(18CV653)

Course Learning Objectives:

• Gain an historical, economic, and organizational
perspective of occupational safety and health;
• Investigate current occupational safety and
health problems and solutions.
• Identify the forces that influence occupational
safety and health.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed
to identify work place problems and safe work
practice
 Syllabus
MODULE 1

Occupational Hazard and Control Principles: Safety, History and

development, National Safety Policy. Occupational safety and
Health Act (OSHA), Occupational Health and Safety
administration - Laws governing OSHA and right to know.
Accident – causation, investigation, investigation plan,
Methods of acquiring accident facts, Supervisory role in
accident investigation.
 Module-2
Ergonomics at Work Place: Ergonomics Task analysis,
Preventing Ergonomic Hazards, Work space Envelops,
Visual Ergonomics, Ergonomic Standards, Ergonomic
Programs. Hazard cognition and Analysis, Human
Error Analysis – Fault Tree Analysis – Emergency
Response - Decision for action – purpose and
considerations.
 Module-3
• Fire Prevention and Protection: Fire Triangle, Fire
Development and its severity, Effect of Enclosures,
early detection of Fire, Classification of fire and Fire
Extinguishers.

• Electrical Safety, Product Safety: Technical

Requirements of Product safety.
 Module-4
• Health Considerations at Work Place: types of
diseases and their spread, Health Emergency.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – types and
advantages, effects of exposure and treatment for
engineering industries, municipal solid waste.
Environment management plans (EMP) for safety and
sustainability.
 Module-5
• Occupational Health and Safety Considerations:
Water and wastewater treatment plants, Handling of
chemical and safety measures in water and
wastewater treatment plants and labs, Construction
material manufacturing industries like cement plants,
RMC Plants, precast plants and construction sites.
Policies, roles and responsibilities of workers,
managers and supervisors.
 Course outcomes
• Identify hazards in the workplace that pose a danger or threat
to their safety or health, or that of others.
• Control unsafe or unhealthy hazards and propose methods to
eliminate the hazard.
• Present a coherent analysis of a potential safety or health
hazard both verbally and in writing, citing the occupational
Health and Safety Regulations as well as supported legislation.
• Discuss the role of health and safety in the workplace
pertaining to the responsibilities of workers, managers,
supervisors.
• Identify the decisions required to maintain protection of the
environment, workplace as well as personal health and safety.
 Question paper pattern
I. The question paper will have ten full questions carrying
equal marks.
II. Each full question will be for 20 marks.
III. There will be two full questions (with a maximum of four
sub- questions) from each module.
IV. Each full question will have sub- question covering all the
topics under a module.
V. The students will have to answer five full questions,
selecting one full question from each module.
Textbooks
• Goetsch D. L.,(1999), “Occupational Safety and Health for
Technologists, Engineers and Managers”, Prentice Hall.

• HeinrichH.W.,(2007),“IndustrialAccidentPrevention-
AScientificApproach”,McGraw-HillBookCompany National
Safety Council and Associate (Data) Publishers Pvt. Ltd.,
(1991),

• “Industrial Safety and Pollution Control Handbook.

 Importance of the Course

• Occupational Safety and Health is one of

the subjects allotted to Ministry of Labour
& Employment under the Government of
India
 OSH : why is it important?

• OSH is to save lives, prevent injuries and

protect the health of workers. maintaining a
reporting and record keeping system to
keep track of job-related injuries and
illnesses, and providing training programs to
increase knowledge about occupational
safety and health.
 Occupational Health and Safety

• Occupational health and safety (OHS) relates

to health, safety, and welfare issues in the workplace. OHS
includes the laws, standards, and programs that are aimed at
making the workplace better for workers, along with co-
workers, family members, customers, and other stakeholders
• Occupational health is a field of health care made up of
multiple disciplines dedicated to the well-being and safety of
employees in the workplace.
 Occupational Health Legislation in India
• There are presently 16 laws related to working hours,
conditions at work and employment.
• There are two acts containing the main provisions for legal
measures for the protection of health and safety of workers;
they are the Factories Act (1948) and the Mines Act (1952).
• The Factories Act was amended in 1987 and stipulates pre-
employment examination as a pre-placement procedure,
statutory periodic medical examination for job in hazardous
areas.
• In India, occupational health is under two ministries: 1)
Labour and 2) Health and Family Welfare.
• The Ministry of Labour and the labour departments of the
states and union territories are mainly responsible for health
and safety of workers
 What is the concept of occupational
health?
• Millions of employees are exposed to
environmental health hazards that could develop
into health challenges in the years ahead. ...
• Occupational health is designed to protect
employees from potential risks and hazards on
the job, assisting with everything from injury
prevention to injury care.
 Occupational Safety:

