Citations and Penalties
OSHA citations may be issued immediately after an inspection or mailed to the
employer. A citation identifies which regulations and standards were violated and
how long the employer has to correct the situation. OSHA may cite the following
violations:
• Other-Than-Serious: This violation has a direct relationship to job safety
and health but it is not likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Penalties can be as high as $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for a
corporation, imprisonment of up to 6 months, or both.
Video Highlights #1: Section 12.1c: Enforcing OSHA Standards
VIDEO: What to Expect During an Oregon OSHA Inspection (2:25)
Follow an Oregon OSHA Health Compliance Officer as he conducts a routine inspection at a
12.1d OSHA Consultation Assistance
OSHA can help employers develop and implement effective workplace safety and
health programs.
Onsite Consultation
Free onsite consultation services help employers identify hazardous conditions
and determine corrective measures. OSHA also provides free training and
education services.
Cooperative Programs
Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.6 to discuss the four cooperative programs. Ask students to define the
differences in the programs.
Chapter 12: Promoting Safety and Health 5
EOC Discussion Question #1: When OSHA was enacted in 1970, it was heralded as the most
important new source of protection for the U.S. worker in the second half of the twentieth
century. From the information in this chapter, what is your opinion about the effectiveness or the
ineffectiveness of the act? Should it be expanded, or should businesses have more freedom to
determine safety standards for their workers?
12.2 Promoting a Safe Work Environment
The HR department or the industrial relations department is responsible for a safety
program. The HR department has the following responsibilities:
12.2a Creating a Culture of Safety
A culture of safety exists when everyone within an organization consciously
Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.7 to discuss the effect a manager has in a culture of safety.
The Key Role of the Supervisor
A supervisor’s major responsibility is to communicate to an employee the need to
work safely. Supervisors observe employees, reinforce safe practices, and
immediately correct unsafe behaviors.
Proactive Safety Training Programs
12.2b Enforcing Safety Rules
12.2c Investigating and Recording Accidents
The supervisor and a member of the safety committee should investigate every
accident. A recordable case is any occupational death, illness, or injury to be
recorded in the log (OSHA Form 300).
Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.8 to discuss recording cases. Ask students to suggest scenarios and then
determine if the case should be recorded.
Chapter 12: Promoting Safety and Health 7
Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.10 to discuss what members of a crisis team could do to calm an angry
employee. Ask students to identify people or characteristics that would be useful in a crisis team.
Video Highlight #2: Section 12.2d: Safety Hazards and Issues
VIDEO: Workplace Violence (5:09)
12.3 Creating a Healthy Work Environment
12.3a Ergonomics
Ergonomics is a cost-effective way to help eliminate health hazards in the
workplace.
Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.11 to discuss elements in a successful ergonomics program. Ask students
to describe ergonomic solutions that they have seen or experienced.
EOC Discussion Question #3: An unhealthy work environment can lower productivity,
contribute to low morale, and increase medical and workers’ compensation costs. Consider ways
to improve the work environment.
12.3b Health Hazards and Issues
Health hazards are no longer found only in manufacturing operations.
Cumulative Trauma Disorders
Cumulative trauma disorders are injuries involving tendons of the fingers,
hands, and arms that become inflamed from repeated stresses and strains. Carpal
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Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.12 to discuss computer workstation ergonomics. Ask students why it is
necessary to have ergonomic equipment when working on a computer screen for long periods of
time.
Chemical Hazards
The purpose of OSHA’s hazard communication standard is to ensure the testing
and evaluation of chemicals by producers and the distribution of related
12.3c Building Better Physical and Emotional Health among Employees
EAPs can help workers solve many types of problems.
Wellness and Weight Issues
Excess weight can affect a worker’s health and productivity. Nutritional programs
address two lifestyle changes: (1) increasing physical exercise and (2) adopting
nutritional dietary programs.
Job Stress and Burnout
Stress is any adjustive demand caused by physical, mental, or emotional factors
Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.13 to discuss how stress affects employees.
Four factors influence an employee’s stress: (1) high demand, (2) high effort, (3)
low control, and (4) low reward.
Teaching Tip: Use Figure 12.14 to discuss ways to reduce job-related stress.
Depression
Depression is a negative emotional state marked by feelings of low spirits,
gloominess, sadness, and loss of pleasure in ordinary activities.
Chapter 12: Promoting Safety and Health 9
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a disease that affects men and women, both young and old. Under
Drug Abuse
Employees’ abuse of illegal drugs costs billions of dollars annually. The ADA
considers an individual with a serious, life-affecting drug problem to be disabled.
EOC Discussion Question #4: To live a healthier life, medical professionals say we need to
identify those things we currently do that either impair or contribute to our health. Discuss with
others a way to develop a lifetime program for a healthy lifestyle.
ANSWERS TO END-OF-CHAPTER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Students’ answers will vary. Some of the students will have heard employee and/or
employer comments about OSHA. Opinions of employees will generally be favorable,
2. HR professionals and safety directors advocate employee involvement when designing
3. Students’ answers may vary. Organizations can make use of ergonomics. They can
4. Students’ answers may vary. Both employers and employees should honor their mind and
NOTES FOR END-OF-CHAPTER CASE STUDIES
Case Study 1: Rambo Goes Violent
1. Students’ answers will vary. Violence prevention experts note several violence indicators
employees might display before becoming violent. Figure 12.9 in the textbook lists some
