HRM 13 PDF

Chapter 13
Health and Safety

Introduction
Ø management has both legal and moral

responsibilities to provide a safe and healthy
workplace
Ø work-related accidents, injuries, and illnesses are
costly
Ø cost of lost productivity to U.S. companies surpasses
$100 billion annually. Enter:
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 2

The Occupational Safety and Health Act
OSHA
Ø 1970 federal legislation

Ø established health and safety standards
Ø authorized inspections and fines for violations
Ø empowered OSH Administration to ensure
standards are met
Ø requires employers to keep records of illnesses
and injuries, and calculate accident ratios
Ø applies to almost every U.S. business engaged
in interstate commerce

OSHA’s Five Inspection Priorities
1. imminent danger: where an accident is

about to occur
2. accidents that have led to serious injuries or

death: Employer must report within 8 hours
3. employee complaints: employees have right

to call OSHA

4. inspection of industries with the highest injury

or illness rates
meat processing roofing and sheet metal transportation
lumber and wood products chemical processing warehousing
5. random inspection
Ø Supreme Court ruled (Marshall v. Barlow’s Inc., 1978)
that employers are not required to let OSHA inspectors enter
without search warrants
Ø most attorneys recommend companies cooperate with

inspectors

OSHA’s Record-Keeping Requirements
Ø industries with high incidences of injury (incident

rates) must keep records for OSHA
Ø basis for record-keeping is Form 300
Ø must report any work-related illness; report
injuries that require medical treatment besides
first aid, involve loss of consciousness, restriction
of work or motion, or transfer to another job
Ø incidence rate: number of illnesses, injuries or
lost workdays per 100 full-time workers

OSHA Punitive Actions
Ø Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990

allows fines up to $70,000 if violation is
severe, willful and repetitive
Ø fines can be for safety violations or failure to
keep adequate records
Ø courts have backed criminal charges against
executives when they have willfully violated
health and safety laws

OSHA: A Resource for Employers
OSHA also helps small businesses and
entrepreneurs by
1. fostering management and employee involvement
2. offering worksite analysis
3. teaching hazard prevention and control
4. training employees, supervisors, managers
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

is a government agency that researches and makes
recommendations to prevent work-related illness and injury.

Contemporary Health and Safety Issues
workplace indoor
violence air quality
smoke-free
environment
repetitive
stress STRESS!
injuries

workplace
violence
Ø at-risk workers are those who exchange money and/or interact

primarily with the public, make deliveries, work alone or in small
groups, and work late-night or early morning hours
Ø recommended HRM actions:
1. develop a plan, including review of policies and employee treatment;
respect to workers is paramount
2. train supervisors to identify and deal with troubled employees
3. implement stronger security mechanisms
4. prepare employees to deal with violent situations

indoor
air
quality
Ø a building is “sick” if it contains harmful airborne chemicals,

asbestos, or indoor pollution
Ø suggestions for keeping the environment healthy:
1. make sure workers get enough fresh air
2. avoid suspect building materials and furnishings
3. test new buildings for toxins before occupancy
4. provide a smoke-free environment
5. keep air ducts clean and dry
6. pay attention to workers’ complaints

smoke-free
environment
Costs of smokers:
Ø increased health premiums
Ø absenteeism
Ø lost productivity due to smoke breaks
Ø maintenance costs
Ø harm to coworkers by second-hand smoke
smoking bans should take a phased-in approach

smoke-free
environment
Ø smoke-free policies at work include banning

smoking or restricting it to properly ventilated
designated areas
Ø employees should be involved in phase-in of

programs
Ø some employers offer incentives and help for

employees to stop smoking

repetitive
stress
injuries
Ø injuries resulting from continuous, repetitive

movements, such as typing
Ø also referred to as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
Ø the most frequent injury is carpal tunnel syndrome,
which occurs in the wrist
Ø ergonomics, or fitting the work environment to the
individual, can prevent repetitive motion injuries
See http://www.office-ergo.com/a.htm for specific tips.