• Occupational safety deals with all aspects of

physical, mental and social health and safety in
a workplace. It is the umbrella for company's
efforts to prevent injuries and hazards in all work
environments.
 Definition and Context of Occupational
Health and Safety
• Occupational health and safety is the
discipline concerned with preserving and
protecting human resources in the workplace.

• As per the definition adopted by the Joint

ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health
(1950), occupational health is the adaptation
of work to man and of each man to his job. It
has the following components
• Promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of
physical, mental and social well being of workers in all
occupations;

• Prevention among workers of departures from health caused

by their working conditions;

• Protection of workers in their employment from risks

resulting from factors adverse to health; and

• Placing and maintenance of a worker in an occupational

environment adapted to his physiological and psychological
equipment
 Principles of Occupational Health and Safety
• Occupational health and safety is a multi-disciplinary field,
covering issues related to law, medicine, technology, economics
and industry specific concerns. The core occupational health
and safety principles put forth by the ILO are as follows:
All workers have rights. Workers, as well as employees and
government, must ensure that these rights are protected and
foster decent conditions of labour. As the International Labour
Conference stated in 1984:
– Work should take place in a safe healthy environment;
– Conditions of work should be consistent with workers‟ well-
being and human dignity;
– Work should offer real possibilities for personal achievement,
self-fulfilment and service society1.
• Occupational health and safety policies must be established. Such
policies must be implemented at both the governmental and
enterprise levels. They must be effectively communicated to all
parties concerned.
• There is a need for consultation with the social partners (that is,
employers and workers) and other stakeholders. This should be done
during the formulation, implementation and review of such policies.
• Prevention and protection must be the aim of occupational health
and safety programmes and policies. Efforts must be focused on
primary prevention at the workplace level. Workplaces and working
environment should be planned and designed to be safe and
healthy.
• Information is vital for the development and implementation of effective
programmes and policies. The collection and dissemination of accurate
information on hazards and hazardous materials, surveillance of workplaces,
monitoring of compliance with policies and good practices, and other
related activities are central to the establishment and the enforcement of
effective policies.

• Health promotion is a central element of occupational health practice.

Efforts must be made to enhance workers‟ physical, mental and social well-
being.

• Occupational health services covering all workers should be established.

Ideally all workers in all categories of economic activity should have access
to such services, which aim to protect and promote workers‟ health and
improve working conditions.
• Compensation, rehabilitation and curative services must be made available to
workers who suffer occupational injuries, accidents and work related diseases.
Action must be taken to minimise the consequences of occupational hazards.

• Education and training are vital components of safe, healthy working environments.
Workers and employers must be made aware of the importance and the means of
establishing safe working procedures. Trainers must be trained in areas of special
relevance to different industries, which have specific OHS concerns.

• Workers, employers and competent authorities have certain responsibilities, duties

and obligations. For example, workers must follow established safety procedures;
employers must provide safe workplaces and ensure access to first aid; and the
competent authorities must devise, communicate and periodically review and
update occupational health and safety policies.

