Health and Safety

DATE: January 21, 2013

The two main issues that are identified in this case relates to the Manager having the wrong perspective of health and safety in the workplace, he is of the belief that working in an office do not require such practice. Additionally, the other issue refers to the employees at Global Insurance Company who are unaware of the health and safety in the workplace through lack of communication, thus making them vulnerable to unsafe situations. There are certain causes that could stimulate the behavior of the issues highlighted above; the manager could be uneducated about health and safety in full details, the pros of having the implementation of health and safety may have not been clearly mentioned through the various mediums he would have come across during his tenure as a manager. It could also be a case where the manager did not source information because of lack of interest due to his perceptions in stereotyping the concept of health and safety in the office against those in the industry, thus allowing him to think he has nothing to worry about because of the workplace setting and as a result due diligence is not applied. Assuming that the manager has knowledge of the implementation there may be some level of ignorance and it relates to funding and accommodating such venture. Expense in terms of installing safety measures, providing training and proper safety equipment. In other words, the manager could be looking at expenses to implement opposing to the expense that could occur after an incident, looking at short term rather than long term. Another issue could be due to the fact that that he is not aware of the legislative consequences the organization may face should an incident occurs. Additionally, not having enough persons in the work place could be an issue for him not having a health and safety program. Eva could approach these particular issues from the perspective of doing her research on the type of organization and the protocol they will have to follow in attaining a workplace health and safety program. After completing such task she could now arrange a meeting with the manager having in her possession a prepared agenda of the issues that would be covered in logical manner and one that would be of interest to the manager. She could start by highlighting the fact that she is uncomfortable and surprised that there are no safety measures in place in the department as she is accustom to having at her previous place of work. With that said she can continue the meeting by stating that Safety in workplace involves making arrangements so as to avoid accidents. At the same time, it also involves being alert to certain hazards and having knowledge about the measures used to overcome them Eva could make a proposition to the manager to combat stereotyping by challenging him to think of all the things in the office that can be considered a hazard, after which she could inform him that the best course of action is to plan ahead for all kinds of emergencies. She could make mention of fire, electric shock, and absolutely anything and everything that could cause harm directly and indirectly. She could ask him to make a list of all these emergencies. Based on this list, make another list of things you need to have at your workplace to ensure the safety of your employees, and then implement these things. She can also inform him of the route to take in achieving a health and safety programme by encouraging him to look at the local regulations concerning office safety. She could inform him, that the law states Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) sets out minimum health and safety standards for workplaces in Ontario. Employers are required by law to post a copy of the Act in the workplace. The OHSA is anchored on the “internal responsibility system”, which means employers and employees share responsibility for keeping the workplace safe and workers healthy. Supervisors and workers both have roles to play. She could educate him by starting a conversation stating that, office safety is very essential in today's world. Not only is it essential but it is also very important to be aware of several safety rules and regulations as this could hamper the smooth functioning of the office due to legal issues. She would have had in her possession articles from WHMIS, JHSC to show to the manager as evidence to support her claim. These article would be focused on the legislation regarding workplace safety, and provide several tips for ensuring that Manager and employees alike would have a safe working environment. Having an outside voice from a professional could be a good approach to the Manager thus, getting a health and safety specialist to inform the manager could be significant, this specialist also known as safety and health practitioners or occupational health and safety inspectors, they help in preventing harm to workers, property, the environment, and the general public. They promote occupational health and safety within organizations in many ways, such as by advising management on how to increase workr productivity through raisi-*/ng morale and reducing absenteeism, +/ turnover, and equipment downtime while securing savings on insurance premiums, workers’ compensation benefits, and litigation expenses. This approach should shed some light on safety for the manager and the organization at large. Occupational health and safety specialists analyze work environments and design programs to control, eliminate, and prevent disease or injury caused by chemical, physical, radiological, and biological agents or ergonomic factors that involve the impact of equipment design on a worker’s comfort or fatigue. In regards to cost associated with implementing health and safety a similar approach with the health and safety specialist could be used to get the information across. As it is a part of their mandate to conduct inspections and inform the management of a business and which areas may not be in compliance with State and Federal laws or employer policies, in order to gain their support for addressing these areas. They advise management on the cost and effectiveness of safety and health programs. Occupational health and safety are key components of any company’s sustainability profile and warrant investors’ attention. As employees have rights such as, the right to refuse dangerous work without penalty,the right to participate in identifying and correcting OH&S problems, the right to know about hazards in the workplace. A company’s failure to maintain a safe work environment can be expensive, both for the company and investors. The direct and indirect costs associated with an unsafe work environment include increased workers’ compensation premiums, potential legal expenses associated with litigation, increased regulatory penalties, worker lost time, time spent investigating and compliance costs. Therefore this would be a good medium to take. During the meeting mentioned above after covering the various issues presented, numerous cases that have gone through the legislative system as a result of non compliance with the law could be shown to the Manager; this would shed some light on the challenges that exist if the health and safety program is not carried out. In this setting the manager will be aware the company’s adherence with the Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) and other relevant legislation and regulations related to health and safety of his employees is an important and legal requirement. He will become aware that not being aware of your legal responsibilities and duties is not a defense for non-compliance. In addition, he will be informed about the Ministry of Labour and the role they play. The Ministry of Labour (MOL) is responsible for enforcing the OHSA and its regulations. MOL inspectors visit workplaces in response to complaints, injuries, and fatalities, or as part of proactive inspections. The OHSA gives MOL inspectors a number of enforcement tools to obtain compliance with health and safety requirements. Inspectors can issue compliance orders, which describe actions the employer is obliged to take to become compliant with specific legal requirements. If there is immediate risk of injury to a worker, MOL inspectors have the power to issue a “stop work” order to prevent work from continuing until compliance is achieved. Inspectors can also issue tickets or initiate prosecution for non-compliance. After listening to this the manager should have a different perspective on things.
Finally, he will be encouraged to take an online course on health and safety in the work place, he will be given the website and the process of signing up, similarly workers, HR professional and other personnel in the organization can be incorporated in this programme.

REFERENCE (2011, 09 27). Retrieved from http://www.healthandsafetyontario.ca/Resources/TopicList/Legislative-Compliance.aspx glare, M. (2011, 09 12). Retrieved from : http://www.buzzle.com/articles/office-safety-tips safety-in-the-workplace.html Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos323.htm Canada.gc.ca. (2009, 05 12). Office of the auditor general of canada. Retrieved from http://www.healthandsafetyontario.ca/Resources/TopicList/Legislative-Cohttp://www.oagbvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_200905_03_e_32516.htmlmpliance.aspx www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/legisl/billc45.html Canadian centre of occupational health and safety. (2011, 09 3). Retrieved from www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/legisl/billc45.html