Workplace Safety Basics

• Workplace safety is the general safety of people in the workplace
• It is important because societies face it all the time and people need to be protected and feel safe in their workplace
• People should care about others and value the safety and security of those around them
• Workplace and health cross through many areas of study such as law, engineering, medicine, public health, business, and psychology
• Many factors contribute to the process of keeping people safe at work
• A safe workplace is a better atmosphere and makes for happier employees
• Organizational human factors, health hazards (chemical) and environmental factors all determine the degree of safety
• The increased focus on occupational safety in the last 100 years has saved thousands of lives

General History

• The Factory Acts are relevant to general history
• After the civil war, America transformed from an agricultural society into an industrialized society
• The number of mills, mines, and factories greatly increased during that time
• Early 20th Century conditions were notable
• Multiple strikes occurred for different reasons
• The Mine Safety and Health Act is relevant to general history
• Occupational safety and health was part of a larger movement to reform American society and improve public health (Rosner and Markowitz).
• Worker fatigue due to longer hours resulted in lower productivity compared to a shorter amount of work hours each week (Hofmann, burke, and K)
• Child labor laws and history are relevant
• "The question of occupational safety and health was part and parcel of a larger movement to reform American society and improve public health" (Rosner and Markowitz).
• OSHA also factors into workplace history

Policies and Laws affecting Workplace Safety

• The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) is relevant
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducts inspections, and improves workers' safety
• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) does research and develops standards
• The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) reviews and addresses disputes
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces safety regulations
• Guidelines/rules
• Conducting inspections
• Giving fines
• All states in the U.S. have the option to participate in the federal OSHA program, create a separate state program, or have a combined Federal-State program.
• The OSHA mission is "to assure America’s workers have safe and healthful working conditions free from unlawful retaliation."
• National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) is responsible for conducting research and making recommendations to prevent work-related illness or injuries
• It reports the Institute's research and ever-changing service goals
• NIOSH's mission is to develop new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transfer that knowledge into practice
• It has a vision for “safer, healthier workers”
• The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) has a primary function to decide penalties and consequences for breaking OSHA guidelines
• OSHRC handles more of the justice piece of Health and Safety in the workplace.
• OSHA needs better integration of enforcement and cooperative programs
• "These two areas are critical to OSHA'S balanced approach, and they need to work together to advance health and safety." (Fairfax, 2020)
• The OSH Act covers most employers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories

Global Policies

• United Kingdom – Health and Safety Executive
• Australia – Work Health and Safety Act
• Canada - Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
• Germany - Occupational Health and Safety Act (Arbeitsschutzgesetz)
• France - Labor Code
• Italy – Consolidated Safety Act
• Mexico - Federal Labor Law
• India - Factories Act
• Russia - Federal Law on Industrial Safety
• Sweden - Work Environment Act
• The impact that workplace injuries have on people in the workplace can also be measured in global impact
• International Labour Organization figures: workplace injuries impact about 3 trillion dollars worldwide
• This figure represents 3.94% of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reflecting the magnitude of the problem
• "The economic burden of health care costs is likely to fall more heavily on workers and their families in developing countries"

Personal Integration

• Each individual was made in the image of God
• People are to love others as a way of loving God
• Lacey Sturm: Honor each other's hearts
• Do your work for God
• Genesis 1:27
• John 13:34
• Colossians 3:23

Consequences of Workplace Safety

• There were 5,283 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm)
• Nearly three million workers die every year due to work-related accidents and diseases, an increase of more than 5 per cent compared to 2015 (ILO)
• Each year, an estimated 2.78 million workers die from occupational accidents and work-related diseases
• an additional 374 million workers suffer from non-fatal occupational accidents (https://unglobalcompact.org/take-action/safety-andhealth)

OSHA Definitions

• Violations: a violation is when a company or an individual "or unknowingly ignores potential and real workplace hazards"
• Citations: is the same as a violation; a public record that is posted On OSHA website
• Negligence: "Occurs when employers or supervisors fail to uphold their duty of care to maintain a safe environment for employees." (not mentioned by OSHA explicitly)
• https://www.safetybydesigninc.com/osha-violation-types-osha-fines-list/
• https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com/employees/when-safety-isnt-enough-how-negligence-and-legal-loopholes-impact-workplace-injuries/

OSHA Fines

• Serious violation: $1,221 per violation – $16,550 per violation maximum
• Other-than-serious violation: $0 per violation – $16,550 per violation maximum
• Willful or Repeated violation: $11,823 per violation – $165,514 per violation maximum
• Posting Requirements violation: $0 per violation – $16,550 per violation maximum
• Failure to Abate violation: N/A - $16,550 per day past the abatement date.

Affect on Individuals

• Immediate/long term injuries
• Fatalities
• Chronic pain/disabilities
• Mental/emotional health consequences
• Decreased morale and trust
• https://colefisher.com/blog/the-consequences-of-neglecting-worker-safety

Cost to society

• Additional subsidies for wage replacement and medical reimbursement out of non- employment injury insurance accounts (https://www.ilo.org)
• Workplace injuries burden public healthcare systems and workers' compensation funds, often costing taxpayers billions annually
• Reputation of a company/organization (Workplace Safety Laws And Employer Negligence - Combies Hanson, P.C.)