Safety Is Everybody's Business OSU Environmental Health & Safety

Safety Is Everybody's Safety Is Everybody's BusinessBusiness

OSU Environmental Health & Safety

Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives

Help you decide that safety IS everybody’s business, and why

Provide you with an understanding of accident causes

Explain safety responsibilities For both employees and employers

Introduce you to specific safety topics Fire safety, lab safety, office safety

Why Worry about Safety? Why Worry about Safety?

Why do you need to be concerned about safety?

Hurt

DOL

EPA

$$$$Lost

time

WC

Pain!

Loss

Why Worry: Common ReasonsWhy Worry: Common Reasons

1. Getting hurt isn’t fun!!!

Not All Pain is GainNobody likes getting hurt

Healthy employees are moreproductive employees


1. Getting hurt isn’t fun!!!

2. Cost of Accidents

Cost of AccidentsCost of Accidents

Direct Costs– Medical Costs (including worker’s comp)– Indemnity Payments

Indirect Costs– Time Lost (by worker and supervisor)– Schedule delays– Training new employees– Cleanup time / equipment repairs– Legal fees

Cost of Accidents: Cost of Accidents:

On average, the indirect costs of accidents exceed the direct costs by a 4:1 ratio

The Iceberg EffectThe Iceberg Effect

Cost of AccidentsCost of Accidents

What does that mean for OSU?– FY 1997: 499 claims for $1,485,068– FY 1999: 579 claims for $1,902,688– FY 2000: 550 claims for $1,582,169

(Direct costs in Worker’s Compensation)

Multiply by four to estimate indirect costs to the University


1. Getting hurt isn’t fun!!!2. Cost of Accidents3. Legal Issues and Liability

Legal Issues and LiabilityLegal Issues and Liability

As a result of safety violations:

– You can be named in a lawsuit– Criminal charges may be filed against you– You can be cited by an enforcement

agency– You can be fined by an enforcement

agency– Your lab/workplace can be shut down by

an enforcement agency


Because of personal liability, and you can be named as a defendant in a lawsuit – Working for the University does not protect you.


You can have criminal charges filed against you.– Negligent

supervisors and employers have been charged with manslaughter


You can be cited by an enforcement agency

– State Department of Labor (DOL) DOL is currently inspecting departments on campus

– EPA They’ve already been here, and they’re coming back!

– Federal OSHA has authority to get involved GM plant in OKC


You can be fined by an enforcement agency

– State DOL will issue citations first– EPA will levy fines…

Boston University was fined $750,000 in 1997Brown University was fined $500,000 in 2000 University of Hawaii was fined $1.7 million in

December


Cease and desist orders: if the violations are serious enough, agencies such as DOL, OSHA, and the EPA can (and will) shut down the job site until the problems are corrected.

EHS has issued cease and desist orders on OSU projects, as well.

So how do you protect So how do you protect yourself?yourself?

????????

Understanding Accident Understanding Accident CausesCauses

Accidents are caused by:

– Unsafe conditions– Unsafe acts

Accident CausesAccident Causes

Unsafe Conditions– Easiest to correct (and very cost effective)– Easiest to prevent

Safety auditsSafety inspectionsMaintenance schedules for equipmentEncouraging employee reportingGood housekeeping

Accident CausesAccident Causes

Unsafe Acts

– Most difficult to addressChanging behavior isn’t easy

– Best prevented by developing a “safety culture”

Safety CulturesSafety Cultures

Establish accountability for safety

Define safety responsibilities

Establishing Accountability: Establishing Accountability: Performance EvaluationsPerformance Evaluations Employees should be evaluated on their

safety performance

– Doing a job correctly includes doing it safely

OSU job description revisions may include generic job descriptions with:

– “Must follow all general and safety policies and procedures as established by the department, college/division, and university.”

Establishing AccountabilityEstablishing Accountability Charge back systems Safety goals

– Accident costs Equipment damage Lost time

– Accident rates First aid #s Workers comp #s

– Loss ratios (including automobile rates) Safety Activities

– Safety meetings, inspections, using PPE

Defining ResponsibilitiesDefining Responsibilities

Employee responsibilities include:– Recognizing safety hazards– Reporting safety hazards– Maintaining good housekeeping– Working safely– Using personal protective equipment

(PPE)– Making the most of safety training


Employer responsibilities include:

– Providing access to informationHaz Com - MSDSs, written program

Bloodborne Pathogens – written program

Lab Safety – chemical hygiene plan


Employer responsibilities (cont.)– Providing personal protective equipment

From OSHA 1910.132: “Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.”


Employer responsibilities (cont.)– Providing training

Hazard Communications– Annual & within first 30 days of employment, also

when new hazards are introducedQuarterly safety training (required by state)Special programs

– Laboratory – Bloodborne pathogens– Respirators– Forklifts


Employer responsibilities (cont.)– OSHA General Duty Clause: “Each

employer Has the general duty to furnish each

employee with employment and places of employment free from recognized hazards causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm.

The specific duty of complying with safety and health standards promulgated under the act.”

So what does all this mean?So what does all this mean?

It means that safety is everybody’s business.

From the moral aspect to the legal aspect, we all benefit from a safe work environment.

For more information:For more information:

Check out the EHS website:

– http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/

Call EHS at 4-7241

Email me at:

– [email protected]

Documents

Safety Is Everybody's Business OSU Environmental Health & Safety