Employee Safety & Health

Enforcement of OSHA Standards

OSHA inspectors/ compliance officers inspect workplaces and issue citations for violations of standards. -Must arrive at the workplace unannounced, and present their credentials and a search warrant for inspection. They: • Typically begin an inspection by determining whether a business has OSHA-required posters displayed in conspicuous places. (Confirm OSHA posters' placements) • Check to see whether an employer has established a hazard communication program that includes provisions for container labeling, informational documents, and employee training. • Have the right to observe and interview employees, inspect for hazards, examine health and safety records, check for first aid and required medical devices, and examine emergency procedures. (The most common violations in the hospitality industry relate to machinery operation, slippery floor surfaces, and hazardous cleaning chemicals.) At the end of an inspection, officers meet with management to discuss their findings, issue citations, suggest improvements, and establish timetables for remedies. (employers have 15 days to appeal to OSHRC for citations, if not appealed citations are final.) *Penalties of up to $136,532 per willful or repeated violation can be issued, the maximum penalty for other violations is $13,653 -Penalties range from $100-$100,000

Companies that understand and address the competing demands of their employees have (Ch. 10 Quiz)

lower absenteeism.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) *key term

A federal agency whose primary purposes are to carry out research and to recommend occupational safety and health standards.

Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) *key term

An independent federal agency that decides employer appeals from citations and penalties issued by OSHA.

A valet attendant at a high-end restaurant is exhausted and has started calling in sick. He is struggling to keep up with his college work. What type of stress is this employee experiencing?

Individual sources

Which is an innovative way for management to improve work/life balance for their employees?

Job sharing and part-time work

What role does an MSDS play in OSHA compliance?

Provides information about hazardous chemicals used at the property

Workplace Violence

The U.S. Department of Labor identifies workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the worksite. About 15 percent of all workplace fatalities are caused by violence. The fallout for organizations affected by workplace violence includes changes for the worse in: • Employee work performance, commitment, and motivation.• Relationships between employees. • Employee perceptions of management and the workplace.

Other Issues in Safety & Health

A recent study found that preventable medical error is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. The most common types of medical errors causing deaths or prolonging treatment fall into the following categories: • Diagnostic problems. • Treatment errors. • Preventive errors. As many as 70 percent of people in the U.S. report that they hate their jobs, resulting in numerous problems, including disengagement with work. Hospitality managers recognize that job satisfaction directly affects customer service. Job misery is also responsible for weight gain, weakened immune system, ruined relationships, loss of sleep, risk of serious injury, and rapid aging.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) can help employees cope with personal problems, like drug and alcohol abuse, as well as emotional disorders and stressful events. EAPs include such services as family counseling, personal health management, financial counseling, and educational and career counseling. Establishing an EAP is a four-stage process: 1. Identification of workplace problems and employee needs. 2. Program development. 3. Implementation of the plan. 4. Evaluate the plan and revise. *When implementing EAPs, the most critical elements are gaining management support, ensuring employee anonymity or confidentiality, and thoroughly communicating information about the services and how employees can access them. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that substance abuse, including drug abuse and addiction, costs the U.S. economy over half a trillion dollars annually. These losses are sustained through inefficiency and lost productivity, theft, absenteeism, turnover, reduced employee morale, on-the-job injury, and increased healthcare costs.

Employee Rights Under OSHA

Under OSHA regulations, employees: • Cannot be punished for refusing to work in unsafe environments or for reporting violations to OSHA. • Have the right to know when hazardous or toxic materials are being used in the workplace and to receive proper training for handling them. The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to tell their employees about hazardous materials they may be required to handle on the job. • This communication is accomplished by providing a material safety data sheet (MSDS) for each hazardous chemical or material. • MSDS forms provide information on chemicals or cleaners used at a property, including hazardous ingredients, health hazard data, spill or leak procedures, and any special precautions or protective gear required.

