Safety in the Safety in the workplaceworkplaceBy By

Sveinn EldonSveinn Eldon

Work SafetyWork Safety

The right to a safe workplaceThe right to a safe workplace The obligation of employers to provide a The obligation of employers to provide a

workplace free of recognized hazardsworkplace free of recognized hazards The right to survivalThe right to survival Without this right, other rights loose their Without this right, other rights loose their

significancesignificance

Direct CauseDirect Cause

Two factors enable employers to deny that Two factors enable employers to deny that their actions are a direct cause of accidents in their actions are a direct cause of accidents in the workplace: the workplace:

1. Accidents are often caused by a 1. Accidents are often caused by a combination of factors, often involving actions combination of factors, often involving actions by workers themselves or co-workers, and it by workers themselves or co-workers, and it becomes difficult to assign blame.becomes difficult to assign blame.

2. It is not practical to reduce the probability of 2. It is not practical to reduce the probability of harm any futher, if risk is only slight. harm any futher, if risk is only slight.

But how slight is slight risk?But how slight is slight risk?

Direct causeDirect cause

How riskfree is the workplace supposed How riskfree is the workplace supposed to be?to be?

CostsCosts How should the level of risk be How should the level of risk be

determined?determined? Cost-benefit analysis Cost-benefit analysis

The voluntary assumption of riskThe voluntary assumption of risk

Employees voluntarily assume the risk Employees voluntarily assume the risk inherent in work. The high accident rate in inherent in work. The high accident rate in some jobs is well known, e.g. construction some jobs is well known, e.g. construction work. Premium is paid in these jobs on top work. Premium is paid in these jobs on top of the pay for the high accident risk.of the pay for the high accident risk.

Do workers always know the level of risk? Do workers always know the level of risk? Often the hazards are not even known to Often the hazards are not even known to

the employer.the employer.

Issuing a Threat...Issuing a Threat...

What does it mean to threaten someone?What does it mean to threaten someone? A threat is a stated intention of making a A threat is a stated intention of making a

person worse off. An example of this person worse off. An example of this could e.g. be to threaten to withhold an could e.g. be to threaten to withhold an expected promotion if the employee does expected promotion if the employee does not act as the employeer desires. Such a not act as the employeer desires. Such a threat would not be ethically wrong if the threat would not be ethically wrong if the actions the employeer desires the actions the employeer desires the employee to perform can be regarded as employee to perform can be regarded as normal duties that go with the job.normal duties that go with the job.

Risk and coercionRisk and coercion

As workers have the right to a safe As workers have the right to a safe workplace, offering workers higher pay for workplace, offering workers higher pay for doing dangerous work (and/or threatening doing dangerous work (and/or threatening dismissal for failing to carry it out) does dismissal for failing to carry it out) does not relieve the employer of his duty to not relieve the employer of his duty to provide a safe workplace to those workers. provide a safe workplace to those workers. The employer cannot let workers assume The employer cannot let workers assume all the risk, even if the risk is always all the risk, even if the risk is always shared to an extent.shared to an extent.

The right to know and to refuse The right to know and to refuse dangerous workdangerous work

The employer has a duty to inform the The employer has a duty to inform the employees and if he does not know, to find out.employees and if he does not know, to find out.

Employees must obey all reasonable directives. Employees must obey all reasonable directives. If an order turns out not to have been If an order turns out not to have been reasonable, they should file a complaint reasonable, they should file a complaint afterwards.afterwards.

But that may be too late!But that may be too late! If employees have a ”reasonable” belief that the If employees have a ”reasonable” belief that the

work may cause serious harm to them, they work may cause serious harm to them, they have the right to refuse, unless the probability have the right to refuse, unless the probability of harm can be significantly lowered.of harm can be significantly lowered.

Autonomy and the right to knowAutonomy and the right to know

Workers have the right to know so they can Workers have the right to know so they can excercise their autonomy to avoid dangerous excercise their autonomy to avoid dangerous work, to request higher pay for suck work or to work, to request higher pay for suck work or to get the employer to lower the risk of accidents.get the employer to lower the risk of accidents.

Employers may have considerable costs from Employers may have considerable costs from informing and it may involve loss of trade informing and it may involve loss of trade secrets (hazards from substances).secrets (hazards from substances).

Training of workers to deal safely with Training of workers to deal safely with hazardous chemicals and other dangers.hazardous chemicals and other dangers.

HazardsHazards

Dangers in the workplace can best be Dangers in the workplace can best be lowered by cooperation of workers and lowered by cooperation of workers and employers. Trained and well equipped employers. Trained and well equipped workers are less likely to have accidents workers are less likely to have accidents than untrained badly informed ones. than untrained badly informed ones. Workers should follow safety instructions Workers should follow safety instructions and request proper equipment and inform and request proper equipment and inform the employer of spotted potential or actual the employer of spotted potential or actual hazards.hazards.