Workplace Safety Essay Example

Workplace Safety Essay It is the responsibility of the supervisor or manager to ensure that the employees are taken care of with regards to safety in the workplace. It is something that is dictated by common law as well as legal laws mandated by the constitution.All managers have responsibilities to ensure that the workplace is safe for the employees as well as proper safety equipment are used whenever danger is associated in the workplace such as in constructions and laboratories. Ina a construction company, a manager has to ensure not only that the employees is wearing proper and safety equipment but as well as the usage of the proper technique and way of doing the job. On the other hand, the proper attire is very important in places wherein employees are expose to hazardous chemicals such as in laboratories and thus, it the managers responsibility to ensure that proper attires are used in the workplace. Every work has its own safety precautions that should be applied in order to ensure the safety of the employees.Also, it is also the duty of the manager to consider not only the physical safety of the employee but as well as the employee’s interest in cases of accidents in the workplace. It is manager’s duty to ensure that an injured employee is taken care of and as well as to protect the employee’s interest through insurance.Although common law does not specifically provide the penalties when it is breached, court action may follow in cases wherein common law is breached (NSW WorkCover Website). It is then the duty of the court to decide what actions should be taken and what proper penalties should be imposed. The boundary of the penalty will also be determined by the court in order to protect the interest of both the defendant and the prosecutor.On the other hand, the rights and welfare of the employees are also guarded and protected by the different laws and legislature by specifying the responsibilities of the managers to his or her employees. One example w ould be regarding Tort Negligence wherein a party may sue another due to negligence of that party’s responsibility (NSW WorkCover Website). In this case, an employee may sue the employer in cases wherein the employer neglected his or her responsibility to his or her employee. In this case, the law is able to protect the interest and rights of employees that may occur due to irresponsibility and abuse of the employer. On the other, the court’s decision would also be based on trials and evidence should be given to prove that the employer really does neglect his or her responsibility to his or her employee. Thus, the court also protects the employers in cases wherein the employees may also abuse their rights set by the law.Every employee should be considered as an asset of the organization and thus, their rights must protected and their safety, ensured. It is the manager’s duty to ensure that the employees are safe since the whole company will also be affected in c ases of accidents. Thus, manages should be responsible enough because of the responsibility at put in their shoulders.Part 2In order to ensure the safety of the employees, the company should ensure that the following are met:1. Entrances and exits are free from work and obstruction- this is important in order to ensure that the time of the workers are not wasted and the workers have convenient access to the workplace2. Walkways, floors and stairs are clean, and are in good conditions- the company must ensure that its building premises are in good condition and the cleanliness is maintained at all times.3. Storage areas are within reach with enough space and with proper storage materials such as shelves and the likes – for fast and easy storage of stocks and valuable materials4. The proper lightning in the workplace is suitable for the job and comfortable for the employees – proper lightning is very important so as to have an efficient workforce and to avoid eye problem s on the part of the employees.5. The room temperature is kept in a comfortable level unless needed in the work- proper room temperature is also needed.6. No distractions are present such as noise and others- distractions tend to make the workers uneasy and unproductive.7. The equipments are located in the proper places and in good running condition- the proper equipment should also be located in the proper place.8. The hazardous substances are properly labeled and stored in the proper place- hazardous substance should well protected to avoid contact with the employees.9. All electrical items are in good working conditions- it is important to avoid accident in the workplace.10. Amenities such as toilets, bathrooms and others readily available and comfortable- these amenities should be readily available for employee convenience.11. Emergency procedures are available and in good condition such as signals and alarms, emergency exits and drills and fire extinguishers- these should be av ailable for the employees to have trust and security in the workplace in cases of accidents.12. First-aid materials and personnel are accessible in times of need- in cases of accidents, it is important that the employees are taken care of with the proper materials and personnel.-13. The workplace is secure with proper pre-cautions and security personnel- guards and security procedures are important to ensure that the company along with the employees is free from attacks such as terrorism.14. The workplace is comfortable and employees are provided with the appropriate materials needed in their job such as desk, chair and personal computers- it is important top provide the employees with the proper materials for efficiency and contentmentMaintaining all these requirements is important to ensure that the workers are safe and free from accidents cause by the internal environment. These will indeed need a lot of resources and time to ensure but it is also for the benefit of the whole com pany and not the workers alone. The company must ensure that these things are met to maintain the efficiency and loyalty of the employees to the company. Otherwise, it will surely be a great loss to the company, losing valuable employees.Part 3As a member of an organization, I can say that our organization is following the necessary safety requirement to ensure the safety of the employees. The company protects the employees whom they regarded as asset of the company. Proper methods and safety procedures are done because of this matter.As part of the safety procedure of the company, employees who are new to the company are trained not only to ensure productivity but also to ensure that the proper methods are used. By doing so, accidents maybe decreased in the workplace. The proper method is very important since it will help the employees the proper execution of techniques and workforce in doing a particular job. As a result, the productivity is increased without compromising the safe ty of the employees. Although, every job has its own threats, doing the job in the proper way is the best way of minimizing accidents.The company also promotes employee participation in terms whenever it is needed. The decision making process is not only a matter concerning the management but the employees as well. This is to protect the employees by arriving at a resolution for the benefit of the company without setting aside the interest of the employees.All companies contain substances that can be considered dangerous to health and safety. The same goes for our company. However, the management ensures that these materials do not offer threat to health and safety of the employees. The management ensures that hazardous chemicals are kept in the proper place and labeled with safety precautions. Employees are also aware of the proper handling of such materials taking into account the risk associated with it.When it comes to risk assessment and control, the management also makes sure to have feedbacks from the employees regarding the work process. This will determine what is lacking in the workplace as well as the cries of the employees. In doing so, the management is able to attend to the needs of the employees in matters concerning their safety and personal interest. As a part of this method, the management records such incidents as well as cases of accidents. Every record is kept for evaluation and comparison.The points of view of the employees are welcomed by the management and are basis for future development. As mentioned earlier, records are kept for evaluation and comparison. This helps the management to identify whether a certain action on a complaint had been addressed properly and if not, to take another course of action. The management continuously improves not only the quality of products but the operation of the organization as a whole. This includes the safety in the workplace and the development of the employee’s well-being. Continues impr ovement had been a part of the organization also because of the changes in the internal and external environment. The management adapts to these changes by reshaping the organization for the employees and the company as a whole. Risks are part of work but proper handling can lessen if not totally eliminate these risks. Workplace safety Essay Example Workplace safety Essay Workers in the meat packing industries in the United States are faced with very many safety issues in their work places. They perform dangerous jobs in very difficult conditions as they dispatch non-stop rows and rows of animal carcasses in the plant kill floors and the hang areas, sawing and cutting the meat at volumes and pace which is unpredictable. Due to the high demand for the meat in restaurants and supermarkets, workers are faced with bloody and greasy conditions, vulnerabilities, and several abuses by the foremans which violate their human rights.The workers work in great fear and risk as the industry has an extraordinary high rates of injuries and other workers face dismissals especially when they exercise their rights to organize or bargain for a collective   attempt to improve their working conditions which are constantly devastating. These industries mostly have immigrant workers who are particularly at risk especially due to the language barrier which prevent them fro m knowing their rights under the American law and the hazardous workplaces which they are exposed to. These workers are mostly undocumented and therefore they are threatened with deportation if they try to organize themselves in trying to improve their working conditions which are particularly worrying. ;http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/98-027R/WorkerSafetyIssuesRelatedtoAMR.pdfThe major features of the industry make it rife with hazards to life, limb and health, the key dangers are; one, line speed. Meat parkers try to maximize volume of animals going through the plant by increasing the speed of processing animals which is directly related to profits and injuries and has made the regulators to set line speed based on the safety and health considerations.The second is close- quarters cutting where workers use sharp hooks and knives and cut at close quarters. Heights of disassembly lines and work surfaces and the space between the workers is equal regardless of the, height (tall or short) or stoutness, therefore workers have to make extra efforts which bring greater risks to them and the coworkers. The force used to cut and the direction of the