Industrial Accidents & Employee Safety - Human Resource Management | Human Resource Management - B Com PDF Download

Industrial Accidents
Psychologists are concerned with the theoretical considerations of accident causation and the research into accident control, through proper selection, training and education of the employee; and the social and psychological factors that influence the individual’s behavior in general. Engineers and safety officers usually render necessary practical advice on certain aspects of safety in the industry. They look upon prevention of accidents basically as an engineering problem to be tackled through proper designing of mechanical safety devices. In fact , accident prevention and safety are inert-related  and, therefore, require a multi-dimensional approach. Its importance has increased because of large-scale industrialization in which human beings are subject to mechanical, chemical, electrical and radiation hazards.

Industrial Accident and Industrial Injury
An industrial accident may be defined as “an occurrence which interrupts or interferes with the orderly progress od work in an industrial establishment.” According to the Factories Act of 1948, it is “an occurrence in an industrial establishment causing bodily to a person which makes him unfit to resume his duties in the next 48 hours.” In other words, it is an unexpected even which is neither anticipated nor designed to occur. It is always sudden for a gradual process does not constitute an accident.

An industrial injury has been defined as “a personal injury to an employee which has been caused by an accident or an occupational disease, and which arises out of, or in the course of, employment, and which would entitle such an employee to compensation, under the workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923.

Causes of Accidents
According to safety experts, there are three basic causes/factors that contribute to accidents in organizations-Chance occurrences, unsafe conditions and unsafe acts on the part of employees.

1. Unsafe Conditions (work-related causes): These, of once sort or another, are the biggest cause of accidents. Such causes are associated with defective plants, equipment, tools, materials, buildings etc. These can be termed ‘technical causes.’ They arise when there are improper or inadequate safety guards on mechanical or when machines break down; when improper personal protection equipment is installed; when mechanical or construction designs are defective and unsafe; and when devices, which have been installed to make the operation of machines safe and accident free are lacking or defective; or when there is an absence of proper maintenance and supervision of these devices.

Thus, unsafe conditions include:

• Improperly guarded equipment

• Defective equipment

• Hazardous arrangement or procedure in or around, machines or equipment

• Unsafe storage; congestion, overloading.

• inadequate safety devices

• Wrong and faulty lay-out, and bad location

• Improper illumination- glare, insufficient light

• Improper ventilation-insufficient air change, impure air source

• Poor house-keeping

The other work related causes of accident are:

a) The job itself: Some jobs are inherently more dangerous than other, such as the job of crane man in comparison to that of the foreman. Similarly, work in some departments (like personnel) is inherently safer than the work in others (like production department).

b) Work schedules, accidents increase late in the day. They do not usually occur during the early hours of the work day. They are more frequent during the night shift. This is due partly to fatigue and partly to the fact tat is the period when one require rest.

c)  Psychological climate of the work place also affects the accident rate. Psychological, mental and emotional  imbalances are the root of several accidents.

2. Unsafe Acts: These acts may be result of lack of knowledge or skill on the part of the employee, certain physical defects and wrong attitudes. These acts include acts like

• Operating without authority.

• Failing to secure equipment or warning other employees of possible danger

• Throwing materials on the floor carelessly

• Operating or working at unsafe levels of speed, either too fast or slow.

• Making safety devices inoperative by removing, adjusting, disconnecting them

• Taking unsafe positions, under suspended loads

• Using unsafe procedures in loading, placing, mixing, and combining.

• Lifting improperly

• Cleaning, adjusting, oiling, repairing, etc., or moving dangerous equipment.

• Distracting, testing, abusing, startling, quarrelling, day-dreaming, horseplay.

Person Characteristics also influence accident behaviors of individuals. For example, characteristics like personality and motivation serve as a basis for certain behavior tendencies-such as tendencies to take risk and undesirable attitudes.

3. Other Causes: These causes arise out unsafe situational and climate conditions and variations-such as bad working conditions, rough and slippery floor, excessive glare, heat, humidity, dust and fume laden atmosphere; very long of work; unsatisfactory behavior of domineering supervisors; excessive noise and carelessness in the handling of such inflammable materials such as gasoline, solvents, oil and grease, explosives etc.

Certain broad conclusions can be draw on the basis of experience and studies undertaken by psychologists such as:

• Young, untrained and new workers generally sustain injuries more frequently tan older, trained and experienced employees

• Those adding alcoholism and drugs, and those who suffer from boredom and fatigue or indulge in exhibition, generally account for a higher rate of accidents

• The way the management motivates employees affects the rate and frequency of accidents. They tensions which aggressive and negative supervisors generate among the employees also tent to increase this rate and frequent

• Unmarried employees generally have more accidents than married employees

• Accidents are more frequent during the night shift

• Woman employees have a better safety record than their male counterparts

• Workers who work under stress or feel their jobs are threatened or insecure, seem to have more accidents than those who those who do not.

Employee Safety
Every organization should formulate and implement a safety policy. The procedure to be adopted naturally depends upon the size of a company, the number of plants it operates, the nature of the industry in which it is engaged, the production technology it uses, and the attitude of the top management. After it has spelt out its safety policy, a company should establish a safety programme, the primary goals of which should be to reduce the number of hazardous factors which are likely to cause accidents, and to develop safe working habits among its employees. Company should take concrete efforts to provide safety measures. These safety measures will reduce the accidents.

The safety organization plans and implements the safety procedures

Safety Committee
In some organizations, safety work is primarily carried out by safety committee. Its function is to ensure the establishment of the safe working conditions In an organization, the size of the committee depends on the size of an organization, and generally include one more persons from among the employees. The idea is that the workers themselves should be interested in the safety programmes which are designed and developed for their good and after their own suggestions for the procedures to be adopted for their safety.

Appraisal of employees attitude to safety programmes: A knowledge of the attitude of the employees to the safety programmes developed for them the specific measures adopted for that purpose-such as the setting up to bulletin boards, displays of safety measures, pamphlets, booklets, poster, magazines and motion pictures which highlight them-would help the safety director in presenting safety information to the employees of an organization.

Safety engineering: The adoption of proper engineering procedures to minimize and, if possible, eliminate work hazards is fundamental to any organized safety programme.

The machinery which poses danger to the employee working on it is generally covered or fenced carefully when it is operation. Safety glasses or plastic eye-shields to protect he eyes from the hazards of fire, glare, dust and fumes; hard protective caps to prevent head injuries; gas masks to prevent the inhalation of poisonous fumes; graves to protect the hands against acids and explosive materials; safety shoes, overalls, skin guards and safety apparel for the protection of the body-all these are provided the use of workers

Materials handling is the most prolific source of accidents. Hence, the flow of materials during all the stages of manufacture of a product should be properly to eliminate hazards. The flow of work between machines and departments should be facilitated by proper equipment, and there should be well-designed and well-marked storage spaces, aisles and roadways to ensure risk-free performance of work

Safe education and training: Safety education for all level of management personnel and for employees is vital for any successful safety programme. The goal of safety education is two-fold: to develop safety consciousness among employees and build up a favorable attitude on their part towards safety measures and precautions; and secondly, to ensure safe work performance on the part of each employee by developing his skill In the use and operation of safety equipment.