A project report on employee safety and healthy measures

Introdution
Due to rapid industrialization, industrial workers are exposed to several types of hazards and accidents.
Every year lakhs of workers are injured due to mechanical, chemical, electrical and radiation hazards and
it leads to partial or total disablement. So in recent years, greater attention is given to health and safety
due to pressure from government, trade unions, labour laws and awareness of employers.

The efficiency of workers depends to a great extends on the environment in which the work. Work
environment consists of all the factors, which act and react on the body and mind of an employee. The
primary aim is to create an environment, which ensures the greatest ease of work and removes all
causes of worries.

Occupational health and safety is a discipline with a broad scope involving many specialized fields. In its
broadest sense, it should aim at: a) The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical,
mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations. b) The prevention among workers of adverse
effects on health caused by their working conditions. c) The protection of workers in their employment
from risks resulting from factors adverse to health. d) The placing and maintenance of workers in an
occupational environment adapted to physical and mental needs. e) The adaptation of work to humans.

Successful occupational health and safety practice requires the collaboration and participation of both
employers and workers in health and safety programmes, and involves the consideration of issues
relating to occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, toxicology, education, engineering safety,
ergonomics, psychology, etc.

Occupational health issues are often given less attention than occupational safety issues because the
former are generally more difficult to confront. However, when health is addressed, so is safety,
because a healthy workplace is by definition also a safe workplace. The converse, though, may not be
true - a so-called safe workplace is not necessarily also a healthy workplace. The important point is that
issues of both health and safety must be addressed in every workplace.

Work plays a central role in people's lives, since most workers spend at least eight hours a day in the
workplace, whether it is on a plantation, in an office, factory, etc. Therefore, work environments should
be safe and healthy. Unfortunately some employers assume little responsibility for the protection of
workers' health and safety. In fact, some employers do not even know that they have the moral and
often legal responsibility to protect workers.

Health of the workers: Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not
merely the absence of diseases. It’s a positive and dynamic concept which means something more than
the absence of illness.
Statutory provisions:

According to factories Act, 1948, the statutory provisions regarding the health of the workers are stated
in the sections 11 to 20. They are

Cleanliness (sec 11): Every factory shall be kept clean by daily sweeping or washing the floors and
workrooms and by using disinfectants where every necessary. Walls, doors and windows shall be
repainted or varnished at least once in every 5 years.

Disposal of wastes and effluents (sec 12): The waste materials produced from the manufacturing
process must be effectively disposed of wastes.

Ventilation and temperature (sec 13): There must be provision for adequate ventilation for the
circulation of fresh air. The temperature must be kept at a comfortable level. Hot parts of machines
must be separated and insulated. The State Government may make rules for the keeping of
thermometers in specified places and the adoption of methods which will keep the temperature low.

Removal of Dust and fumes (sec 14): If the manufacturing process used gives off injurious or offensive
dust and steps must be taken so that they are not inhaled or accumulated. The exhaust fumes of
internal combustion engines must be conducted outside the factory.

Artificial humidification (sec 15): The water used for this purpose must be pure. The State Government
can frame rules regarding the process of humidification etc. The water used for humidification shall be
taken from a public supply or other source of drinking water and must be effectively purified before use.

Overcrowding (sec 16):

There must be no overcrowding in a factory. In factories existing before the commencement of the Act
there must be at least 9.9 cubic meters of space per worker. For factories built afterwards, there must
be at least 4.2 cubic meters of space. The chief inspector of factories can also prescribe the maximum
number of workers who can work in each work room.

Lighting (sec 17): Factories must be well lighted. Effective measures must be adopted to prevent glare or
formation of shadows which might cause eye strain.

Drinking water (sec 18): Arrangements must be made to provide a sufficient supply of wholesome
drinking water. All supply points of such water must be marked “drinking water”. No such points shall be
within 20 ft. (or 7.5 meters) of any latrine, washing place etc. Factories employing more than 250
workers must cool the water during the hot weather.