stabs, jerks, cuts and yanks are unpredictable and workers end up cutting each other.Workers have to lift, shove and turn heavy animal parks, saws and other equipments which tire them and make them strain as they require force for sawing, cutting, lifting, slicing and pulling which is the major cause of musculoskeletal disorders. They work in dirty conditions especially those who are in the live hang department of poultry industry because the chicken bit, peck, urinate and defecate on them. Workers have sullied work conditions where they lack protective equipments, they come into contact with blood, grease, ingesta, animal feces and other excretions from animals and especially in Nebraska Beef which has not met the sanitary production standards for workers and consumers since 2001 and 2002. ;http://www.osha.gov /SLTC/meatpacking/   ;According to (Forkard, 2004), the workers work for long hours and have prolonged work shifts which are less safe for workers and increase the risk of accidents. Workers have inadequate training before being put on the jobs and they lark adequate equipments. The industries under report injuries as found out by OSHA and one recent article show that 69% of nonfatal occupational injuries are not reported, (Leigh, Marcin ; Miller2004).There have been several measures and recommendations which have been taken to protect workers in the meat and poultry industry by the human rights watch.One of them is the the international human rights standard and the U.S law. The human rights instruments recognize the importance of the insurance system for job related injuries and illnesses to protect workers including non-citizens. Universal declaration of human rights expects everyone to have aright to just and favorable working conditions, the right to security in event of unem ployment, disability or lark of other livelihoods which are beyond the workers control. The ILO convention prescribes workers compensation for employees including medical care, rehabilitation services, salary replacement and death benefits for survivors of dead workers, United States and trading partners of North America committed themselves to establishing a system which provide benefits and compensation to workers and Dependants in case of occupational injury which has occurred in the course of employment.In regard to compliance to the international standards on freedom of association, the universal declaration of human rights declare that everyone has a right of freedom of peaceful assembly and association and join trade unions without impediments. They should have a right to bargain collectively on matters concerning terms and conditions of employment and right to strike so as to defend their collective interests.regarding the law censoring safety of workers regardless of the im migration status, the universal declaration of human rights shows that the law should apply to all persons including the immigrant workers regardless of their status. the International Convention on the Protection of the Human Rights of all Migrant workers and members of their families call for equal treatment which is not less favorable than the one which applies to the nationals. The equal treatment include pay, work conditions, and legal protections which include the rights to organize and carry out a collective bargaining.   ; http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/m_mwctoc.htm;(According to anonymous, (1999), United States working conditions were improved remarkably in the 1990s and despite the successes, much work remains with the goal of workers being a productive and a safe working life where retirement will be free of occupational diseases. there has been decrease in fatal occupational injuries due to efforts by labor and management to improve the worker safety. Other efforts were from state labor and health authorities through education, research and regulatory activities which have been undertaken by the government agencies such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA]. there was physical changes such as safer equipment, safer work practices, improvement training of health and professionals for workers and there has been reduction in workplace deaths. ;www.osha.gov/SLTC/meatpacking/ ;Recommendations of the human rights watch are; the new federal state laws to reduce the line speed in the meat and poultry industry to reasonable levels which do not create a constant preventable risk of injury and establish ergonomics standards so as to reduce repetitive injuries and the health and safety authorities should put stronger enforcement measures and development of stronger worker compensation laws and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that the laws are followed.The safety authorities and government health should device stricter injury reporting r equirements so as to end the chronic under reporting of injuries in the industry. Stronger laws should be enforced stronger laws so that the employers does not avoid claims by the injured workers.;http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/98027R/WorkerSafetyIssuesRelatedtoAMR.pdf ;Anti-retaliation laws which are meant to prohibit the firing of employees who file workers compensation claims should be enforced. In particular, immigrant workers must be informed of of their rights under the laws of workers compensation and be assured of their ability to file claims without the fear of reprisal.Employers should not intimidate anti-organizing campaigns to take advantage of loopholes and the weaknesses found in U.S labor law and congress should enact legislation to bring the labor law into compliance with the international standards.The new laws should ensure respect for human rights of immigrant