HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE - Fichier PDF

838 ❚ Health, safety and welfareSAFETY INSPECTIONSSafety inspections are designed to examine a specific area of the organization – operationaldepartment or manufacturing process – in order to locate and define anyfaults in the system, equipment, plant or machines, or any operational errors thatmight be the source of accidents. Safety inspections should be carried out on a regularand systematic basis by line managers and supervisors with the advice and help ofhealth and safety advisers. The steps to be taken in carrying out safety inspections areas follows:●●●●●●●●●Allocate the responsibility for conducting the inspection.Define the points to be covered in the form of a checklist.Divide the department or plant into areas and list the points to which attentionneeds to be given in each area.Define the frequency with which inspections should be carried out – daily incritical areas.Use the check lists as the basis for the inspection.Carry out sample or spot checks on a random basis.Carry out special investigations as necessary to deal with special problems suchas operating machinery without guards to increase throughput.Set up a reporting system (a form should be used for recording the results ofinspections).Set up a system for monitoring that safety inspections are being conductedproperly and on schedule and that corrective action has been taken wherenecessary.OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAMMESAlmost 20 million working days a year are lost because of work-related illness. Twomillion people say they suffer from an illness they believe was caused by their work.Muscular disorders, including repetitive strain injury and back pain, are by far themost commonly reported illnesses with 1.2 million affected, and the numbers arerising. The next biggest problem is stress, which 500,000 people say is so bad that it ismaking them ill. These are large and disturbing figures and they show that highpriority must be given to creating and maintaining programmes for the improvementof occupational health.The control of occupational health and hygiene problems can be achieved by: