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Fundamentals of Human
Resource Management
Eighth Edition
DeCenzo and Robbins
Chapter 13
Ensuring a Safe and Healthy Work Environment
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Introduction
• Management has both legal and moral
responsibilities to provide a safe and
healthy workplace.
• Work-related accidents, injuries, and
illnesses are costly.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Occupational Safety and
Health Act
1970 Federal legislation
– Established health and safety standards.
– Authorized inspections and fines for
violations.
– Empowered OSH Administration to ensure
standards are met.
– Requires employers to keep records of
illnesses and injuries, and calculate
accident ratios.
– Applies to almost every U.S. business
engaged in interstate commerce.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Occupational Safety and
Health Act
OSHA Enforcement Priorities
– Imminent danger: Where an
accident is about to occur.
– Accidents that have led to
serious injuries or death.
Employer must report within 8
hours.
– Employee complaints:
Employees have right to call
OSHA.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Occupational Safety and
Health Act
OSHA Enforcement Priorities
• Inspection of industries with the highest injury
or illness rates
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chemical processing
roofing and sheet metal
meat processing
lumber and wood products
mobile homes and campers
stevedoring
• Additionally, special emphasis is placed on
the handling of hazardous waste.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Occupational Safety and
Health Act
Random inspection
• Supreme Court ruled (Marshall v.
Barlow’s Inc., 1978) that
employers are not required to let
OSHA inspectors enter without
search warrants.
• Most attorneys recommend
companies cooperate with
inspectors.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Occupational Safety and
Health Act
OSHA’s Record-Keeping Requirements
– Basis for record-keeping is Form 300
– Must report any work-related illness; report
injuries that require medical treatment
besides first aid, involve loss of
consciousness, restriction of work or
motion, or transfer to another job.
– Incidence rate: Number of illnesses,
injuries or lost workdays per 100 full-time
workers.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Occupational Safety and
Health Act
• OSHA Punitive Actions
– Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
of 1990 allows fines up to $70,000 if
violation is severe, willful and
repetitive.
– Fines can be for safety violations or
failure to keep adequate records.
– Courts have backed criminal charges
against executives when they have
willfully violated health and safety laws.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Occupational Safety and
Health Act
OSHA: A Critique
• OSHA has made organizations more aware
of health and safety.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) has been researching
and setting standards for new areas
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blood-borne pathogens
chemical process safety
motor vehicle safety
protective equipment
ergonomics
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Occupational Safety and
Health Act
OSHA: A Critique
• Hazard Communication Standard, (1983),
requires organizations to communicate
information about hazardous chemicals by:
– labeling containers
– distributing data sheets
– training employees in their safe handling
• Since 9/11 has provided assistance on
contingency planning to deal with
emergencies.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Job Safety Programs
Costs of Accidents
– Workers’ compensation
premiums.
– Time lost due to injury.
– Time to investigate/report
accidents.
– Damage to
equipment/materials.
– Work stoppages/personnel
changeover.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Job Safety Programs
Causes of Accidents
– Accidents are generally classified as
human or environmental.
– Human causes responsible for majority of
accidents.
– Environmental causes include
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tools
equipment
physical plant
general work environment
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Job Safety Programs
Preventative Measures
• Education
• Skill training
• Engineering
• Protection devices
• Regulation enforcement
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Job Safety Programs
Ensuring Job Safety
– Management needs feedback from
inspections, reports, and
observations.
– Safety should be part of
organizational culture.
– Top management must be
committed to safety.
– Safety committees empower
employees to maintain a safe
environment.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Job Safety Programs
A Safety Issue: Workplace Violence
• Homicide is the number-two cause of workrelated death.
• Recommended HRM actions:
– Develop a plan, including review of policies and
employee treatment.
– Train supervisory personnel to identify and deal
with troubled employees.
– Implement stronger security mechanisms.
– Prepare employees to deal with violent situations.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Maintaining a Healthy Work
Environment
• Sick buildings are office environments
that contain harmful airborne chemicals,
asbestos, or indoor pollution.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Maintaining a Healthy Work
Environment
• Sick Buildings
• Suggestions for keeping the
environment healthy include:
– Making sure workers get enough fresh
air.
– Avoiding suspect building materials and
furnishings.
– Testing new buildings for toxins before
occupancy.
– Providing a smoke-free environment.
– Keeping air ducts clean and dry.