Toilet facilities (sec 19): Every factory must provide sufficient number of latrines and urinals. There must
be separate provisions for male and female workers. Latrines and urinals must be kept in a clean and
sanitary condition. In factories employing more than 250 workers, they shall be of prescribed sanitary
types.

Spittoons (sec 20): A sufficient number of spittoons must be provided at convenient places, in a clean
and hygienic condition. The State Government may take rules regarding their number, location and
maintenance.

Safety of the workers:

Safety is a measures or techniques implemented to reduce the risk of injury, loss and danger to persons,
property or the environment in any facility or place involving the manufacturing, producing and
processing of goods or merchandise.

Statutory provisions: According to factories Act, 1948, the statutory provisions regarding the safety of
the workers are stated in the sections 21 to 41. They are

Fencing of machinery (Sec 21): In every factory, every dangerous part of any machinery, every moving
part of a prime mover and every flywheel connected to prime mover the head-race and tail-race of
every water wheel and water turbine, and every part of an electric generator, motor or rotary converter,
every part of transmission machinery, must be securely fenced by safeguards of substantial
construction.

Work on or near machinery in motion (Sec 22):

It is necessary to examine any part of the machinery while it is motion. The examination and lubrication
of the machinery, while in motion, should be carried out only by a speciallytrained adult worker wearing
tight-fitting clothing.

Employment of young persons on Dangerous machines (Sec 23): A young person should not be allowed
to work at dangerous machines unless, has been sufficiently instructed and received sufficient training.

Striking gear and devices for cutting off power (Sec 24): In every factory, suitable striking gear or other
efficient mechanical appliance has to be provided, maintained and used to move driving belts.

Self-acting machines (Sec 25): No travelling part of a self-acting machine in any factory and no material
carried thereon shall be allowed to run on its outward or inward traverse within a distance of 18 inches
from any fixed structure which is not a part of the machine, if a person is liable to pass over the space
over which it runs.

Casing of new machinery (Sec 26): All machinery driven by power, every set-screw, bolt or key or any
revolving shaft, spindle, wheel or pinion, spur, worm and other toothed or friction-gearing has to be
properly encased or guarded in order to prevent danger to the workmen.
Prohibition of employment of women and children near cotton openers (Sec 27): Women and child
workers are prohibited to be employed in any part of a factory for pressing cotton in which a cotton
opener is at work.

Hoists, lifts, lifting machines (Sec 28&29):

Lifting machines, chains, ropes and lifting tackles must be of good mechanical construction, sound
material and adequate strength and free from defects. They are to be properly maintained and
thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every 6 months.

Revolving machinery (Sec 30): The maximum safe working peripheral speed of every grindstone or
abrasive wheel shall be permanently affixed. Safe working peripheral speed of every revolving vessel,
cage, basket, flywheel, pulley or disc has also to be ensured.

Pressure plant (Sec 31): In any factory operation is carried on at a pressure above the atmospheric
pressure, effective arrangements shall be taken to ensure that the safe working pressure is not
exceeded.

Floors, stairs and means of access (Sec 32): In every factory all floors, steps, stairs, passages and
gangways shall be of sound construction and properly kept and maintained.

Pits, sumps, openings in floors (Sec 33): Every fixed vessel, sump, tank, pit or opening in the ground or in
a floor, which may be a source of danger shall be either securely covered or securely fenced.

Excessive weights (Sec 34): No person is to be employed in any factory to lift, carry or move any load so
heavy as is likely to cause him injury.

Protection of eyes (Sec 35): The state government may require the provision of effective screens or
suitable goggles if the risk of injury to the eyes is caused from particles or fragments thrown off in the
manufacturing process or from exposure to excessive light.

Precautions against dangerous fumes (Sec 36):

In any factory, no person shall be allowed to enter any chamber, tank, vat, pipe, flue or other confined
space in which dangerous fumes are likely to be present to an extent involving risks to persons.

Explosive or inflammable dust, gas (Sec 37): All practicable measures have to be taken to prevent
explosion by, effective enclosure of plant and machinery, removal or prevention of the accumulation of
dust, gas etc and exclusion or effective enclosure of all possible sources of ignition.

Precaution in case of fire (Sec 38): Every factory has to be provided with adequate means of escape in
case of fire. Effective and clearly audible means of giving warning in the case of fire have to be provided.
A free passage-way giving access to each means of escape in case of fire has to be maintained.
Power to require specifications of defective parts or tests of stability (Sec 39): The factory inspector to
serve on the manager of a factory to furnish specifications of defective parts or he may order the
manager to carry out tests as he may specify and to inform him of the results.

Safety of buildings and machinery (Sec 40): Every factory should adopt the measures to ensure the
safety of the buildings and machinery. The factory must employ the required safety officers according to
the number of workers working in the factory. Power to make rules (Sec 41): The state government has
the power to make rules to supplement the provisions relating to safety contained in the act.

Occupational accidents/disease:

Work-related accidents or diseases are very costly and can have many serious direct and indirect effects
on the lives of workers and their families. For workers some of the direct costs of an injury or illness are:
a) the pain and suffering of the injury or illness; b) the loss of income; c) the possible loss of a job; d)
Health-care costs.

It has been estimated that the indirect costs of an accident or illness can be four to ten times greater
than the direct costs, or even more. An occupational illness or accident can have so many indirect costs
to workers that it is often difficult to measure them. One of the most obvious indirect costs is the human
suffering caused to workers' families, which cannot be compensated with money. Identifying hazards in
the workplace:

Some occupational diseases have been recognized for many years, and affect workers in different ways
depending on the nature of the hazard, the route of exposure, the dose, etc. Some well-known
occupational diseases include: a) Asbestosis (caused by asbestos, which is common in insulation,
automobile brake linings, etc.) b) Silicosis (caused by silica, which is common in mining, sandblasting,
etc.) c) Lead poisoning (caused by lead, which is common in battery plants, paint factories, etc.) d)
Noise-induced hearing loss (caused by noise, which is common in many workplaces, including airports,
and workplaces where noisy machines, such as presses or drills, etc.)

Importance of management commitment on health and safety:

10

Use a variety of sources for information about potential or existing hazards in your workplace

In order to develop a successful health and safety programme, it is essential that there be strong
management commitment and strong worker participation in the effort to create and maintain a safe
and healthy workplace. An effective management addresses all work-related hazards, not only those
covered by government standards.
All levels of management must make health and safety a priority. They must communicate this by going
out into the worksite to talk with workers about their concerns and to observe work procedures and
equipment. In each workplace, the lines of responsibility from top to bottom need to be clear, and
workers should know who is responsible for different health and safety issues.

Importance of training:

11

A successful health and safety programme requires strong management commitment and worker
participation

Workers often experience work-related health problems and do not realize that the problems are
related to their work, particularly when an occupational disease, for example, is in the early stages.
Besides the other more obvious benefits of training, such as skills development, hazard recognition, etc.,
a comprehensive training programme in each workplace will help workers to: a) Recognize early
signs/symptoms of any potential occupational diseases before they become permanent conditions. b)
Assess their work environment. c) Insist that management make changes before hazardous conditions
can develop.

Health and safety programmes: Effective workplace health and safety programmes can help to save the
lives of workers by reducing hazards and their consequences. Health and safety programmes also have
positive effects on both worker morale and productivity, which are important benefits. At the same
time, effective programmes can save employers a great deal of money. For all of the reasons given
below, it is crucial that employers, workers and unions are committed to health and safety.

a) Workplace hazards are controlled - at the source whenever possible. b) Records of any exposure are
maintained for many years. 12

Effective training is a key component of any health and safety programm e

c) Both workers and employers are informed about health and safety risks in the workplace. d) There is
an active and effective health and safety committee that includes both working and management.

e) Worker health and safety efforts are ongoing.

