Introduction to Safety and Health Preface and Chapter

Introduction to Safety and Health Preface and Chapter. 1 (Goetsch)

Safety vs Health • Safety and healthough closely related are not the same. • One view is that – Safety is concerned with injury-causing situations, whereas health is concerned with disease causing situations. – Another view is that safety is concerned with hazards to humans that result from sudden severe conditions; health deals with adverse reactions to prolonged exposure to dangerous but less intense hazards. • An acute effect is a sudden reaction to a severe condition, while a chronic effect is a long-term deterioration due to a prolonged exposure to a milder adverse condition (Asfahl).

Safety vs Health • Both concepts are accurate in portraying safety and health issues. However, there is no clear line between the two concepts. – For example, stress is a hazard can cause both p_____ and p_____ problems over a prolonged period. So, it is a ____concern. On the other hand, an overly stressed worker may be prone to accidents generating a _____concern.

Safety vs Health – Long term exposure to noise levels in the range of 90 -100 decibels causes permanent damage. _____ – A sudden acute exposure to impact noise can injure the hearing system. ______ (Asfahl) – Let’s come up with a similar example or two

Safety and Health Movement, Then and Now • The safety area in the US has developed steadily since early 1900 s. • In the early 1900 s, industrial accidents were common. – In 1907 over 3200 people were killed in mining accidents. – Then, legislation and public opinion all favored management. . – There were a few protections for workers’ safety.

Safety and Health Movement, Then and Now • Working conditions for industrial employees have improved significantly. – Chance of a worker being killed is less than half of what it was 60 years ago. – According to the NSC ________, the current death rate from work-related injuries is approx. 4 per 100, 000 or less than a third of the rate 50 years ago.

Safety and Health Movement, Then and Now • Improvements have been the result of: – The pressure for legislature to promote safety and health, – The steadily increasing costs associated with accidents and injuries, • The future improvements will be driven by cost effectiveness and resultant competitiveness gained from a safe and healthy workplace. – The professionalization of safety as an occupation.

Development Before the Industrial Revolution • Code of Hammurabi contained clauses pertaining to safety and health. – “If a man has caused the loss of a gentlemen’s eye, his own eye shall be caused to be lost”. • Egyptians used slaves in building temples and pyramids. – Rameses II to ensure the maintenance of a workforce sufficient to build his major project, created an industrial medical service and required each worker to bathe daily.

Development Before the Industrial Revolution • The Romans were very concerned about safety and health. – __________________ • In the 16 th Century, Philippus Aureolus looked at pulmonary disease of miners/diseases of smelter workers/metallurgists and Georgius Agricola emphasized the need for ventilation systems in the mines.

Development Before the Industrial Revolution • In the 18 th Century, Bernardino Ramazzini drew parallels between diseases suffered by workers and their occupations. – Handling of harmful materials, irregular or unnatural movements of the body • The Industrial Revolution change the nature of production: – – Introduction of inanimate power Substitution of machines for people Introduction of new methods in fabrication Organization and specialization of work

Milestones in the Safety Movement • The safety movement traces its roots to England. • Industrial Revolution – Outbreak of fever among the children working in cotton mills led people in Manchester demand better working conditions in the factories. – In 1802 the Health of Morals of Apprentices Act was passed.

Milestones in the Safety Movement • When the industrial sector began to grow in the US, hazardous working conditions became common. – Following the Civil War, the seeds of the safety movement were sown. • • Factory Inspection – 1867 in MA. First barrier safeguard patent – 1868 PA legislature mine safety law – 1869 Bureau of Labor Statistics established - 1869

Milestones in the Safety Movement – MA legislature passed a law requiring safeguards for hazardous machinery – 1877 – Employer’s liability law – 1877 – First recorded safety program established in IL – 1892 – Frederick Taylor conducts first systematic study on efficiency in manufacturing – 1900 – Bureau of Mines created – 1907 – Concept of Workers Compensation introduced – 1908 • WI passed the first effective law on WC