• Policies must be enforced. A system of inspection must be in place to secure

compliance with occupational health and safety and other labour legislation.
 What is OSHA?
• The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
(OSH Act) was passed to prevent workers from
being killed or seriously harmed at work.
• The law requires employers to provide their
employees with working conditions that are free
of known dangers.
• The Act created the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA), which sets and
enforces protective workplace safety and health
standards.
• OSHA also provides information, training and
assistance to workers and employers.
You have the right
• Workers may file a complaint to have OSHA
inspect their workplace if they believe that their to a safe workplace!
employer is not following OSHA standards or
that there are serious hazards.
 To help assure a safe and healthful
Workers' Rights workplace, OSHA also provides
Under OSHA workers with the right to:
• Ask OSHA to inspect their workplace
• Use their rights under the law without
retaliation and discrimination
• Receive information and training about
hazards, methods to prevent harm, and
the OSHA standards that apply to their
workplace. The training must be in a
language you can understand
• Get copies of test results done to find
hazards in the workplace;
• Review records of work-related
injuries and illnesses
 Employer Responsibilities
• Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe workplace.
• Employers MUST provide their employees with a workplace that
does not have serious hazards and follow all relevant OSHA safety
and health standards.
• Employers must find and correct safety and health problems.
• OSHA further requires employers to try to eliminate or reduce hazards
first by making changes in working conditions rather than just relying
on masks, gloves, ear plugs or other types of personal protective
equipment (PPE).
 Employers MUST also:
• Inform employees about hazards through training, labels, alarms, color-
coded systems, chemical information sheets and other methods.
• Keep accurate records of work-related injuries and illnesses.
• Perform tests in the workplace, such as air sampling required by some
OSHA standards.
• Provide hearing exams or other medical tests required by OSHA standards.
• Post OSHA citations, injury and illness data, and the OSHA poster in the
workplace where workers will see them.
• Notify OSHA within 8 hours of a workplace incident in which there is a
death or when three or more workers go to a hospital.
• Not discriminate or retaliate against a worker for using their rights under
the law.
 Health and Safety Hazards
Safety Hazards:
• Cause physical injuries and accidents
• Cause immediate harm
• Examples: broken bones, cuts, bruises, sprains
or electrocutions

Health Hazards:
• Cause internal injuries like diseases or illnesses
• Cause long-term harm, may take years to develop
• Examples: Cancer, heart disease, loss of hearing or
reproductive problems
history of OSHA

28
 History

• Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, New York: 1911

29
 History

• 1960’s: 14,000 workers died yearly

30
 History

• President Nixon signs OSH Act December

29th, 1970

31
 OSHA

• By law, all employers in the United States

must provide a safe environment for
employees.

32
 OSHA established

• Reduce workplace hazards

• Gather research data

• Keep records/report information

• Establish training programs

33
 OSHA Established
• Determine employer/employee
responsibilities

• Develop mandatory safety and

health standards

• Development, analysis, evaluation and

approval of safety programs
34
Groups Not covered under federal
osha
• Self-employed
• Members of farm families working on their
family farm
• Public employees in state and local
government
– with the exception of states with state
plans such as Minnesota

35
 OSHA Mission Statement

• Save lives, prevent injuries and protect the

health of America’s workers

36
Rights of employees

37
Employee Rights

38
 Employee Rights

• Right to a safe and

healthful workplace

39
 Employee Rights

• Right to know
about hazardous
chemicals

40
 Employee Rights

• Right to
information
about injury and
illness

41
 Employee Rights

• Right to file complaints or request

correction of hazardous conditions

42
 Employee Rights

• Right to proper trainings

43
 Employee Rights

• Right to view hazard exposure and

medical records

44
 Employee Rights

• Right to participate in
OSHA inspections

45
 Employee Rights

• Right to be free from

retaliation for
exercising safety
and health rights

46
 Employee Rights

• An employer cannot
retaliate against any
employee who provides
information to a Federal
Regulatory Agency

47
Employer responsibilities

48
 Employer Responsibilities

• Provide a workplace
free from recognized
hazards and comply
with OSHA standards

49
 Employer Responsibilities

• Provide training
required by OSHA

50
 Employer Responsibilities

• Keep records of
injuries and
illnesses

51
 Employers are required to

• Keep records of injuries and illnesses

52
Forms to keep

53
Forms to Keep

54
Forms to keep

55
 Work related?

• An injury or illness is work related when:

– An event or exposure in the work
environment either caused or contributed to
the resulting condition, or
– Significantly aggravated pre-existing injury
or illness

56
 Exceptions

• General public vs.

employee
• Result of non-work event
or exposure
• Voluntary participation in
wellness program or
recreational activity
57
Exceptions

• Accident while commuting to

or from work
• Common flu or cold
• Mental illness unless
employee voluntarily presents
employer with a medical
opinion that it is a work-
related mental illness
58
 Exceptions

• Eating, drinking or preparing food

for personal consumption
• Result of doing personal tasks
outside of normal work hours
• Result of personal grooming,
self-medication for non-work
related illness or self-inflicted
59