LITERATURE REVIEW

A Safety Culture
Safety should be part of the process right from the very beginning. In working toward establishing a
safer workplace, construction companies can tap the extensive knowledge of risk management experts
who are well versed in their industry. Massey & Walford, 6 describes the safety beliefs, values and
attitudes that are shared by the majority of people in an organisation or workplace (“the way we do
things around here”) Project planners should also work with their insurers to determine the most
effective risk management strategies before a project begins and while it’s being built. A safety culture
can only be built through management commitment and involvement righ from the boardroom to the
lowest level of employees. 7

A poor culture encourages an atmosphere where not complying with safe working practices is
acceptable, and it doesn’t help the organisation to take effective action to solve health and safety
problems. Quite often, organisations that have a poor safety culture can have the same underlying
attitude to all process and procedures. This can result in poor product quality and financial control as
well as poor health and safety.

Building a safer workplace and industry, requires constant effort and continual improvement, but the
result is well worth the investment of time, resources and money. Today more construction companies
are retaining a larger portion of the risk through higher deductibles, and can expect to bear significant
costs for any accident involving bodily injury. 8

Culturally, construction remains an industry where employees may feel that taking risks is a part of the
job and may worry about what their peers think of those who take extra precautions. The reality is that
construction workers are more exposed to workplace injuries because of the inherent dangers of a job
that often involves working with large machinery and power tools, often many floors above the ground.

B Leadership indrect influence on safety culture

Specific empirical studies conducted by Barling, Loughlin 3 and Kelloway 3 , Zohar 9 , Kelloway 2, Mullen
and Francis 10 illustrate the significant impact of safety-specific transformational leaders

It emerged from these studies that the safety climate facilitates the relationship between
transformational leadership and occupational safety. This translates into the manager’s behaviour and
leadership style towards employees and how it enables a safe working environment.

When a construction company succeeds in building a strong culture of safety, it becomes a core value
for every employee. A strong safety culture burnishes the company’s reputation, which is one of the
most valuable assets for any business, and plays an essential role in its long-term success. In the
construction industry management is always under pressure with on going competition to win projects ,
pricing of projects and the shareholders demands for profits, getting the job done faster and within
project timeslines places additional risks on employees. 11 In a climate where projects are fewer and
clients demanding competitive pricing , building with safety in mind becomes an add on cost to the
project. While it may add costs up front, training of employees, induction and orientation , construction
safety can potentially save hundreds of thousands of dollars in claims .

The workplace and industry, requires constant effort and continual improvement, but the result is well
worth the investment of time, resources and money
C .leadership is an organizational culture
Care should be taken, however, as much foundation building may be needed up front if leadership
support, ownership and commitment are lacking; if finding creative and impactful ways to facilitate
employee ownership is difficult; or if the organizational culture does not yet support such a change. A
supportive organizational culture is essential because of the accompanying generalized trust and value
congruence between organizations and their employees (Burns, Mearns & McGeorge, 12 ; Choudhry,
Fang & Mohamed, 13 .

The driving forces necessary for Occupational Health and Safety Management System success (e.g.,
leadership or management commitment, employee ownership, organizational culture), which now need
to be measured and tracked, have arcane or esoteric characteristics. In other words, they are difficult to
measure.

One of the primary objectives of this dissertation is to explore the added value of shared leadership in
terms of predicting team effectiveness. What distinguishes teams from other traditional organizational
forms is often the absence of hierarchical authority.

Leadership is presumed to have an effect not just on individuals but also on teams, and sometimes even
on entire organizations (Kaiser et al.,)14 . Leadership enables followers to be motivated and perform,
but also small teams to synergize, and organizations to accomplish goals through the differentiated yet
synchronized efforts of these individuals and teams (DeChurch et al. )15,. As such, leadership is an
inherently multilevel phenomenon (Dansereau et al. 16, Yammarino et al., )17. Organizational
effectiveness hinges on coordinated leadership being enacted from leaders residing within multiple
hierarchical levels, whose leadership shapes crucial individual-, team-, and organizational-level
outcomes.

Some of the leadership processes that are most likely to add significant value at higher organizational
levels however, may involve indirect and systems-wide influence. For instance, middle managers are
responsible for managing multiple units, and typically providing direction to managers two or more
lower levels apart. Top-level leaders provide system-wide direction and influence, and in many cases
never meet all of the followers they influence (Hunt, 199118; Jacobs & Jaques, 1987 19; Zaccaro, ) 20. In
this respect, leadership can be conceptualized as leading the organization, which has been studied from
a different disciplinary perspective, the strategic management perspective

D Employee Training
Employees can be engaged through a variety of conditions, of which training is one way. Employees
need to be trained to properly in the use of a variety of safety equipment, for example fall arrest
systems, safety procedures and the need to know the appropriate company rules and regulations. 21 At
a very minimum , the fall arrest plan , the plan should address each task where a fall exposure exists;
the hazard associated with the task; and the controls that will be implemented to mitigate the exposure
and the safety training that will be provided to each employee.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Natalie Skeepers is a seasoned risk, compliance and governance specialist, an independent consultant
and motivational speaker and has a wide range of industry experience that stretches across the public
and private sector. Natalie has held various senior and executive positions over the last decade.

Natalie has also presented safety leadership seminars and conferences locally and abroad, in her field of
expertise including at institutions like GIBS, University of Johannesburg, University of Pretoria and
Henley Business School. She has two Masters degrees in Health and Safety and is currently a PhD
candidate at the University of Johannesburg. Natalie serves as a Non Executive Director on the following
boards: Rail Safety Regulator, Johannesburg Water, Film and Publication Board and the Construction
Industry Development Board’s respectively. She holds professional memberships with the American
Society for Safety Engineers (ASSE) in the USA and the Institute of Occupational Safety (IOSH) in the UK.

Prof Charles Mbohwa is the Vice Dean of Postgraduate Studies, Research and Innovation, Faculty of
Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. As an established
researcher and professor in sustainability engineering and operations management, his specializations
include renewable energy systems, bio-fuel feasibility and sustainability, life cycle assessment, and
healthcare operations management. He has presented at numerous conferences and published more
than 150 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, 6 book chapters and one book. Upon
graduating with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Zimbabwe in 1986, he served as
a Mechanical Engineer at the National Railways of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe. He holds an MSc in Operations
Management and Manufacturing Systems from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, and
completed his doctoral studies at Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology, Japan

REFERENCES
1. Uttal B. The corporate culture vultures. Fortune Magazine, 17 October 1983. 2. Turner B.A., Pidgeon
N, Blockley D and Toft B. Safety culture: its importance in future risk 3. management. Position paper for
the Second World Bank Workshop on Safety Control and Risk Management, Karlstad, Sweden, 1989. 4.
Barling, J., Loughlin, C., and Kelloway, K.K. (2002). Development and test of a model linking
transformational leadership and occupational safety. Journal of Applied Physiol., 87; (488-496) 4.
Barrett, G. 2000. Management’s impact on behavioural safety. Professional Safety, March, 50(3): 26–28.
5. Parker, Axtell and Turner (2001) Parker, S.K., Axtell, C.M. & Turner, N. 2001. Designing a safer 6.
workplace: Importance of job autonomy, communication quality, and supportive supervisors. Journal
of Occupational Health Psychology, vol. 6: 211–228.

7. Massey, A. & Walford, G. 1998. Children learning: Ethnographers learning, in Children learning in
context edited by G. Walford & A. Massey. New York: JAI Press, pp. 1–18. 8. Hopkins (2002), Hopkins, A.
2002. Safety culture, mindfulness and safe behaviour: Converging ideas? National Research Centre for
Occupational Health and Safety Regulation: Canberra. [Accessed 18 July 2013] 9. “Elements of a
Proactive Safety Culture, ACE USA Construction Risk Engineering, 2012

10. Zohar D. A group-level model of safety climate: Testing the effect of group climate on micro-
accidents in manufacturing jobs. Journal of Applied Psychology 2000; 85: 487-596.

