Chapter 12
Creating A Healthy Work Environment
Why is Safety Important
Every year in America 3.3 million people suffer from a workplace injury. Some may never recover from these injuries.
A loss of 4 - 5% of GDP and economic loss due to workplace injury.
Table 12-1 - The Cost of Workplace Injuries - Review
Safety Culture
Shared safety attitudes, beliefs and practices that outline employee safety behavior.
The Influence of an Organization's Safety Culture
2. Supervisor priorities/accountability/responsibilities
3. Management/Employee norms, beliefs and assumptions
4. Employee safety training/motivation
5. Manager/Employee involvement and commitment
6. Production/financial pressures
7. Employees actions to correct unsafe behaviors/situations
What are some of the direct/indirect cost of accidents?
Ergonomics
The goal of ergonomics is to reduce stress and eliminate injuries and disorders associated with the overuse of muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks.
This is accomplished by designing tasks, work spaces, controls, displays, tools, lighting, and equipment to fit the employee´s physical capabilities and limitations.
Cumulative Trauma Disorder
Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) are
injuries of the musculoskeletal and nervous
systems that may be caused by repetitive tasks,
forceful exertions, vibrations, mechanical
compression (pressing against hard surfaces),
or sustained or awkward positions.
Cumulative trauma disorders are also called regional
musculoskeletal disorders, repetitive motion
disorders (RMDs), overuse syndromes, repetitive
motion injuries, or repetitive strain injuries.
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - a compression of the
median nerve in the wrist that may be caused by
swelling and irritation of tendons and tendon
sheaths.
Created by performing repetitive task with the same muscles.
What occupational positions are known to suffer from both of these workplace injuries?
Ergonomic Job Design for Repetitive Task
2. Create a regular work rest schedule to relieve the muscles from mechanical stress
3. Create consistent work breaks to avoid monotonous and repetitive work patterns
4. Rotate task to move employees from one position to another
OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSHA - Work Related Injuries and Illnesses - bottom of page 387
OSHA Standards - top of page 389
What are some examples of OSHA standards?
OSHA INSPECTIONS - bottom of page 389
2. Complaints
3. Referrals
4. Follow-Ups
5. Planned or Programmed Investigations
OSHA TRAINING AND INFORMATION - PAGE 390
Employee Wellness Programs
What are some of the factors Wellness Programs can address?
Wellness Incentives - rewards for engaging in healthy behavior or participation in wellness programs.
Name several tips for effective health incentives
In-Class Assignment - Complete Case Study on Johnson & Johnson Wellness Programs
Functional Stress
Satisfaction
Excitement
Enjoyment
Dysfunctional Stress
What are some issues that may arise due to stress?
Problem-focused coping strategies
Emotion-focused coping strategies
Develop your skills - Page 396 - Managing your stress
What are some positive stress management strategies?
What are some ways employers can assist employees with stress management?
Workplace Bullying
Workplace Bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators that takes one or more of the following forms:
- Verbal abuse.
- Offensive conduct/behaviors (including nonverbal) which are threatening, humiliating or intimidating
- Work interference – sabotage – which prevents work from getting done.
American employees are stuck when working as at-will employees. Given that there are six candidates for each job opening during this recession, people stay in miserable work conditions getting sicker each day from stress-related health complications. While working in less than desirable jobs in toxic work environments, they see the few workers' rights eroded.
American unions have also begun to learn about bullying and some have even been trained to provide peer support for their bullied members. Bullying is a vexing problem for most unions when the mistreatment is member-on-member. Canadian unions have a mixed record from exemplary responses to eliminate bullying to denial.
REVIEW TABLE 12-2 - BOTTOM OF PAGE 399
REVIEW GLOBAL ISSUES - BOTTOM OF PAGE 398 - BULLYING PERCEPTIONS DIFFER AROUND THE WORLD
Substance Abuse
Workplace Violence
Disaster Preparedness and Response - American Red Cross Recommendations
Physical Resources
Business Continuity