Milestones in the Safety Movement – First cooperative study congress in Milwaukee - 1912 – National Council of Industrial Safety formed – 1913 – NCIS changed name to National Safety Council – 1915 – Concept of negligent manufacturer established - 1916

Milestones in the Safety Movement – National Silicosis Conference organized by US Secretary of Labor – 1936 – Relation between quality and safety and job accidents have negative effect on productivity – OSH act passed – 1970 – Federal Mine Safety Act passes – 1977 – Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization passes – 1986 – Amended Clean Air Act of 1970 passes

Milestones in the Safety Movement – Total Safety Management concept introduced – 1996 – US firms begin to pursue ISO 14000 registration for ESM__________ 2000 – Workplace terrorism is an ongoing concern of safety and health professionals - 2003

Tragedies That Have Changed the Safety Movement • Hawk’s Nest Tragedy • Asbestos Menace • Bhopal Tragedy

Role of • Organized Labor – Seeked safe and healthy work environments – Some say they focused too much on wages and benefits – Overturn the antilabor laws relating to safety • Fellow Servant Rule (in still NH) /Contributory Negligence • Assumption Risk • Specific Safety and Health Problems – Lung Disease in Miners • Anthrocosis / Black Spit • Coal Workers Pneumonoconosis • Gauley Bridge Disaster – Explosion in a mine in WV in 1968

Role of – Mercury Poisoning in 1930 s Japan due to release of methyl mercury into the sea • Mercury nitrate was used in hat-making in the US – Asbestos exposure • Asbestosis or (Mesothelioma) Cancer

Development of Accident Prevention Programs – Will be covered with the Accident related chapters.

Safety and Health Movement Today • Came a long way from Industrial Revolution ways. • Tone was set during the WWII. – Need for various specialists arose: safety engineers, safety managers, industrial hygienists, occupational health nurses, and physicians.

Safety and Health Movement Today • H. G. Dyktor proposed the following objectives of integration (cooperation): – Learn more through sharing knowledge about health problems in the workplace, particularly those caused by toxic substances – Provide a greater level of expertise in evaluating health and safety problems. – Provide a broad database that can be used to compare health and safety problems experienced by different companies in the same industry. – Encourage accident prevention – Make employee health and safety a high priority

Integrated Approach to Safety and Health • By working together and drawing on their areas of expertise, S & H professionals are better able to identify, predict, control, and correct S & H problems. • OSHA reinforces this integrated approach by requiring companies to have a plan for doing: – Providing appropriate medical treatment for injured or ill workers – Regularly examining workers who are exposed to toxic substances – Having qualified first-aid person available during all work hours

Integrated Approach to Safety and Health • Small companies may contract, while the large ones have their own staff: – Industrial Hygiene Chemist and/or Engineer • Periodically test the work environment and the workers • Dust levels, ventilation, and noise levels. . – Radiation Control Specialist • Electrical Engineer and Physicist • Test radiation levels • Prepare plans for accidents/decontamination procedures – Industrial Safety Manager or Engineer • Developing Programs – Other

Development of Safety Organizations • Alliance for American Insurers • American Board of Industrial Hygiene • American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists • American Industrial Hygiene Association • American Insurance Association • American National Standards Institute • American Occupational Medical Association • American Society of Testing and Materials • American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Development of Safety Organizations • • Chemical Transportation Emergency Center Human Factors Society National Fire Protection Association National Safety Council National Safety Management Society of Automotive Engineers System Safety Society Underwriter’s Laboratories

Government Organizations • • • Bureau of Labor Statistics Bureau of National Affairs Environmental Protection Agency National Institute for Standards and Technology National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health • Occupational Safety and Health Administration • Superintendent of Documents, US Government Printing Office • US Consumer Product Safety Commission

Other Organizations • American Public Health Association • Commerce Clearing House

New • Materials, Processes, and New Problems