Bus 381 - Chapter 14: Occupational Health and Safety

Three Basic Causes of Accidents:

1. Chance Occurrences (beyond management's control) 2. Unsafe conditions 3. Unsafe acts

Three Other Work-Related Accident Factors:

1. Job (some inherently dangerous) 2. Work Schedule (fatigue) 3. Psychological Climate (stress)

How to Prevent Accidents?

1. Reduce Unsafe Conditions 2. Reduce Unsafe Acts

How to Reduce Unsafe Acts?

1. Selection testing 2. Top-management commitment 3. Training and education 4. Positive reinforcement

Employee Wellness Programs

1. Stress management 2. Nutrition and weight management 3. Smoking cessation programs 4. Tai chi 5. Heart health 6. Physical fitness programs 7. Ergonomics

When is substance abuse testing legal?

1. Test is rationally connected to performance of the job 2. Test is adopted in honest and good-faith belief that it is necessary for fulfillment of work-related purpose 3. Test is reasonably necessary to the accomplishment of the work-related purpose

How to Avoid Burnout?

1. break patterns 2. get away from it all periodically 3. reassess goals 4. think about work 5. reduce stress

Specific duties of the employer include

1. filing government accident reports 2. maintaining records 3. ensuring that safety rules are enforced 4. posting safety notices and legislative information

Prevention and Control of Workplace Violence

1. identify jobs with high risk of violence 2. institute workplace violence policy 3. create a healthy work environment 4. heighten security measures 5. provide workplace violence training 6. improve employee screeing

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) legislation has three components:

1. labelling of hazardous material containers 2. material safety data sheets (MSDS) 3. employee training

Employees have three basic rights:

1. the right to know about workplace safety hazards 2. the right to participate in the OHS process 3. the right to refuse unsafe work

What is due diligence?

Employers are responsible for taking every reasonable precaution to ensure the health and safety of their workers.