This document discusses the role of an HRMS (human resource management system) in occupational health and safety (OH&S). An HRMS can help organizations meet their OH&S responsibilities by collecting and reporting important OH&S data like accident reports, safety inspections, and employee training records. It can also integrate this OH&S information with other HR data modules for staffing, benefits, attendance, and more. Maintaining centralized OH&S records in an HRMS allows organizations to identify trends, manage costs, prioritize safety issues, and ensure legal compliance.

1. Occupational Health and Safety Chapter 12

2. Learning Outcome To discuss process links and potential benefits for OH&S with the use of an HRMS

3. Occupational Health and Safety Occupational health and safety (H&S) can be described as the identification, evaluation and control of hazards associated with the work

4. Occupational H&S Cont’d Other general H&S activities include: medical testing, medicals (pre-employment, during employment, post-employment), medical treatment, first aid, preventative measures (i.e./flu and travel shots), accident prevention and education, accident investigation, recommendations for correction of procedures, equipment, union/management committees, and worker compensation boards.

5. Increased Awareness of OH&S Issues Workers’ Compensation Board costs Safety legislation Increasing health care costs Trends in health care responsibility Technology Security and privacy

6. Legislation H&S legislation has three major aims: Prevention : setting minimum standards in the workplace, along with the means of enforcing these standards. Employment Security/Compensation : ensuring that injured workers receive appropriate “Worker’s Compensation”, medical attention, rehabilitation support, and a suitable job to return to, or extended financial support if they are not. Employer Liability : ensuring that the employer meets the established H&S standards, and is accountable when the standards are found not to be met.

7. Legal Issues in OH&S – Due Diligence Whether appropriate OH&S policies and procedures exist Whether legislation, policies and procedures are translated into effective H&S programs Whether H&S legislation, policies, procedures and programs are understood, applied and monitored throughout the organization

8. Role of an HRMS in OH&S An organization’s HRMS has a key role to play in collecting, storing and reporting of in formation to assist personnel at all levels of the organization carry out their H&S responsibilities

9. Role of an HRMS in OH&S Cont’d Keep a roster of safety inspections Maintain the results of accident investigations, as well as identify and report on trends Maintain a roster of employees that have received H&S training and/or certification as well as individuals who are qualified to provide such training Collect information and provide regular reports on injuries, medical time-off, and worker’s compensation statistics

10. HRMS Should Maintain Statistics to: identify trends compare and manage costs identify priority areas for joint safety committee attention allow comparisons with other organization’s in the same sector provide reports and returns for the government, and for internal use

11. Information Shared with other HRMS Modules Staffing pre-employment health declaration pre-employment medical Benefits medical & drug requirements Attendance Management medical/health reasons for absence accident investigation first aid

12. Information Shared with other HRMS Modules Cont’d Wellness Programs preventative measures periodic medical testing education safety inspections industrial hygiene programs Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Employee Relations H&S union / management committees incident reports

13. Inspection Checklists Include: Safe use and maintenance of machinery, tools and equipment. Environmental factors such as noise, atmosphere, temperature. State of storage areas and facilities, especially as pertaining to hazardous materials.

14. Inspection Checklists Cont’d Include: Storage and use of hazardous materials (do material safety data sheets exist, and are the materials concerned being stored and used properly?. Has training been complete in accordance with WHMIS?) Existence and quality of personal protective equipment. State of working and walking surfaces. Adherence to safe working practices. State and quality of emergency facilities and equipment.

15. In Each Check listed Area HRMS Should Document: Department Inspected, Date, Time Name of Inspectors Hazards Observed Recommended Action, Date Action Taken Result of follow-up Review by Safety Committee, Date of Follow-up Safety Committee Sign-Off

16. HRMS Accident Reporting Information Description of Accident, Location, Date, Time Machinery, Tools, Equipment Involved Mitigating Environmental Conditions (lighting, atmosphere, chemicals, working surfaces) Name of Person(s) Involved Description of Injury Job Being Performed Analysis of Causes Recommendations Name and Signature of Investigator, Date Follow-up Action Taken, Date

17. Effect on HR of an Accident time lost from work due to an accident often triggers the requirement for either a replacement worker or overtime an injured employee's progression through sick leave, short-term disability, long-term disability, workers compensation, restricted return to work and unrestricted return to work must be tracked, preferably with the HRMS external agencies (i.e./Workers' Compensation Boards) and contractors (such as health case workers) both require and generate data. Most of this information should come from and/or be entered into an HRMS

18. Effect on HR of an Accident Cont’d depending on the nature and cause of an accident, there may be labour relations issues which arise, up to and including strike action additional benefits or levels of benefits may be triggered for an injured employee

19. Question 1 What are some of the factors which are causing occupational health and safety to be the target of increased management attention?

20. Question 2 Many health professionals see their first duty as being to the individual worker, not the employer. Discuss the varying perspectives on this point of view, and comment on how the different views could impact on the nature of the supporting information systems.

21. Question 3 For what reasons have H&S modules often not been included in HRMSs in the past? Has anything changed to now make inclusion of occupational health and safety issues in an HRMS more likely?