workers regardless of their status and they should have the same work place protection as the nationalists which include coverage of under fair labor standards and other labor laws and same remedies should apply when their human rights are violated.The deontological theory or duty ethics in work places determine if an act or rule is morall right or wrong and if it meets the set moral standards. If a rule is made universal without any contradiction, the it is right and vice versa. Giving promises and not keeping them is morally wrong because it cannot be made a universal law. Utilitarianism refers to the ethical merit of an act which is determined to be best due to the consequences or the results of the act. It says that actions are right when they produce the benefits and prevent harm.Determining the greatest good for the greatest number of people is not easily determined, therefore, these recommendations by the human rights watch may be a bit hard to establish in the meat packing industry because they will be good for the employees and not the employers.In conclusion, the meat packing industries in the United States work in very poor conditions which put their livest at risk. They lack safety equipments, compensation in case of injuries and are exposed to extremely harsh conditions which result to severe injuries and even deaths. The employers put the workers at severe risks of serious physical injury even though there are various means in which they can avoid those injuries which are predictable and well known.   They put the workers under constant frustration especially when they try to get a compensation for injuries sustained during the working process and crush their self organizing efforts and the rights of association of the workers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employers pay little attention to the modern human resources management policies and exploit the vulnerability of the workforce which is predominated by the immigrant labor force. Several measures have been taken by the human rights watch where laws have been established so that the workers and especially the immigrants can be able to claim good working environments as well as their human rights from their employers. Workplace Safety Essay Example Workplace Safety Essay It is the responsibility of the supervisor or manager to ensure that the employees are taken care of with regards to safety in the workplace. It is something that is dictated by common law as well as legal laws mandated by the constitution.All managers have responsibilities to ensure that the workplace is safe for the employees as well as proper safety equipment are used whenever danger is associated in the workplace such as in constructions and laboratories. Ina a construction company, a manager has to ensure not only that the employees is wearing proper and safety equipment but as well as the usage of the proper technique and way of doing the job. On the other hand, the proper attire is very important in places wherein employees are expose to hazardous chemicals such as in laboratories and thus, it the managers responsibility to ensure that proper attires are used in the workplace. Every work has its own safety precautions that should be applied in order to ensure the safety of the employees.Also, it is also the duty of the manager to consider not only the physical safety of the employee but as well as the employee’s interest in cases of accidents in the workplace. It is manager’s duty to ensure that an injured employee is taken care of and as well as to protect the employee’s interest through insurance.Although common law does not specifically provide the penalties when it is breached, court action may follow in cases wherein common law is breached (NSW WorkCover Website). It is then the duty of the court to decide what actions should be taken and what proper penalties should be imposed. The boundary of the penalty will also be determined by the court in order to protect the interest of both the defendant and the prosecutor.On the other hand, the rights and welfare of the employees are also guarded and protected by the different laws and legislature by specifying the responsibilities of the managers to his or her employees. One example w ould be regarding Tort Negligence wherein a party may sue another due to negligence of that party’s responsibility (NSW WorkCover Website). In this case, an employee may sue the employer in cases wherein the employer neglected his or her responsibility to his or her employee. In this case, the law is able to protect the interest and rights of employees that may occur due to irresponsibility and abuse of the employer. On the other, the court’s decision would also be based on trials and evidence should be given to prove that the employer really does neglect his or her responsibility to his or her employee. Thus, the court also protects the employers in cases wherein the employees may also abuse their rights set by the law.Every employee should be considered as an asset of the organization and thus, their rights must protected and their safety, ensured. It is the manager’s duty to ensure that the employees are safe since the whole company will also be affected in c ases of accidents. Thus, manages should be responsible enough because of the responsibility at put in their shoulders.Part 2In order to ensure the safety of the employees, the company should ensure that the following are met:1. Entrances and exits are free from work and obstruction- this is important in order to ensure that the time of the workers are not wasted and the workers have convenient access to the workplace2. Walkways, floors and stairs are clean, and are in good conditions- the company must ensure that