Chapter 1 Flashcards PDF

OH&S affects us all by ensuring a safer work Describe the impact of Occupational Health environment, reducing the risk of injuries and and Safety (OH&S) on individuals. illnesses, and promoting overall w...

OH&S affects us all by ensuring a safer work Describe the impact of Occupational Health environment, reducing the risk of injuries and and Safety (OH&S) on individuals. illnesses, and promoting overall well-being. OH&S is the identification, evaluation, and Define Occupational Health and Safety control of hazards associated with the work (OH&S). environment. Occupational injury refers to physical harm such as cuts or fractures resulting from Explain the difference between occupational workplace incidents, while occupational injury and occupational illness. illness refers to disorders caused by exposure to environmental factors related to employment. Discuss the financial and social costs The costs include medical expenses, lost associated with occupational injuries and productivity, legal fees, and the emotional toll illnesses. on affected individuals and their families. Major stakeholders include employers, List the major stakeholders in Occupational employees, health and safety professionals, Health and Safety (OH&S). regulatory agencies, and labor unions. Human resource management plays a crucial Explain the connection between human role in implementing health and safety resource management and OH&S. policies, training employees, and ensuring compliance with regulations.  Effective human resource practices, such as Describe the links between human resource training and employee support, contribute to practices and health and safety. a safer work environment and reduce the likelihood of workplace injuries. The case underscored the need for clear How did the case of Eric Donovan highlight employer responsibilities in protecting the importance of workplace harassment employees from harassment, leading to the policies? proposed 'Eric Donovan Law' in PEI. Psychological hazards are complex factors What are psychological hazards in the that can lead to mental health issues, such as workplace? workplace harassment, stress, and bullying. A hazard is any source of potential adverse Define a hazard in the context of health effect, damage, or harm to someone or Occupational Health and Safety. something under certain conditions at work. What is the goal of Occupational Health and The goal of OH&S Programs is to reduce Safety Programs? occupational injury and illness. In July 2013, railway cars filled with crude oil derailed and crashed into downtown Lac- Describe the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster. Mégantic, resulting in 47 deaths and significant destruction of the town.  The TSB found 18 contributing factors, Identify contributing factors to the Lac- including poor company safety culture and Mégantic disaster. unresolved mechanical issues identified by Transport Canada. How many workers die yearly in Canada due Around 1000–1100 workers die yearly as a to workplace incidents? result of workplace incidents in Canada. A lost-time injury is a workplace injury that Define a lost-time injury in the workplace. results in the employee missing time from work. The development began in Ancient Egypt, where stonemasons and potters faced Explain the historical development of respiratory problems, and evolved occupational health and safety. significantly during the Industrial Revolution with new health and safety challenges. What health issue was caused by excessive Brown lung disease was caused by excessive inhalation of dust during the Industrial inhalation of dust during the Industrial Revolution? Revolution. The prevailing model shifted from the How did perspectives on risk and liability assumption of risk, where workers accepted change in the early 20th century? risks upon employment, to a more proactive approach to workplace safety.  Accident proneness is the notion that some Define accident proneness in the context of individuals are inherently more likely to be workplace safety. involved in accidents due to their individual characteristics. Ontario legislation established safety What safety standards were established in standards, including the requirement for Ontario during the late 19th century? machine guards. Interpreting workplace fatality and injury data Discuss the implications of workplace fatality requires consideration of the number of and injury data interpretation. workers in each industry, region, and the specific reporting requirements. Canadian jurisdictions passed factory laws to Describe the role of Canadian jurisdictions in regulate heating, lighting, ventilation, the early 20th century regarding factory laws. hygiene, fire safety, and accident reporting. The recommendations included improving health and safety by establishing standards, Define the recommendations made by the mandating regular inspections, creating a Royal Commission on Relations of Capital and system for compensating victims of industrial Labour in Canada in 1889. accidents, and establishing a labour bureau to oversee these activities. It articulated three principal rights: the right to refuse dangerous work without penalty, the How did the Royal Commission on the Health right to participate in identifying and and Safety of Workers in Mines in 1974 correcting health and safety problems, and impact workers' rights? the right to know about hazards in the workplace.  