Motives for occupational risk management in large uk companies

This paper attempts to explain why large UK corporations undertake measures to reduce the risks to which their employees are exposed, namely those of occupational injury and/or redundancy. Empirical results are based on a postal questionnaire survey of 127 corporate risk and finance managers selected from a population of the 350 largest UK companies. This survey shows that the primary motives associated with occupational risk management are those of regulatory compliance and avoidance of legal liabilities. In addition, the importance attached to these incentives appears to be influenced by a number of firm-specific characteristics and is positively related to capital intensity. This result has implications for government safety policy, since effectiveness of government regulations could be increased if safety inspectors were able to identify firms that place a high priority on the management of occupational risk.     

日本劳动安全卫生监管模式对我国的借鉴作用

学习和借鉴国外先进的安全生产管理模式,可以促进我国安全生产监管水平的不断改善。日本的劳动安全卫生监管采用了超前管理和过程管理方式,政府监管部门通过制定和完善有关法律法规,建立政府计划指导,劳动灾害防止团体和产业协会提供技术服务,企业承担劳动安全卫生主体责任,使劳动安全卫生政策、计划得到有效的执行和不断的修正。经多年的实践和积累,日本劳动安全卫生的重点已从灾害预防控制,向劳动工作紧张焦虑预防控制、创造舒适劳动环境转移,整个劳动安全卫生监管模式进入了一个良性循环。该文借鉴日本劳动安全卫生监督管理体制四十多年的经验,提出我国职业卫生监管应该通过培训教育,提高全民的劳动安全卫生意识。要充分研究和利用第三方技术服务组织,规范第三方技术服务,承担我国劳动安全卫生的事务性工作。     

Employers′ knowledge of the hazard communication standard requirements and the perceived barriers to compliance

This study examined employers′ perceived knowledge of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requirements prior to the inspection in which they were cited for an HCS violation. A lack of staff available to implement the HCS program was identified as having a significant impact upon compliance (p < 01). The perceived difficulty with compliance was also examined by the violations received by the organization. Those organizations cited for failing to have a written program identified a lack of staff available to implement the HCS requirements as having a greater impact upon compliance than those not cited for written program violations (p < 05). Suggested methods for improving the overall compliance with the HCS may include using the many compliance resources available through insurance companies, safety organizations, and state programs. Areas for further research include identifying the availability, use, and effectiveness of the outside safety and health compliance resources.     

A learning-by-doing strategy to improve top management involvement in safety

The growth of legal regulations in occupational safety during the 70's alienated to some extent top management from health and safety issues; safety was regarded as an activity of safety professionals and labour inspection. This lack of commitment to safety management led to reduced activity and awareness. However, both research and practice indicate that the role of top management is of crucial importance for achieving results in safety.Having realized the problem and the lack of appropriate training to meet the demands of top management, a program called “One hour for safety management” has been developed. The training is arranged in an “action” setting, during the formal meeting of the executive board of the company. The program consists of four main parts: (1) Principles of modern safety management, (2) The company's accident insurance system, the interdependency between compensation costs and premiums, (3) The safety situation of the company; accidents, premiums and losses, hazards, safety program, and (4) Setting the safety targets and action plans required. More recently, a short audit process has been developed to reveal the important sources of loss and the state of affairs in the company's loss control systems. A special software package includes essential handouts of the safety management meetings complemented by self-auditing tools.The approach initiated or revived top management interest in and awareness of safety in several companies. The success of the meeting seems to depend on several factors, e.g. consultation skills, safety expertise, style of presentation, corporate culture and co-operation in the preparation of the session. The factors that contribute to an effective training for top management should further be analyzed, and the impact of the management training on accident rates is a task for evaluation studies in future.     

Safety Attitudes and Their Relationship to Safety Training and Generalised Self-Efficacy

This paper studies safety attitudes, their relationship with safety training behaviour, and generalised self-efficacy. From a sociotechnical perspective, training programs might be used as a mechanism for enhancing attitudes, especially to improve safety and occupational health. Also, self-efficacy allows to enhance training effectiveness. The aim of this paper is to validate a safety attitude scale and to examine its relationship to safety training behaviour and self-efficacy in organisational settings. With data from 140 employees, results show a conceptually meaningful 3-factor solution. Hier-archical multiple regression analysis shows a main effect of safety training behaviour and levels of self-efficacy on safety attitude. Study limitations and its implications on safety training design are also discussed.     

