Ethics + safety

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Ethics & Safety


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What would you do?

Your company is a public listed companyemploying thousands of workers across thecountry. A major accident has just occurredresulting in two deaths. The root cause of the

accident has been identified as failure of those incharge to properly provide safety and healthtraining to new workers. Instead of beingtransparent about the incident, upper management

has taken action to cover up the negligence. As aninsider, you know full well what has happened.What would you do?Go along withmanagements decision to hide the error? Or reportthe actual facts to the relevant authorities?


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Guidelines for Determining EthicalBehavior

- Apply the morning-after test:

if you make the choice, how will you feel about ittomorrow morning?

- Apply the front-page test:

decision made would not embarrass you if printed as

story on the front page of newspaper- Apply the mirror test

if you make this decision, how will you feel aboutyourself when you look in the mirror?

GUIDELINES


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- Apply the role-reversal testtrade places with the people affected by yourdecision and view the decision through their eyes

- Apply the common-sense test

listen to what your instincts and common sense aretelling you; if it feels wrong, it probably is.

GUIDELINES

Ethical questionstypically fall into a

gray areano black

or white

Personal experience,

self-interest, point of

view and external

pressure cloud this

gray area further


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Is it legal?

If not legal,no further

consideration

is in order

Blanchard and Peale suggest this three basicquestions:

How it make

me feel about

myself?

If a course of

action is in

keeping with

your own moralstructure, it will

make you feel

good about

yourself.

Is itbalanced?

If an action isbalanced, it isfair to allinvolved.

Responsibilities beyond thewalls of unit,organizationsand company

GUIDELINES


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Ethical Behavior In OrganizationsInfluenced by individual and social

factors.

BEHAVIOUR

Individual Factors:

- Ego strength- Machiavellianism

- Locus of ControlAbility to

undertake

self-

directedtasks and

cope with

tense

situations

Extent to

which a

person will

attempt to

deceive or

confuseothers

Concerning who or

what controls their

behaviours


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Ethical Behavior In OrganizationsInfluenced by individual and social

factors.

BEHAVIOUR

Social Factors:- gender

- role differences

- religion

- age- work experience

- nationality

- influence by others


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Deciding what is ethical is much easierthan actually doing it

Three basics approaches to handlingethical problems:

Bestratio

approach

Full-potentialapproach

Black-and-white

approach

HANDLING ETHICS


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Best-ratio Approach

- pragmatic approach

- do every possible condition that

promote ethical behavior

- maintain best possible ratio of good

choices to bad- situational ethics

HANDLING ETHICS


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Black-and-white Approach

- right is right, wrong is wrong, and

circumstances are irrelevant

- make fair decisions and impartial

choices regardless of the outcome

Full-potential Approach

- decision made base on the outcomes

affect the ability of their full potential

HANDLING ETHICS


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Safety and Health ProfessionalsRole in Ethics

Responsible to set examples of

ethical behaviour Assist fellow employees make

the right decision

Helping employees followthrough and actually undertakethe ethical option/decision oncethe appropriate choice has been

identified

HANDLING ETHICS


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Companys Role in

Ethics

Set an example of

ethics in all external

dealings

Thecompanys

role in

ethics

Create an ethical

environment inside the

company

HANDLING ETHICS


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How should one proceed when confronting anethical dilemma?

Unfortunately deciding what is ethical is much

easier than actually doing what is ethical.In this regard, trying to practice ethics is like

trying to diet. It is not so much a matter ofknowing you should cut down eating, it is amatter of following through and actuallydoing it.

- David L. Goetsch, 2002.

HANDLING ETHICS DILLEMMA


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Education - Safety Ethics

I value safety,

I work safely,

I prevent at-risk behaviour,I promote safety

and

I accept responsibility for safety.

Journal of Chemical Health and Safety


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I value safety:Safety not only a priority but it is a value -

never questioned & compromised.

Dr. Scott Geller. I work safely: Stop, Look & Think

Identify & evaluate hazards

Understand potential risk Minimise risk & control hazards

Safe procedures


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I prevent at-risk behaviour: Prevent unsafe act

I promote safety: Make a safe work place!

First: Physical & Engineering Control

Next: Safe Operating Procedures & Training Last: PPE

I accept responsibility for safety:

Responsibility, in its true sense is an entirely

voluntary act; response to the needs ofanother human being

Act out of need to protect safety of all because we

care.


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THE END

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Ethics + safety