its building premises are in good condition and the cleanliness is maintained at all times.3. Storage areas are within reach with enough space and with proper storage materials such as shelves and the likes – for fast and easy storage of stocks and valuable materials4. The proper lightning in the workplace is suitable for the job and comfortable for the employees – proper lightning is very important so as to have an efficient workforce and to avoid eye problem s on the part of the employees.5. The room temperature is kept in a comfortable level unless needed in the work- proper room temperature is also needed.6. No distractions are present such as noise and others- distractions tend to make the workers uneasy and unproductive.7. The equipments are located in the proper places and in good running condition- the proper equipment should also be located in the proper place.8. The hazardous substances are properly labeled and stored in the proper place- hazardous substance should well protected to avoid contact with the employees.9. All electrical items are in good working conditions- it is important to avoid accident in the workplace.10. Amenities such as toilets, bathrooms and others readily available and comfortable- these amenities should be readily available for employee convenience.11. Emergency procedures are available and in good condition such as signals and alarms, emergency exits and drills and fire extinguishers- these should be av ailable for the employees to have trust and security in the workplace in cases of accidents.12. First-aid materials and personnel are accessible in times of need- in cases of accidents, it is important that the employees are taken care of with the proper materials and personnel.-13. The workplace is secure with proper pre-cautions and security personnel- guards and security procedures are important to ensure that the company along with the employees is free from attacks such as terrorism.14. The workplace is comfortable and employees are provided with the appropriate materials needed in their job such as desk, chair and personal computers- it is important top provide the employees with the proper materials for efficiency and contentmentMaintaining all these requirements is important to ensure that the workers are safe and free from accidents cause by the internal environment. These will indeed need a lot of resources and time to ensure but it is also for the benefit of the whole com pany and not the workers alone. The company must ensure that these things are met to maintain the efficiency and loyalty of the employees to the company. Otherwise, it will surely be a great loss to the company, losing valuable employees.Part 3As a member of an organization, I can say that our organization is following the necessary safety requirement to ensure the safety of the employees. The company protects the employees whom they regarded as asset of the company. Proper methods and safety procedures are done because of this matter.As part of the safety procedure of the company, employees who are new to the company are trained not only to ensure productivity but also to ensure that the proper methods are used. By doing so, accidents maybe decreased in the workplace. The proper method is very important since it will help the employees the proper execution of techniques and workforce in doing a particular job. As a result, the productivity is increased without compromising the safe ty of the employees. Although, every job has its own threats, doing the job in the proper way is the best way of minimizing accidents.The company also promotes employee participation in terms whenever it is needed. The decision making process is not only a matter concerning the management but the employees as well. This is to protect the employees by arriving at a resolution for the benefit of the company without setting aside the interest of the employees.All companies contain substances that can be considered dangerous to health and safety. The same goes for our company. However, the management ensures that these materials do not offer threat to health and safety of the employees. The management ensures that hazardous chemicals are kept in the proper place and labeled with safety precautions. Employees are also aware of the proper handling of such materials taking into account the risk associated with it.When it comes to risk assessment and control, the management also makes sure to have feedbacks from the employees regarding the work process. This will determine what is lacking in the workplace as well as the cries of the employees. In doing so, the management is able to attend to the needs of the employees in matters concerning their safety and personal interest. As a part of this method, the management records such incidents as well as cases of accidents. Every record is kept for evaluation and comparison.The points of view of the employees are welcomed by the management and are basis for future development. As mentioned earlier, records are kept for evaluation and comparison. This helps the management to identify whether a certain action on a complaint had been addressed properly and if not, to take another course of action. The management continuously improves not only the quality of products but the operation of the organization as a whole. This includes the safety in the workplace and the development of the employee’s well-being. Continues impr ovement had been a part of the organization also because of the changes in the internal and external environment. The management adapts to these changes by reshaping the organization for the employees and the company as a whole. Risks are part of work but proper handling can lessen if not totally eliminate these risks.