1.0 Introduction Employee health and safety are two topics in which have only recently become increasingly more important in all organizations. Companies focus not only on the production and services aspect of a business, but they also pay close attention to the health of their employees as well as the level of safety within the organization. As improper management or health and safety could lead to employee lost time, lawsuits, or even company closure, health and safety cannot be a “set it and forget it” culture. For companies to carry out safe health and work practices, both employers and employees must make the necessary changes to ensure that their line of work puts health and safety first. This paper will examine the underlying structure …show more content…
Employees had demanded that a governing body establish safety standards in regards to mandating machine guards. It was not until 1887 that the Canadian government after documenting and testifying workers concluded that oppressed work conditions resulted in a high rate of workplace injury. To combat this issue, the Canadian government proposed that a labour bureau should be created to oversee and establish health and safety standards and mandate inspections for work organizations. It was not until 1913 that a Meredith Report be released by Justice William Meredith who was appointed to a Royal Commission to report on worker compensation. This report according to Share (n.d.), “outlined principles whereby workers relinquished their right to sue in exchange for compensation benefits” (para. 3). The report was based around the notion that the fault of the incident was not that of the employee, but a result of the employer and the groups that are responsible for making and reinforcing the health and safety rules and …show more content…
Safety within the workplace is not solely dependent on one participant. The responsibility of occupation health and safety (OH&S) cannot be placed solely upon the employer, and similarly it cannot solely be placed on the employee themselves. For health and safety of employees within a company to be taken seriously, it must be based on the principle of joint responsibility between both the employees and their respective employers. As stated by Dessler, Chhnizer, and Cole (2014), “there is an implicit and explicit expectation that both workers and employers must maintain a hazard-free work environment and enhance the health and safety of workers” (p. 383). To ensure that both the employer and employee receive equivocal power in practicing their rights, the government has the responsibility to balance the needs of both parties. Only through the unification and common understanding behind workplace health and safety could it be effectively practiced and potentially hazardous events
...llowing duties of the employees as outlined by the OHSA amended Act, No. 181 of 1993. The Act states that the ‘employee must take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of others; cooperate with the employer in order to fulfill any duty or requirement imposed by the OHSA; carry out any lawful orders and obey the health and safety rules and procedures laid down by the employer or by anyone authorized thereto by the employer, in the interests of health or safety; report any situation which is unsafe or unhealthy as soon as possible to the employer or to the health and safety representatives; and if the employee is involved in any incident which may affect his/her health or which has caused an injury to him/ her, report such incident to the employer or to anyone authorized thereto by the employer as soon as possible thereafter’.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was formed as an agency of the federal government that is charged with protecting workers from recognized safety hazards within the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created as a result of passage of the “Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 in response to dangerous working conditions across the nation and as a culmination of decades of reform” (Walter, 2011, para. 5). President Richard Nixon signed the act into law on December 29, 1970 and The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was officially established on April 28, 1971 (Walter, 2011). During the 41 years on the job, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has identified and addressed numerous work hazards, as well as provided solutions to mitigate and/or avoid placing workers in unnecessary danger. OSHA regulates as enforces regulations throughout the country, however the agency does declare that “states can run their own safety and health programs as long as those programs are at least as effective as the federal program” (http://www.dol.gov/compliance/laws/comp-osha.htm). The states that choose to implement their own version of the occupational safety and health plan are referred to as OSHA states, whereas those who implement no plan are required to follow the federal regulations, as set forth by OSHA. OSHA effects all workers and employers in the United States, as the desired effect of the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act is “to assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the Nation safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources” (Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1970). OS...
McGuire, C. (2011, April). Workplace Safety 100 Years Ago. Safety Compliance Letter(2524), 1-6. Retrieved April 22, 2014, from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=60166397&site=ehost-live&scope=site
The end result is that everyone wants to come to work in an environment that is stress free and safe. A business needs to make a concrete commitment to the health and security of its employees. Let’s not wait until it’s too late.
The health and safety of employees in the workplace is protected by legislation provided under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HASAWA) and its applicable regulations.
A culture of safety requires the commitment of leadership to positively impact outcomes. Recent emphasis on the new CMS guidelines and third party reimbursement initiatives associated with patient outcomes, has grabbed the attention of leadership at all healthcare organizations. Additionally, our system wide organization’s employee culture of safety survey has shown that communication and teamwork are areas were improvements are needed. Years of research on communication and teamwork in highly reliable organizations support a correlation with safety. (XX) One of the most important and highly touted Joint Commission, National Patient Safety Goals is to improve communication across the healthcare continuum. (JC .com) Additionally, the organization’s patient occurrences were reviewed through root cause analysis and the source is often linked to a failure to effectively communicate and role confusion. Well defined roles within the team model can help improve communication, including mitigating variables such as distractions, individual emphasis on the wrong information, and a breakdown in communication. (XXX) Implementation of a formal teamwork program is one way to systematically approach risk reduction within an organization. (Botwinick, L., Bisognano, M., & Harden, C., 2006) (Leonard, M., Frankel, A., Federico, F., Frush, K., & Haraden, C., 2013)
Section 8 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act (2005) puts the onus on the employer to ensure systems of work that are planned, organised, performed, maintained and revised as appropriate so as to be, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health. Section 19 of the Act requires the employer to conduct a risk assessment of work activities and Schedule 3 of the Act provides the general principles of prevention to ensure the safety of employees in the workplace.
When it comes to safety most people think they are safe, and they have a true understanding on how to work safe. Human nature prevents us from harming ourselves. Our instincts help protect us from harm. Yet everyday there are injuries and deaths across the world due to being unsafe. What causes people to work unsafe is one of the main challenges that face all Safety Managers across the world.
In a culture of safety and quality, all employees are focused on upholding quality in providing safe care. In order to promote patient safety in the hospital setting there should be an exhibition of teamwork irrespective of the different leadership positions. However the leaders show their obligation to quality and safety, and set capacities for their employees to perform a committed and critical role in assuring patient safety.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (2011). Introduction to the Culture of Safety (Educational Standards). Retrieved from IHI open school for health professions: http://www.ihi.org
One of the biggest challenges managers face in motivating employees is the ability to meet their safety needs. Because of the weak economy and high
As for employees, it is essential for them to work together and cooperate with one another to prevent any accidents from occurring and to not carry out any actions that may be reckless and bring harm to their fellow colleagues. They are ultimately responsible for the safety of their colleagues and themselves. Failing to do so will not only cause mishaps but it may also result in parties being convicted for breaching this act.
Employers negligent in providing health and safety in the work environment could become criminally charged, fined or sent to jail. Providing an unsafe workplace is no longer considered just as morally unjust, but an act of crime. Health and safety in the workplace has become more encompassing and broader, accepting new causes and problems that influence occupational health and safety. Health is no longer just defined as wellness of the physical body, but also wellness of the mind. Mental health is considered an area of workplace safety.
Employers have a legal obligation to inform employees about safety and health standards that apply to their workplace. Employers must establish a written, comprehensive hazard communication program to ensure that employees who work with or near hazardous materials...
Zanko, M & Dawson, P 2012, ‘Occupational health and safety management in organizations: A review’, International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 14, no. 3, p 328-344, viewed 2 April 2014, http://ro.uow.edu.au/commpapers/2832/.