Stressful Events

According to the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, the five most stressful events are: 1. Death of a spouse. 2. Divorce. 3. Death of a close family member. 4. Marital separation. 5. Being fired or let go by an employer. -Other common conditions are loneliness, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) *key term

An employer-sponsored program designed to help employees deal with drug or alcohol use, stress, family conflict, finances, and other personal issues.

Organizational Stress Reduction

An organizational stress reduction plan might recommend the following guidelines for reducing workplace stress: • (Re)Design jobs to reduce particularly stressful aspects/unnecessary aspects. • (Re)Schedule workflow to minimize bottlenecks and delays/ backups. • Clarify individual job roles and responsibilities. • Develop a system to efficiently resolve interpersonal conflicts. • Promote job security and opportunities for advancement. • Establish job enrichment programs to promote job satisfaction. -Offer retreats -Institute flexible work schedules -Offer job sharing -Establish Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) • Establish wellness programs to promote good health.

Work-Life Balance

Employees have come to expect an acceptable balance between their work and personal lives, and many employers have recognized the importance of maintaining this balance. Childcare and elder care are two of the greatest challenges employees encounter while attempting to balance work and family life. Most causes of work/life conflict are caused by time constraints and scheduling conflicts.

Wellness Programs

Many U.S. companies have established wellness programs designed to help employees live healthier lives. The theory behind wellness programs is that healthier employees are more likely to be productive, satisfied, and reliable, and should save the company on healthcare costs. Most wellness programs have three components: 1. Health screening and assessment. 2. Physical fitness programs. 3. Education and training. The six pillars of the most successful employee wellness programs are: 1. Multi-level leadership from executive to middle managers to dedicated wellness program managers. 2. Alignment with business goals and strategies, demonstrating the connection between wellness and job performance. 3. Scope, relevance, and quality of programs to address the full range of wellness issues facing employees, as opposed to a focus on just a few health issues. 4. Convenience and either free or affordable access to programs. 5. Strong partnership with quality external providers. 6. Communications with workers about available programs, personal benefits, and participation opportunities.

Employee Consequences of Stress

Too much stress can lead to *worker's compensation claims. * Approximately 11 to 15 percent of all worker's compensation claims are related to stress. Hospitality workers may cope with stress in unhealthy ways that affect their job performance, such as heavy drinking and harmful eating habits. -Alcohol, drug, or tobacco abuse -Violent behavior -Depressed behavior -Physical illness -Higher turnover -Low Productivity

Introduction

-Safety & health issues cause disruption in operations, increased administrative costs, and medical and lost-time costs. Workplace injuries and illnesses cost U.S. companies nearly $100 billion in workers' compensation and administrative costs annually. Work related deaths and injuries cost the US economy over $40 billion annually (National Safety Council). -The most injuries stem from lifting; pushing; pulling; and holding (9.8 billion annually) and from falls (8 billion). -Employers have a legal and moral duty to furnish a safe workplace; free from recognized hazards.

An OSHA compliance officer inspects an operation and issues a citation to the company. How many days does the operation have to appeal to OSHRC?

15

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) *key term

A document informing employees of the safety hazards and protection procedures associated with a hazardous chemical and material used at work.

Burnout *key term

Emotional or physical exhaustion due to stress, often resulting in disengagement from work.

The general manager of a casino notices that an employee seems to be stressed. He has smelled alcohol on her breath several times. What can the manager do to help his employee?

Encourage the employee to participate in a stress reduction program

Which agency is responsible for formulating and enforcing regulations for on-the-job safety, inspecting workplaces, investigating serious injuries and illnesses, and issuing citations and penalties?

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

A hotel employee is stressed because she believes the hotel has established unreasonable rules, regulations, and expectations. What is the source of her stress?

Organizational

Which is one of OSHA's basic requirements?

Specific safety rules and regulations for certain industries

Stress Reduction

Stress reduction programs reduce individual-induced stress and to reduce organization-induced stress. Individuals learn to control stress through exercise and diet and by modifying or eliminating their consumption of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs. Stress reduction programs may also include financial and family counseling programs. A simple stress reduction plan might recommend the following guidelines: • Rank tasks by importance; address the most important first. • Delegate authority and responsibility appropriately. • Set and follow realistic deadlines and schedules. • Plan ahead to avoid surprises. • Take frequent breaks. • Avoid procrastination. • Easy stress reduction techniques, such as deep breathing. • Get enough sleep; work schedules must allow regular sleep cycles.

Agencies Created by the Act

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created three new government agencies: • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). -Branch of US Dept. of Labor. -Responsible for formulation & enforcing regulations for on-the-job safety. OSHA is a branch of the U.S. Department of Labor that is responsible for formulating and enforcing regulations for on-the-job safety, inspecting workplaces, investigating serious injuries and illnesses, and issuing citations and penalties. (largest & most powerful agency!) • The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC). The OSHRC is an appeals board whose main purpose is to adjudicate disputes between OSHA and organizations cited by OSHA. -Responsible for settling disputes between OSHA and organizations. • The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). -Is housed in the US Dept. of Health and Human Services. NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is responsible for developing the regulations and enforcement procedures carried out by OSHA. -Conducts research on workplace health & safety.

Smoking

Today, there are about 34.1 million smokers in the U.S.—still a significant portion of the workforce. Most U.S. workplaces have banned smoking entirely, and many states and cities continue to pass indoor and outdoor smoking bans, but bars and restaurants are the most common businesses exempted from smoking bans.

Compliance Officer *key term

Workplace inspector employed by OSHA.

A server is complaining of elbow pain. He is diagnosed with

a repetitive strain injury.

An employee is experiencing significant financial strain at home. His manager notices that the employee seems depressed, unresponsive, and less committed. The employee is experiencing

burnout.

Before setting up an employee assistance program, an employer should assess the work environment to determine

what programs are most needed by the employees.

Employee Stress

-Stress is a normal human reaction to events that we perceive as challenges or threats. -Stress can either be positive or negative *Positive or "good stress" helps us to overcome daily challenges and accomplish things we thought were impossible. *However, when a difficult situation goes on a long time, seems to be beyond your control, and/or is not successfully resolved it can result in bad stress. *Studies show 40% of workers find their jobs stressful. *25% of workers say that their job was the number one source of stress. *Employees who are overworked make a lot more mistakes than those who are not. They also feel more angry toward their employer.(consequence) *Research shows that more women than men experience occupational stress. *On average, hotel and restaurant managers experience more stress than managers in other fields. Stress experts identify the following sources of stress or stressors: • Extra-organizational sources. (family problems, marriage problems, finance problems, children problems) • Individual sources. (overwork, failure to manage time effectively, health problems, and procrastination) • Group sources. (poor teamwork, inter-personal conflict, and inequitable demands/ rewards) • Organizational sources. (unreasonable rules/ regulations, unclear or excessive expectations, poor management styles, and abuse of power) Stress in the hospitality industry is related to labor shortages, high staff turnover, long and inconsistent hours, continual interaction with guests, and long periods of high-pressure conditions. Symptoms of burnout are emotional exhaustion, a tendency to depersonalize and become unresponsive to other people, and a low sense of personal commitment. Burnout also leads to employee turnover, absenteeism, and decreased productivity. Other common conditions that cause stress are loneliness, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol.

Occupational Safety and Health Act

-Was passed in 1970. -This act was passed after intense lobbying by employee groups; the National Safety Council, and Unions. -The purpose: to centralize regulation of workforce safety and to expand workforce safety coverage to all US workers. The purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is to: • Enhance the regulation of workplace safety. • Expand workplace safety protections to all workers. • Standardize national safety requirements. • Establish reliable methods of enforcing workplace safety laws. As a result of a series of judgments by the U.S. Supreme Court, OSHA replaced its "no risk" policy with the "sufficiently risk-free workplace" policy, which emphasizes the protection of workers from reasonable and foreseeable health and safety hazards. The federal regulations establish four basic requirements: 1. Employers in certain industries are required to comply with specific safety rules and standards. 2. Every employer in every industry must ensure that the workplace is free of "recognized hazards," meaning dangers the employer knows or should know about that could cause death or physical injury. This is known as the "general duty" clause. (Recognized hazards in the hospitality industry include slippery floors, risk of fire, handling heavy objects, chemical exposures, blood-borne pathogens, and workplace violence.) 3. Employers must report any workplace fatalities to OSHA within eight hours and any incident involving the hospitalization of multiple employees within 24 hours. - Employers must maintain records of all other injuries and illnesses that require medical treatment beyond basic first aid. -Employers must make those records available to both workers and OSHA inspectors and report them annually. 4. Employers are prohibited from requiring or allowing underage workers to perform certain dangerous job tasks. • For employees 16 or 17 years of age, those tasks include operating meat slicers, grinders, compactors, and power-driven bakery machines. -Delivery driving is also prohibited even if the worker has a valid driver's license. • Employees under 16 years of age are also prohibited from cooking over open flames, baking, and cleaning heavy machinery, but they are permitted to operate dishwashers, blenders, coffee/espresso machines, toasters, and microwave ovens. (Foodservice & especially quick service food outlets typically employ minors and are frequently cited for violating these age-related standards. OSHA maintains a detailed self-assessment tool specifically for restaurants employing minors to ensure their compliance.)

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) *key term

An agency within the U.S. Department of Labor created to establish occupational safety and health standards and regulations, conduct inspections, issue citations, and propose penalties for non-compliance.

Based on OSHA regulations, under which circumstance could an employee be legally punished by his or her employer?

An employee leaves her station without permission and accompanies compliance officers on their inspection of her workplace.

Which OSHA employees inspect workplaces and issue citations for violations of standards?

Compliance officers

Depression

Depression is now the most common health problem worldwide. Depression affects one in five people at some time. Depression is most common in those 22 to 44 years of age, and twice as common in women as in men. It is estimated that over six million workdays are lost annually due to the illness. One employee in 40 is likely suffering from untreated depression.

What is the most likely identity of a group of employees who are experiencing stress because of irregular starting times, inflexibility of work schedules, lack of control over decisions to work overtime, and total hours worked?

Dual-career and two-income families

Ways to Prevent Accidents

OSHA recommends the establishment of company-sponsored safety and health programs. To be effective, a safety program should: • Involve both top management leadership and frontline workers. • Clearly establish responsibilities for safety and health. • Identify all potential workplace hazards. • Include extensive employee training in safety and health precautions and first aid. • Review accident records and immediately correct causes of accidents. • Encourage awareness of workplace safety and health issues. Managers can reduce the likelihood of accidents by focusing on signage, training, and preventive maintenance of equipment. (3 ways to prevent accidents) Employees incur repetitive strain injuries (RSI) by repeating the same procedure over and over. The results of the following formula project the number of injuries expected for every 100 employees who work 40 hours for 50 weeks: N/TH X 200,000 N = Number of injuries and illness or lost workdays TH = Total hours worked by all employees during calendar year 200,000 = 100 full-time employees x 40-hour week x 50 weeks result of formula is the "incidence rate'

Standards Enforceable by OSHA

The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to tell their employees about hazardous materials they may be required to handle on the job. • This communication is accomplished by providing a material safety data sheet (MSDS) for each hazardous chemical or material. • MSDS forms provide information on chemicals or cleaners used at a property. Interim OSHA Standards: Standards set to cover a 2-year period after the establishment of OSHA. Permanent OSHA Standards: Establish permanent guidelines that businesses must follow. Emergency OSHA Standards: Issued by the secretary of labor when problems arise that need corrective action.