What is the significance of the Workplace WHMIS legislation reflects the fundamental Hazardous Materials Information System right of workers to know about potential (WHMIS) legislation passed in 1988? workplace hazards. Explain the changes made to the Criminal Changes allowed for criminal charges for Code in 2004 regarding occupational health some occupational health and safety and safety. violations. Work-related injury costs are both direct and indirect, with costs estimated at 4% of the How do economic considerations relate to world GDP, and these estimates are likely workplace injuries? underestimated due to inaccurate reporting of injuries and inadequate capture of illnesses. Due diligence is the expected standard of Define due diligence in the context of conduct requiring employers to take every occupational health and safety. reasonable precaution to ensure safety in the workplace. Moral considerations include the ethical argument that safety is a primary focus for employers, the responsibility of workers to What moral considerations are associated learn and enact safety practices, and the with health and safety in the workplace? impact of management commitment on employee motivation and organizational safety records. The government supports knowledge sharing and research on OH&S, establishes legislation such as Occupational Health & Safety Acts Describe the role of government in and Workers’ Compensation Acts, and occupational health and safety (OH&S). provides resources like the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) to offer health and safety information to workers.  Employers are responsible for preparing a written OH&S policy, maintaining equipment Define the responsibilities of employers and protective devices, ensuring safe work regarding OH&S. performance, and keeping the work environment free from hazards and serious risks. Employees contribute by performing their duties safely, wearing protective equipment How do employees contribute to workplace as required, and reporting defective safety? equipment and workplace hazards to safety professionals or management. Organized labour participates in joint occupational health and safety committees, raises health and safety issues with Explain the role of organized labour in OH&S. employers and government, pressures stakeholders for corrective actions, and uses collective bargaining to include health and safety provisions in contracts. The Internal Responsibility System (IRS) is a framework of shared responsibility for health What is the Internal Responsibility System and safety, where the primary responsibility (IRS) in Canadian OH&S legislation? lies with the workplace rather than government regulators. Barriers include employers prioritizing production over safety, focusing on safety Identify barriers to effective OH&S programs. only during inspections, and employers being uninformed or lacking confidence about safety concerns. Partnerships can help overcome barriers by emphasizing shared goals, facilitating How can partnerships among stakeholders collaboration among parties within a improve OH&S programs? workplace, such as employers, employees, and unions.  Broader groups of stakeholders, such as Describe the role of partnerships in promoting workers’ compensation boards and industry Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S). safety associations, can collaborate to enhance OH&S initiatives. CRSPs are recognized experts in occupational Define the significance of Canadian health and safety, and many organizations Registered Safety Professionals (CRSP®) in require this designation for individuals in the the OH&S field. field. Safety certifications help companies identify How do safety certifications like CRSP® individuals with relevant OH&S training, benefit companies? ensuring qualified professionals manage safety. Traditional views emphasized the three Es: Explain the traditional views of safety Engineering, Education, and Enforcement, but management in organizations. these do not provide a total solution for workplace safety. Safety is integrated into HR functions like What are the reasons for managing safety training and job design, requires legislative under the human resources function? compliance, and helps decrease costs. CRSPs receive training in hazard identification Describe the training areas covered by and analysis, incident severity evaluation, Canadian Registered Safety Professionals and the development and communication of (CRSPs). hazard control policies.  Focusing on the people side of safety is likely How does focusing on the people side of to result in a safer workplace compared to safety impact workplace safety? solely relying on engineering and enforcement. Integrating safety into HR functions ensures a What is the importance of integrating safety holistic approach to employee well-being and into other human resource functions? compliance with safety regulations. Effective safety management can lead to Explain the potential impact of safety decreased costs associated with workplace management on organizational costs. incidents, insurance, and compliance. Individuals from diverse backgrounds such as What types of professionals can develop industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, careers in the OH&S field? workplace wellness promotion, and OH&S training can pursue careers in OH&S.