The document discusses the importance of workplace safety and health, identifying benefits such as higher productivity and lower costs, as well as consequences of unsafe environments like injuries and diseases. It provides an overview of common workplace hazards, prevention strategies, and regulations like OSHA that aim to assure worker safety and health through standards, training, enforcement, and partnerships with businesses.

1. Safety and Health
• Dr. N. Yuvaraj
• Assistant Professor
• Achariya Arts and Science College
• Villianur , Puducherry

2. Strategic Importance of Workplace
Safety and Health
• Benefits of a Safe and Healthy Workforce:
Higher productivity
Increased efficiency and quality
Reduced medical and insurance costs
Lower workers’ compensation rates and payments
Improved reputation as an employer of choice

3. Consequences of an Unsafe and Unhealthy
Work Environment
• Injury and Disease
 Back injuries are most
prevalent
 Exposure to Chemicals
 Undetected effects,
possible long-term risk
• Mental Health
 Psychological symptoms
can affect productivity
and life away from work
• Deaths and Violence
• Economic Costs

4. Workplace Safety and Health in an Integrated HRM System

5. The External Environment
• Global Consideration
 There are substantial differences in national standards
regarding workplace safety and health.
• Global Organizations
 International Labour Organization (ILO)
 World Health Organization (WHO)
 Strengthen international and national policies.
 Develop practices for improving health at work.
 Promote health at work through technical
assistance/support.
 Develop human resources for the field of occupational
health.
 Establish relevant and useful registration and data
systems.
 Raise public awareness.
 Strengthen research on occupational health.

6. Workplace Safety and Health Hazards
• Occupational Accidents
 Organizational Qualities
 Factors most affecting workplace accidents:
– Working conditions and times
– Tools and technology available to do the job

7. Individual Qualities: The Unsafe
Employee
• Characteristics that make people more
susceptible to accidents:
Emotionally ―low‖
Stressed

8. Violent Employees
• Homicide is leading
cause of workplace
deaths after highway
accidents
• Signs of potential
violence:
 Verbal threats
 Physical Actions
 Intimidation
 Show weapons
 Try to gain access
 Frustration
 mania

9. Occupational Diseases
• Disease-Causing Hazards:
 Arsenic, asbestos, benzene, bichloromethylether
 Coal dust, coke-oven emissions, cotton dust
 Lead, radiation, vinyl chloride
• Workers most likely to be exposed:
 Chemical and oil refinery workers, miners, textile workers
 Steelworkers, lead smelters
 Medical technicians, painters, shoemakers, plastics industry
workers.

10. Diseases Linked to Workplace Hazards
• Cancer
 Liver, lung, brain, kidney
• Lung Disease
 White, brown, and black lung
• Leukemia
• Bronchitis, emphysema
• Lymphoma, aplastic anemia
• Central nervous system damage
• Reproductive Disorders
• Skin Diseases

11. Accident Prevention
• Design a safe work environment
Guards, handrails
Safety goggles, helmets
Warning lights
Self-correcting mechanisms
Automatic shutoffs
• Ergonomics
Change job environment to match
capabilities limitations of employees

12. Accident Prevention (cont’d)
• Health and Safety Committees
 At the department level, do implementation and
administration
 At the organization level, formulate policies
• Behavior Modification
 Small percentage of workforce responsible for
majority of health insurance claims
 Measure, communicate, monitor, and reinforce desired
behavior
• Assessing Intervention Effectiveness

13. Disease Prevention
• Reducing the Incidence of Diseases
 Record keeping
 Monitoring exposure
 Genetic screening

14. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
of 1970
• Mission of OSHA
 To assure the safety and health of America’s workers
by setting and enforcing standards
 providing training and education
 establishing partnerships with businesses
 encouraging continual improvements in workplace
safety and health
 Coverage of employees—all nongovernmental employers
and employees; state and local government employees

15. Provisions of OSHA
• OSHA Standards
 Apply to general industry, maritime, construction, and
agriculture
 Cover the workplace, machinery and equipment, material,
power sources, processing, protective clothing, first aid, and
administrative requirements.
• Enforcement of the Act
 The Secretary of Labor is authorized by the Act to conduct
workplace inspections, to issue citations, and to impose
penalties on employers.
 Inspections are conducted by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration of the Department of Labor.

16. Creating a Safe Work Environment
Safety Awareness
Programs
Safety Motivation
and Knowledge
Enforcement of
Safety Rules
Accident
Investigations
and Records
Elements in Creating a Safe
Work Environment

17. Creating a Safe Work Environment
• Promoting Safety Awareness
 The Key Role of the Supervisor
 Communicating the need to work safely.
 Proactive Safety Training Program
 First aid, defensive driving, accident prevention
techniques, hazardous materials, and emergency
procedures.
 Information Technology and Safety Awareness and
Training

18. Creating a Safe Work Environment
• Typical Safety Rules
 Using proper safety devices
 Using proper work procedures
 Following good housekeeping practices
 Complying with accident- and injury-reporting
procedures
 Wearing required safety clothing and equipment
 Avoiding carelessness and horseplay

19. Creating a Healthy Work Environment
• Recognizing and Controlling Health Hazards Related to
Hazardous Materials and Processes
 Use substitutes for hazardous materials.
 Alter hazardous processes and engineering controls.
 Enclose or isolate hazardous processes.
 Issue clothing to protect against hazards.
 Improve ventilation.

20. Key Elements for a Successful
Ergonomics Program
Provide notice and training for employees.
Conduct pre-injury hazard assessment.
Involve employees.
File injury reports.
Plan and execute.
Evaluate and assess the ergonomics program.

21. Workplace Violence
• Reducing Violence in the Workplace
 Commitment to prevent violence
 Identify areas of potential violence
 Develop violence prevention policies
 Provide violence prevention training
 Evaluate program effectiveness

22. Building Better Health
Alternative
Approaches
Wellness Programs
Health Services Focus on Nutrition

23. Employee Health
Cleanliness ( sewerage and sanitation)
Air ventilation and temperature (maximum 25 – 30 degree
Celsius)
Cross ventilation, required no of fans and exhaust fans
Thermometer kept in visible place
Dust Sucker, Mask
Lighting

24. Safe drinking water
Minimum 4 ltr per day
Min 6 mtr away from toilets
Water cooler ( 250 employees and more)
3 ltr saline water if needed
Toilets
 one / 25 (female) up to first 500
 one / 40 (male) up to first 500

25. Employee Safety
Safety of building equipment and other infrastructure
Fire fighting and safety ( emergency door, 2 per room,
emergency staircase)
Fire fighting equipment
Safety against electrical wearing and connections
Crane and lift etc
Turbine