– Paying attention to workers’ complaints.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Maintaining a Healthy Work
Environment
The Smoke-Free Environment
• Costs of smokers include
– increased health premiums
– Absenteeism
– lost productivity due to smoke
breaks
– maintenance costs
– harm to coworkers by secondhand smoke
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Maintaining a Healthy Work
Environment
The Smoke-Free Environment
• Smoke-free policies at work include
banning smoking or restricting it to
properly ventilated designated areas.
• Employees should be involved in
phase-in of programs.
• Some employers offer incentives and
help for employees to stop smoking.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Maintaining a Healthy Work
Environment
Repetitive Stress Injuries
• Injuries resulting from continuous,
repetitive movements, such as
typing.
• Also referred to as
musculoskeletal disorders
(MSDs).
• The most frequent injury is carpal
tunnel syndrome, which occurs
in the wrist.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Maintaining a Healthy Work
Environment
Repetitive Stress Injuries
• Ergonomics, or fitting the work
environment to the individual, can
prevent repetitive motion injuries.
• Includes design of environment and
furniture to fit the individual.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
• Dynamic condition in
which an individual is
confronted with
opportunity, constraint
or demand related to
what he or she
desires for which
outcome is uncertain
and important.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
• May be caused by either positive factors
(opportunities) or negative.
• The Japanese concept of karoshi,
death from overworking, illustrates the
pervasive nature of stress.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
Common Causes of Stress
• Organizational Factors
– Task demands include job design, working
conditions, the physical layout, and work
quotas.
– Role demands include role conflicts, role
overload and role ambiguity.
– Interpersonal demands include lack of
social support and poor interpersonal
relationships.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
Common Causes of Stress
– Organizational structure causes include
excessive rules and lack of opportunity to
participate.
– Organizational leadership causes include
supervisory styles which cause unrealistic
pressures, tight controls, and the threat of
job loss.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
Common Causes of
Stress
• Personal Factors
– Family issues
– Personal economic
problems
– Inherent personality
characteristics
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
Symptoms of Stress
• Physiological symptoms (increased blood
pressure, headaches, increased pulse rate,
etc.) are the most difficult to observe.
• Psychological symptoms (increased tension
and anxiety, boredom, procrastination, etc.)
can lead to productivity decreases.
• Behavioral symptoms (increased smoking or
substance consumption, sleep disorders,
etc.) also affect the organization.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
Reducing Stress
• HRM approaches include
– matching individuals to their jobs
– clarifying expectations
– redesigning jobs
– offering involvement and participation
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
Reducing Stress
• Dilemmas for HRM include:
– balancing the need to
energize people with the need
to minimize dysfunctional
stress
– deciding how much an
employer can intrude on
employees’ personal lives
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
A Special Case of Stress: Burnout
• Burnout is a function of three concerns:
– Chronic emotional stress with emotional
and/or physical exhaustion
– Lowered job productivity
– Dehumanizing of jobs
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Defining Stress
• Causes and symptoms of burnout:
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Organization characteristics
Perceptions of organization
Perceptions of role
Individual characteristics
Outcomes
• Reducing burnout - four techniques are
proposed:
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Identification
Prevention
Mediation
Remediation
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Employee Assistance
Program
A Brief History of EAPs
– Extension of 1940’s programs to help
employees with alcohol-related problems.
– Cost-effective counseling to help
employees overcome problems such as:
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substance abuse
bereavement
child-parent problems
marriage problems
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Employee Assistance
Program
• EAPs Today
– Provides employees visits with counselors at
company expense; usually visits are off-site.
– Help control rising health insurance costs.
– Employees and supervisors must be familiar with
and trust the program and perceive EAPs as
worthwhile.
– Confidentiality is guaranteed.
– For every dollar spent on EAP programs, studies
estimate a return of $5.00 to $16.00 in savings.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
The Employee Assistance
Program
Wellness Programs
– Programs to keep employees healthy; include
smoking cessation, physical fitness, weight
control, etc.
– Designed to cut employer health costs and lower
absenteeism.
– Employees must view programs as having value.
– Must have top management support.
– Should also provide services for employees’
families.
– Need opportunities for employee input.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
International Safety and Health
• Cultural differences exist in laws and
expectations regarding safe working
conditions.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
International Safety and Health
International Health Issues
– An up-to-date health certificate providing
records of employee vaccinations
– A General First Aid Kit should include overthe-counter and prescription medications
and other supplies that might not be
available to U.S. workers abroad.
– Emergency plans help expatriates
anticipate medical needs and locate
resources.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
International Safety and Health
International Safety Issues
– U.S. Department of State “hotline” provides
travel alerts about such issues as terrorist
activity or disease outbreaks.
– Security concerns prompt
recommendations regarding travel modes,
attire, and “blending in”.
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins