Term Paper on "Human Safety and Reliability"

Term Paper 6 pages (1663 words) Sources: 7 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

human safety and reliability with regard to safety at the workplace. The writer explores how hindsight always provides the ability to identify warning signs which went unheeded before disaster struck. The writer then discusses how organizations can implement a safety culture that is capable of predicting and avoiding accident risks.

Safety Culture and Human Risk Taking Behavior at Work

Human behaviors are responsible for the majority of workplace accidents. Statistics indicate that one in five workplace accidents involve alcohol while other accidents are attributed to human error, risk taking, carelessness or other factors that could have been avoided (Talk, 2004).

The human make up is a curious element. Around the world humans engage in high risk behaviors for the excitement and enjoyment that they get from doing so. Whether it is bungee jumping, skydiving or rock climbing people are eager to stretch their skills to the limit. Each year thousands of people die taking part in high risk behaviors but their deaths do nothing to slow others from following in their footsteps.

In addition to taking part in high risk behaviors for fun, people often do so because they are in a hurry (Lanoie, 1992). They cross streets against traffic, double up on medications in the hopes of getting well more quickly, and drive well over speed limits to get there a few minutes earlier. Again, it is human nature to take part in high risk behaviors.

This creates an issue for companies around the world that have to contend with employee injury caused by risk taking behaviors. Every day people in working positions hurt themselves using some type of equipment or doing something more quickly than they should have done it.

The problem for corporations however, is that when the employee's high risk behavior causes accident and injury the company has to pay out by way of workman's compensation wages, replacement of temporary lost workers and other benefits that could have been avoided if the accident had not occurred (Lanoie, 1992).

There are several reasons for corporations to adopt and promote a work culture of safety. Insurance premiums, loss of manpower, and lawsuits are but three valid reasons that a safety culture in the work place is a cost effective idea.

Some companies have begun to reward their employees for using safety precautions in their daily routines.

Supermarket operators are finding that by getting directly involved in preventing accidents in the workplace, they can save a considerable amount of money. Harp's Food Stores experienced savings of $100,000 during 1994 in conjunction with a reduction in the number of accidents. The experiences of several other food retailers and their strategies for preventing workplace accidents are presented.

The battle to reduce workplace injuries has long been waged on many fronts - from meticulous floor maintenance programs that prevent slips and falls to the enforcement of case weight limits to avoid back injuries caused by excessive lifting (Zimmerman, 1995)."

In addition, many companies have begun demanding a new level of accountability by the employee when it comes to workplace safety.

Employees that have accidents on the job are often subjected to immediate drug and alcohol testing to see if the employee was under the influence of any substance at the time of the accident.

In addition, employers are providing training for their workers through seminars, OSHA and other methods to insure the employees know how to perform their positions without taking part in high risk behaviors.

More recently if an employee who has been trained in the proper methods to use for a duty on the job, is injured there is often an investigation into whether or not the employee ignored the safety training that he or she was given and the employer makes a determination about whether to fight the disability claim based on the results of that investigation.

Harp's Food Stores, Springdale, Ark., for example, has reduced the frequency of accidents and saved $100,000 over the past year since taking on the liability of workers' compensation injury claims as a self-insured employer (Zimmerman, 1995).

All costs related to an accident - the administrative costs, medical costs, work lost costs - are charged directly back to the store and department" where the injury occurred, said Harlon Earp, vice president of human resources, who is responsible for risk management at the 28-store chain (Zimmerman, 1995). "

At the corporate level managers of individual businesses are being trained in the cost of each workman's compensation claim to make them more aware of the importance of developing a safety culture in their workplace with their employees.

One supermarket chain feels it is important enough that it has begun tying performance evaluations, in part to the safety record of each manager's employees.

Safety Culture before one can begin to implement a safety culture it is important for one to understand what a safety culture is and what it means. A safety culture at the workplace is an overall attitude and attention to maintaining a no accident record if at all possible.

This can be done in several ways.

One of the ways that a safety culture is promoted is through the use of employee training. Employees are provided training not only for positions that involve lifting and driving but also for administrative work with regard to desk heights, computer screen locations and other aspects of employment (Wolff, 1999).

Another recently popular method for promoting a work safety culture in the business world is to have a consultant come into the company and spend several days observing and evaluating the safety of the workplace.

Today, there are professional evaluators that will come into a business, spend several days simply observing and taking notes, then meet with management to go over each area of the company and point out where improvements to safety can be made.

In addition, many companies have a team comprised of current employees that are willing to serve on a safety committee.

The committee meets on a regular basis and discusses the safety issues that many arise and works with management to reduce the chance of accidents through the changing of those safety problems. Employees company wide are told who their safety representative is in their work area and they are encouraged to go to that person if they see or suspect anything unsafe or high risk is being done.

Ergonomics often is described as matching human capabilities (physical, psychological, physiological and biomechanical) to the demands of a specific task. When there is a mismatch in some of these requirements, one of the consequences may be the development of musculoskeletal injuries (Ware, 2005). "

One of the most common injuries and claims to worker's insurance has to do with these type of injuries therefore they must be analyzed and employees trained for safety.

Before the company does anything with regard to training employees about work safety however, the most important thing the company must do is provide proper tools and equipment to get the job done.

In many companies employees are using makeshift tools, and office equipment that opens the door to accidents because they are being misused.

It is a financially sound investment for companies to provide their workers with the exact right equipment for any job that must be performed.

Employees that use boxes and crates to stand on should have OSHA regulated ladders. When a file clerk has to reach to high to do her job or lift heavy boxes without proper training there is an increased risk of damage or injury which can result in a claim against the company and lost manpower.

It is much more cost effective for the company to invest in the proper and safe equipment for its employees.

This many mean providing ergonomically designed office chairs. It may mean buying new tow… READ MORE

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