The Case of Sam Sawyer Sam Sawyer was a top-rated operator in a building where a material wirl caustic soda was processed. The five stages of the process were loeated on five separate floces. Operators moved the material in open buggies from the firs stage to a chute in the floor and dumped it onto equipment on the floor below, where the next stage began. Because of the corrosive nature of the material, close-fitting goggles were provided. Until a year earlier, safety rules had required that goggles be worn only when removing material from equipment, because that was when the greates possibility of injury existed. Their use at other times was up to the discretion of each operator. At two stages in the process, thotgh, the material was light and fluffy, and occasional backdrafts through the chutes caused it to fly. After this had resulted in three cases of Chapter 10 How w Obtain and Marage. Human Resourses and Diversity in Small Compumics 275 eye irritations, the rules were changed, and operators were required to wear goggles whenever they were near exposed material. Dave Watts, supervisor of operaticns for two years, had worked on all stages of the operation his first year out of engineering school. He had gotien along well with the men, was grateful to them for teaching him the "tricks of the trade," and might have been tempted to be lenient with them. Watts's boss, however, was very safety minded and insisted that safety rules be followed to the letter. Sam Sawyer, who had worked on the operation for 20 years, was an outstanding operator and was looked up to by his fellow workers. His safety recond was one of the best in the plant, as he had had only one minor injury in all his years of service. When the new safety rule went into effect. Dave was bothered because everyone went along with it except Sam, who contended that it was unnecessary to wear goggles except when unloading equipment. This caused problems for Dave. because the others followed Sam's example. After much discussion, however. Sam agreed to go aloog with the rule. Dave had a strong feeling that Sam was complying with the rule only while he was around. On half a dozen occasions he thought Sam had put on the goggles just as he came on the floor. Before the rule change, Sam had worn the goggles around his neckwhen they were not needed, but he had recently started wearing them pushed up on his forehead. Dave's doubts were confirmed today when he came on Sam unexpectedly and saw him bob his head to shift the goggles from his forehead to his eyes. Questions 1. What does the case show about the need for management emphasis on safety? 2. How can you explain the workers' lack of interest in their own sufety? 3. What would you do if you were the supervisor? 4. How would you explain it to an OSHA inspector? 5. What does this case illustrate about the role of informal leaders? Source: Prepared by Bruce Gunn. Flonida State Univenity. Used with permisuion..

1. The Case of Sam Sawyer Sam Sawyer was a top-rated operator in a building where a material wirl
caustic soda was processed. The five stages of the process were loeated on five separate floces.
Operators moved the material in open buggies from the firs stage to a chute in the floor and
dumped it onto equipment on the floor below, where the next stage began. Because of the
corrosive nature of the material, close-fitting goggles were provided. Until a year earlier, safety
rules had required that goggles be worn only when removing material from equipment, because
that was when the greates possibility of injury existed. Their use at other times was up to the
discretion of each operator. At two stages in the process, thotgh, the material was light and fluffy,
and occasional backdrafts through the chutes caused it to fly. After this had resulted in three cases
of Chapter 10 How w Obtain and Marage. Human Resourses and Diversity in Small Compumics
275 eye irritations, the rules were changed, and operators were required to wear goggles
whenever they were near exposed material. Dave Watts, supervisor of operaticns for two years,
had worked on all stages of the operation his first year out of engineering school. He had gotien
along well with the men, was grateful to them for teaching him the "tricks of the trade," and might
have been tempted to be lenient with them. Watts's boss, however, was very safety minded and
insisted that safety rules be followed to the letter. Sam Sawyer, who had worked on the operation
for 20 years, was an outstanding operator and was looked up to by his fellow workers. His safety
recond was one of the best in the plant, as he had had only one minor injury in all his years of
service. When the new safety rule went into effect. Dave was bothered because everyone went
along with it except Sam, who contended that it was unnecessary to wear goggles except when
unloading equipment. This caused problems for Dave. because the others followed Sam's
example. After much discussion, however. Sam agreed to go aloog with the rule. Dave had a
strong feeling that Sam was complying with the rule only while he was around. On half a dozen
occasions he thought Sam had put on the goggles just as he came on the floor. Before the rule
change, Sam had worn the goggles around his neckwhen they were not needed, but he had
recently started wearing them pushed up on his forehead. Dave's doubts were confirmed today
when he came on Sam unexpectedly and saw him bob his head to shift the goggles from his
forehead to his eyes. Questions 1. What does the case show about the need for management
emphasis on safety? 2. How can you explain the workers' lack of interest in their own sufety? 3.
What would you do if you were the supervisor? 4. How would you explain it to an OSHA
inspector? 5. What does this case illustrate about the role of informal leaders? Source: Prepared
by Bruce Gunn. Flonida State Univenity. Used with permisuion.