11. Mullen, J. & Kelloway, E.K. 2006. Safety leadership: A longitudinal study of the effects
transformational leadership on safety outcomes. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology,
82(2): 253–272. 12. Health and Safety Executive. (HSE) 2000, Safety culture maturity model. Offshore
Technology Report 2000/049. Norwich: HMSO. 13. Burns, C., Mearns, K. & McGeorge, P. 2006. Explicit
and implicit trust within safety culture. Risk Analysis, 26(5): 1139–1150. 14. Choudhry, R.M., Fang, D. &
Mohamed, S. 2007. The nature of safety culture: a survey of the state of art. Safety Science, 45(10):
993–1012

15. Kaiser. H.F (1970) A second generation little jiffy. Psychometrical, 35(4): 401–415.

16. DeChurch, L.A., Burke, C.S., Shuffler, M., Lyons, R., Doty, D.A., & Salas, E. (in press). A historiometric
analysis of leadership in mission critical multiteam environments. The Leadership Quarterly. 17.
Dansereau, F., Alutto, J. A., & Yammarino, F. J. (1984). Theory testing in organizational behavior: The
variant approach. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Davison, R.B., & Hollenbeck, J.R. (in press)
Boundary spanning in the domain of multiteam systems. In S.J. Zaccaro, M.A. Marks, & L.A. DeChurch
(Eds.), Multiteam

18. Yammarino, F. J., Dionne, S. D., Chun, J. U., & Dansereau, F. (2005). Leadership and levels of analysis:
A state-of-the-science review. The Leadership Quarterly, 16, 879−919.
Mark your experience with the company employee safety and welfare measures?

1. Gender:

Male:Female:

2. Educational qualification:

1)Hsc2).Sslc:3)Diploma:4)Graduate:

3. WORK EXPERIENCE:

1)BELOW 1 YEAR 2)1-2 YEARS 3)2-4 YEARS 4)4 YEARS AND ABOVE

Section: 2

1. From how long you are functioning with this Organization?

a). 0-5 Years b.) 5-10 Years c). 10 to 15 Years d). Over 15 Years

2. How do you rate the Working Environment of the Organization?

a.) Exceptionally Satisfactory b). Agreeable c). Averagely Satisfactory

d. )Dissatisfactory e.) Exceptionally Dissatisfactory

3. How do you rate the health advantages gave by the Organization to the workers and
their families?

a. Exceedingly Satisfactory b. Tastefulc. C Normal

d. Dissatisfactory e. Profoundly Dissatisfactory

4. Does the organization give maternity leave to Female Employees?

a. Yes b. No

5. How do you rate the working Hours of the Organization?

a. Very Satisfactory b. Acceptable c. Normal d. Dissatisfactory

e. Very Dissatisfactory

6. How do you rate the sitting course of action of the Organization?

a. Exceedingly Satisfactory b. Tasteful c. Normal
d. Dissatisfactory e. Exceedingly Dissatisfactory

7. How do you rate the Conveyance Allowance offered by the Organization?

a. Very Satisfactory b. Acceptable c. Normal d. Dissatisfactory

e. Very Dissatisfactory

8. Rate the Overtime stipend offered by the Organization?

a. Very Satisfactory b. Acceptable c. Normal d. Dissatisfactory

e. Very Dissatisfactory

9. How do you rate leave approach of the Organization?

a. Exceptionally Satisfactory b. Palatable c. Normal

d. Dissatisfactory . Exceptionally Dissatisfactory

10. Do you get customary additions?

a. Yes b. No

11. does the Organization offers an adequate number of toilets?

a. Yes b. No

12. Rate the bottle administrations gave by the association.

a. Profoundly Satisfact b. Normal

c. Dissatisfactory d. Profoundly Dissatisfactory

13. Rate the Restroom and lounge office to the representatives?

a. Profoundly Satisfactory b. Attractive c. Normal

d. Dissatisfactory e. Profoundly Dissatisfactory

14. Does working in the association give you a sentiment security?

a. Yes b. No

15. Does the organization take wellbeing measures for representative security?
a. Yes b. No

16. Do you think worker welfare exercises of the Organization give a sentiment security
and enhance your execution?

a. Yes b. No

17. Rate the general fulfillment with representative welfare exercises of the
Organization?

a. Exceedingly Satisfactory b. Agreeable c. Normal

d. Dissatisfactory e. Exceedingly Dissatisfactory