STRESS!
Ø we feel negative stress in the face of constraints,

demands, and pressure
Ø stress costs U.S. corporations almost $300 billion

annually
The American Institute of Stress, www.stress.org, offers a wealth of

information, including this questionnaire that assesses stress levels:
http://www.stress.org/topic-workplace.htm

Common Causes of Stress
organizational personal
Task demands - job design,

working conditions,
physical layout, work quotas.
Role demands - conflicts, Family issues

overload and ambiguity.
Personal economic problems
Interpersonal demands
-lack of social support Inherent personality
and poor interpersonal characteristics
relationships.
– type A / type B dichotomy
Organizational structure
Organizational leadership

Symptoms of Stress
Ø physiological (increased blood pressure, headaches,
increased pulse rate) are the most difficult to observe
Ø psychological (increased tension and anxiety, boredom,
procrastination) can lead to productivity decreases
Ø behavioral (increased smoking or substance
consumption, sleep disorders) also affect the
organization
What HR Can Do
1. match individuals to their jobs

2. clarify expectations
3. redesign jobs
4. offer involvement and participation

Reducing Stress
Ø Dilemmas for HRM include:
1. balancing the need to energize people with

the need to minimize dysfunctional stress
2. deciding how much an employer can

intrude on employees’ personal lives

Burnout
Burnout is a function of three concerns:
Ø chronic emotional stress with emotional and/or physical
exhaustion
Ø lowered job productivity
Ø dehumanizing of jobs
Four techniques HR can use to reduce burnout:
1. identification
2. prevention
3. mediation
4. remediation
Take this quiz if you think you are approaching burnout at work:
http://stress.about.com/library/burnout/bl_job_burnout_quiz.htm

Employee Assistance Programs
A Brief History of EAPs
Ø extension of 1940’s programs to help employees with

alcohol-related problems
Ø cost-effective counseling to help employees overcome

problems such as:
1. substance abuse
2. bereavement
3. child-parent problems
4. marriage problems

The Employee Assistance Program
EAPs Today
Ø provides employees visits with counselors at
company expense; usually visits are off-site
Ø help control rising health insurance costs
Ø employees and supervisors must be familiar
with and trust the program and perceive EAPs
as worthwhile
Ø confidentiality is guaranteed
Ø for every dollar spent on EAP programs,
studies estimate a return of $5.00 to $16.00 in
savings

The Employee Assistance Program
Wellness Programs
Ø programs to keep employees healthy; include smoking
cessation, physical fitness, weight control, etc.
Ø designed to cut employer health costs and lower
absenteeism
Ø employees must view programs as having value
Ø must have top management support
Ø should also provide services for employees’ families
Ø need opportunities for employee input

International Safety and Health
International Health Issues/Needs

1. an up-to-date health certificate providing records of
employee vaccinations
2. a general first aid kit should include over-the-counter and
prescription medications and other supplies that might not
be available to U.S. workers abroad
3. emergency plans help expatriates anticipate medical
needs and locate resources
4. U.S. Department of State “hotline” provides travel alerts
about such issues as terrorist activity or disease
outbreaks
5. security concerns prompt recommendations regarding
travel modes, attire, and “blending in”

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Chapter 13

Health and Safety

Ø management has both legal and moral

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 2

Ø 1970 federal legislation

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 3

OSHA’s Five Inspection Priorities

1. imminent danger: where an accident is

2. accidents that have led to serious injuries or

3. employee complaints: employees have right

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 4

4. inspection of industries with the highest injury

lumber and wood products chemical processing warehousing

Ø most attorneys recommend companies cooperate with

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 5

OSHA’s Record-Keeping Requirements

Ø industries with high incidences of injury (incident

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 6

OSHA Punitive Actions

Ø Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 7

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 8

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 9

Ø at-risk workers are those who exchange money and/or interact

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 10

Ø a building is “sick” if it contains harmful airborne chemicals,

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 11

smoking bans should take a phased-in approach

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 12

Ø smoke-free policies at work include banning

Ø employees should be involved in phase-in of

Ø some employers offer incentives and help for

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 13

Ø injuries resulting from continuous, repetitive

See http://www.office-ergo.com/a.htm for specific tips.

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 14

Ø we feel negative stress in the face of constraints,

Ø stress costs U.S. corporations almost $300 billion

The American Institute of Stress, www.stress.org, offers a wealth of

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 15

Task demands - job design,

Role demands - conflicts, Family issues

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 16

1. match individuals to their jobs

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 17

Ø Dilemmas for HRM include:

1. balancing the need to energize people with

2. deciding how much an employer can

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 18

Four techniques HR can use to reduce burnout:

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 19

Ø extension of 1940’s programs to help employees with

Ø cost-effective counseling to help employees overcome

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 20

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 21

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 22

International Health Issues/Needs

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins Chapter 13, slide 23