Using lagging and leading indicators for the evaluation of occupational safety and health performance in industry

Improvement of occupational safety and health (OSH) management is closely related to the development of OSH performance measurement, which should include OSH outcomes (e.g., occupational accidents), OSH inputs (including working conditions) and OSH-related activities. The indicators used to measure the OSH outcomes are often called lagging indicators, and the indicators of inputs and OSH activities are leading indicators. A study was conducted in 60 companies in order to determine what kinds of indicators were used for OSH performance measurement by companies with different levels of OSH performance. The results reveal that the indicators most commonly used in all of the companies are those related to ensuring compliance with the statutory requirements. At the same time, the leading indicators are much more often adopted in companies with a higher performance level. These companies also much more often monitor on a regular basis the indicators adopted for the evaluation of their OSH performance.     

The effect of first aid training on Australian construction workers' occupational health and safety motivation and risk control behavior

METHOD: A 24-week experiment was conducted to assess how first aid training affects the motivation of small business construction industry employees in avoiding occupational injuries and illnesses and its effect on their occupational health and safety behavior. A simplified multiple baseline design across workplace settings was used to evaluate the effects of first aid training. Participants' motivation to control occupational safety and health risks was explored during in-depth interviews before and after receipt of first aid training. Objective measurement of occupational safety and health behavior was conducted by a researcher directly observing the workplace before and after participants received first aid training. RESULTS: The observations at participants' worksites suggested that, for the most part, the first aid training had a positive effect on the occupational safety and health behavior of participants. First aid training appeared to reduce participants' "self--other" bias, making them more aware that their own experience of occupational safety and health risks is not beyond their control but that their own behavior is an important factor in the avoidance of occupational injury and illness. First aid training also appeared to reduce participants' willingness to accept prevailing levels of occupational safety and health risk and increase the perceived probability that they would suffer a work-related injury or illness. Participants expressed greater concern about taking risks at work after receiving first aid training. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: It appears that first aid training enhances participants' motivation to avoid occupational injuries and illnesses and improves their risk control behavior. The implications of this are that first aid training can have a positive preventive effect and could complement traditional occupational health and safety training programs. As such, there may be benefit in providing first aid training to all employees rather than limiting this training to a small number of designated "first aiders."     

Worker training and education in occupational safety and health: A report on practice in six industrialized western nations: Part two of a four-part series

During 1980–1981, a study was conducted of worker training and education in occupational safety and health in Canada, Great Britain, Sweden, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the United States. This article is the second in a four-part series of the findings of this study. Part one discussed the genesis of the study and the study design, reported on the training requirements of the occupational safety and health legislation in each of the six countries, and considered the implications of this legislation for worker training and education. Part one also included information on how each country is organized to carry out worker training and education in occupational safety and health. Part two discusses the role perceived for worker training and education as an occupational injury and illness countermeasure and identifies and describes the major components of the occupational safety and health training infrastructure in each country in the study. Part three will report on course design, construction, delivery, evaluation, and costs. Part four will provide synopses of worker training and education for selected subsets of the worker population, e.g., migrant workers, nonorganized workers, employees of small business establishments, and employees of the federal or central government. Worker training and education programs will also be discussed for the following industries: construction, marine cargo handling (longshoring), and petroleum refining and related industries.     

Development of a new masters program for occupational physicians in Flanders

Background: discussions with occupational physicians and a postal survey identified the shortcomings of previous programs, mainly found in the fields of occupational hygiene, ergonomics, environmental health and management.Objectives of the new program: basic knowledge (see content), the development of problem solving skills, scientific and social attitudes.Content: first year: occupational health practice, occupational hygiene, epidemiology, work physiology, toxicokinetics and dynamics and in service training (4 weeks). Second year: occupational pathology, environmental health, ergonomics, social legislation, safety, management and in service training (4 weeks). The total study load is estimated at about 1600 hours per year.Methods: interactivity is stimulated by the introduction of interdisciplinary seminars, project work in groups and Socratic dialogue. The objectives, contents and teaching and student-evaluation methods of the separate items were defined before selecting teachers.Finality of the program: a masters title sufficient to practice occupational medicine in Belgium. A subsequent postacademic training of 2 years, while at work, will be required for the title of specialist in occupational medicine, valid at European Union (EU) level. It will include preparing and publically defending a thesis.Statement: The collaboration of ex-students working in the field is essential in the development and quality assessment of adequate teaching programs.     

Worker training and education in occupational safety and health: A report on practice in six industrialized western nations : Part four of a four-part series

During 1980–1981, a study was conducted of worker training and education in occupational safety and health in Canada, Great Britain, Sweden, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the United States. This article is the fourth in a four-part series of the findings of this study. Part one discussed the genesis of the study and the study design, reported on the training requirements of the occupational safety and health legislation in each of the six countries, and considered the implications of this legislation for worker training and education. Part one also included information on how each country is organized to carry out worker training and education in occupational safety and health. Part two discussed the role perceived for worker training and education as an occupational injury and illness countermeasure and identified and described the major components of the occupational safety and health training infrastructure in each country in the study. Part three reported on strategies for worker training including course design, construction, delivery, evaluation, and costs. Part four provides synopses of worker training and education for selected subsets of the worker population, e.g., migrant workers, nonorganized workers, employees of small business establishments, and employees of the federal or central government. Worker training and education programs are discussed for the following industries: construction, marine cargo handling (longshoring), and petroleum refining and related industries.     

Worker training and education in occupational safety and health: A report on practice in six industrialized western nations : Part three of a four-part series

During 1980–1981, a study was conducted of worker training and education in occupational safety and health in Canada, Great Britain, Sweden, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the United States. This article is the third in a four-part series of the findings of this study. Part one discussed the genesis of the study and the study design, reported on the training requirements of the occupational safety and health legislation in each of the six countries, and considered the implications of this legislation for worker training and education. Part one also included information on how each country is organized to carry out worker training and education in occupational safety and health. Part two discussed the role perceived for worker training and education as an occupational injury and illness countermeasure and identified and described the major components of the occupational safety and health training infrastructure in each country in the study. Part three reports on strategies for worker training including course design, construction, delivery, evaluation, and costs. Part four will provide synopses of worker training and education for selected subsets of the worker population, e.g., migrant workers, nonorganized workers, employees of small business establishments, and employees of the federal or central government. Worker training and education programs will also be discussed for the following industries: construction, marine cargo handling (longshoring), and petroleum refining and related industries.     

Student and faculty issues in distance education occupational safety and health graduate programs

PROBLEM: There is increasing interest in delivering degree programs without requiring students to attend traditional classroom-based classes. There are many differences between classroom and distance courses that must be addressed to have effective distance programs. METHOD: Occupational safety and health faculty and occupational safety and health professionals were surveyed to determine the need for graduate occupational safety and health programs, delivered by means of distance education, and the best means to deliver the program from the perspective of faculty and working occupational safety and health professionals. RESULTS: Adequate time is the largest problem issue for potential students and the distance student's needs must be considered when developing program policies and procedures. Faculty must be sufficiently trained in pedagogy, technology, and communications so that they have the same comfort level with this method of instruction as they do for the more familiar classroom, and technical and instructional support personnel need to be readily available to work with the faculty and support course development. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Findings indicate that there is interest in a distance education-based program and it is believed that industry will be positively impacted as educational opportunities expand for working professionals.     

Process Safety Management (PSM) for managing contractors in process plant

Accidents involving contractors continue to occur with regular frequency. By using the standard set within the PSM 29 CFR 1910.119(h) regulations, it has been identified that certain aspects of the way contractors do work are not up to the stipulated regulatory requirements especially regarding matters like not providing mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) to the workers, not discussing hazards related to handling procedures with the workforce and improper control of non-routine activities during changes in shifts. The PSM 29 CFR 1910.119(h) regulations promulgated in 1992 provides standards that covered processes to obtain and evaluate data regarding contractors' health and safety programs as well as the contractors' performance evaluation. Many of the accidents involving contractors are direct result of poor training of contractors and/or poor control of the contracted work. Even though most organizations have their own contractor management systems, there are issues in meeting the requirements of PSM. The PSM standard only state “what to do” not “how to do it”. This is known as self-regulatory policy which depends on the industries understanding to interpret the standard that also contribute to this problem. This paper presents a structured and easy technique to plan and implement a practical and comprehensive contractors' management system in process industries that will comply with OSHA CFR 1910.119. A model has been developed based on this technique and its application has been tested in a pilot plant for compliance to PSM regulation. The model is beneficial to the process industries as any deficiencies in the PSM contractors' management program will be highlighted by the model which will then easily correct the identified deficiency so as to minimize and prevent catastrophic accidents.     

A comparative study of vocational education and occupational safety and health training in China and the UK

In order to enhance Chinese workers’ occupational safety awareness, it is essential to learn from developed countries’ experiences. This article investigates thoroughly occupational safety and health (OSH) in China and the UK; moreover, the article performs a comparison of Chinese and British OSH training-related laws, regulations and education system. The following conclusions are drawn: China’s work safety continues to improve, but there is still a large gap compared with the UK. In China a relatively complete vocational education and training (VET) system has been established. However, there exist some defects in OSH. In the UK, the employer will not only pay attention to employees’ physiological health, but also to their mental health. The UK’s VET is characterized by classification and grading management, which helps integrate OSH into the whole education system. China can learn from the UK in the development of policies, VET and OSH training.     

What is this thing called a safety regulation?

Regulation is generally perceived as an important way to achieve safety. Controversy about enforcing, amending, reforming, reducing, improving, and evaluating safety regulations abounds. Questions about the need for, validity, and effectiveness of safety regulations also continue. This paper explores the nature of a safety regulation, what can be expected of a safety regulation in view of its nature, and what this means to persons affected by safety regulation. The role of regulation in safe task performance is reviewed. Consequences of these findings on regulation promulgation, employee training, and regulatory enforcement programs are discussed. Steps to enhance the effectiveness of safety regulations are suggested.     

安全工程专业学历教育方案的中西对比研究

根据学科研究对象的异同 ,对中外不同名称的安全科学技术学科领域间对应关系的分析表明 ,我国的安全科学技术学科与美国、英国等西方国家称为公共健康的学科 ,我国的安全工程与西方国家的职业安全健康学科分别在宽泛和具体的意义上基本对应 ,相应的学历教育方案具有可比性。以此为据 ,运用案例比较研究了安全工程与职业安全健康学科专业学历教育方案中课程设置的多方面差别 ,分析了通过改善学历教育方案、加强职业安全培训途径来提高我国安全管理水平的努力方向。     

Enhancement of occupational health and safety requirements in chemical tanker operations: The case of cargo explosion

Operational precautions for chemical tankers are vitally important in reducing the potential threat to shipboard crew by products carried. This paper enhances the International Safety Management (ISM) code in compliance with Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSAS 18001:2007) requirements in respect to operational constraints related to chemical tankers. As research methodology, Fuzzy Axiomatic Design (FAD) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) are referred to redesign the extended ISM code procedure, which identifies key points for occupational accident prevention on board chemical tankers. To illustrate the expected benefits of an extended ISM code procedure, the principle root causes of chemical tanker explosion are also discussed. In particular, the main results of the case study highlight the urgent need to ensure the competency of shipboard personnel and their familiarization with the characteristics of chemical cargos under differing circumstances. The outcomes set out in this paper contribute to regulatory compliance and to the management of occupational health and safety requirements on board chemical tankers.     

Worker training and education in occupational safety and health: A report on practice in six industrialized western nations: Part one of a four-part series

During 1980, a study was conducted of worker training and education in occupational safety and health in Canada, Great Britain, Sweden, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the United States. This article is the first in a four-part series of the findings of this study. Part one discusses the genesis of the study and the study design, reports on the training requirements of the occupational safety and health legislation in each of the six countries, and considers the implications of this legislation for worker training and education. Part one also includes information on how each country is organized to carry out worker training and education in occupational safety and health. Part two will review the role perceived for worker training and education as an injury and illness countermeasure and will identify the major training sources and the role of each. Part three will report on course design, construction, delivery, evaluation, and costs. Part four will provide synopses of worker training and education for selected subsets of the worker population, e.g., migrant workers, nonorganized workers, employees of small business establishments, and employees of the federal or central government. Worker training and education programs will also be discussed for the following industries: construction, marine cargo handling (longshoring), and petroleum refining and related industries.     

Evaluating the effectiveness of a logger safety training program

INTRODUCTION: Logger safety training programs are rarely, if ever, evaluated as to their effectiveness in reducing injuries. METHOD: Workers' compensation claim rates were used to evaluate the effectiveness of a logger safety training program, the West Virginia Loggers' Safety Initiative (LSI). RESULTS: There was no claim rate decline detected in the majority (67%) of companies that participated in all 4 years of the LSI. Furthermore, their rate did not differ from the rest of the WV logging industry that did not participate in the LSI. Worker turnover was significantly related to claim rates; companies with higher turnover of employees had higher claim rates. Companies using feller bunchers to harvest trees at least part of the time had a significantly lower claim rate than companies not using them. Companies that had more inspections per year had lower claim rates. CONCLUSIONS: High injury rates persist even in companies that receive safety training; high employee turnover may affect the efficacy of training programs. The logging industry should be encouraged to facilitate the mechanization of logging tasks, to address barriers to employee retention, and to increase the number of in-the-field performance monitoring inspections. Impact on industry There are many states whose logger safety programs include only about 4-8 hours of safe work practices training. These states may look to West Virginia's expanded training program (the LSI) as a model for their own programs. However, the LSI training may not be reaching loggers due to the delay in administering training to new employees and high levels of employee turnover. Regardless of training status, loggers' claim rates decline significantly the longer they work for a company. It may be that high injury rates in the state of West Virginia would be best addressed by finding ways to encourage and facilitate companies to become more mechanized in their harvesting practices, and to increase employee tenure. Increasing the number of yearly performance inspections may also be a venue to reduce claim rates. Future research could investigate in better detail the working conditions of West Virginia loggers and identify barriers to job tenure, particularly for workers whose primary job task is chainsaw operation. A larger-scale study of the effect of performance monitoring inspections on claim rates is also warranted.