UNIT 4: Safety Management
Safety Management:
In modern industrial setups, industrial safety has become the foremost responsibility of
management. Industrial safety plays a very important role in the life of an industry. In fact,
the success of production, to a large extent, depends on the safety of employees.
- Industrial safety is directly related to productivity.
- Hence, it is necessary to identify the various causes of accidents.
- It also provides sufficient and adequate safety measures to ensure employee safety inside
the plant or shop.
Whenever an industrial accident happens in the factory, the employer has to:
- Meet all the medical expenses of the injured employee.
- According to the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923, the employer must pay
compensation.
- Spend time in the process of helping the injured employee, investigating the accident,
preparing reports, and discussing the incident.
Thus, industrial safety or safety management should be implemented in an organization
because:
- According to the Factory Act, 1948, managers of factories are required to give more
importance to industrial safety.
Industrial accidents interfere with the orderly progress of work in an organization.
- Accidents are unexpected events that are neither anticipated nor designed to occur.
- Accidents are unfortunate.
- They are sudden and not planned by anybody.
However, accidents are definitely caused by one or another reason. Let us see a few causes of
accidents.
Causes of Accidents:
1) Causes of Accidents Due to Workers:
1. Poor knowledge of work.
2. Overconfidence at the workplace.
3. Lack of concentration.
4. Stress in work.
5. Overtime work.
6. Unnecessary daring.
7. Less work experience.
8. Use of mobile while working.
9. Unstable mental conditions.
10. Fear of accidents.
11. Physical problems like eyesight and hearing inabilities.
12. Bad habits like alcoholism, smoking, etc.
13. Poor handling of pressure situations.
14. Lack of awareness about rules and regulations of specific work.
15. Undisciplined nature.
16. Quarrels with colleagues.
2) Causes of Accidents Due to Management:
1. Provision of unsafe workplace to workers.
2. Bad construction of the plant.
3. Untrained workers.
4. Extra load of work on employees.
5) Arrangement of machines and equipment is improper.
6) Heavy mental pressures on the workforce by management.
7) Lack of safe procedures.
8) Less control on habits of workers, e.g., smoking.
9) No provision of safety equipment, i.e., goggles, helmets, etc.
10) No plans for plant protection.
11) Bad electrical wiring.
12) Faulty equipment.
13) Wrong assignments of work, i.e., incorrect person working on a sensitive job.
14) Moving mechanical parts are not guarded, e.g., moving shaft, belt, conveyor,
chain, blades, cutters, rollers, crushers, etc.
15) Overcrowding of persons near the workplace.
16) No alternative arrangements for escape at the time of an accident.
17) No arrangement for accident control.
18) Lack of safety awareness.
19) Careless management approaches towards employee safety.
Causes of Accidents Due to Unsafe Working Conditions:
1. Poor layout of the workplace.
2. Dilly surfaces, slippery floors.
3. Poor illumination.
4. Unnecessary slopes and steps on the shop floor.
5. Weak machine foundation.
6. Exposure to moving parts.
7. Chemical leakages.
8. Storage of explosives without proper care.
9. Humidity at the workplace.
10. No consideration of the human factor while designing chairs, tables, operating
systems, etc. Resulting in inconvenient working arrangements.
11. Irregular floor heights, galleries, staircases, etc.
12) Negative Factors at Workplace:
• Negative competition, jealousy, and groupism at the workplace. It causes mental
imbalance in many employees.
• Lack of basic facilities near the workplace.
Natural Causes of Accidents:
1. Earthquake
2. Floods
3. Cyclones
4. Snowfall
5. Temperature strokes
6. Landslide collapse
7. Heavy rains, etc.
Safety Precaution/Safety Procedure:
Preventive Measures to Avoid Accidents:
1. Process (Manufacturing):
o Safe working conditions: Operations in the factory must be designed with
safety as the first consideration. The possibility of accidents should be
eliminated. Prior care must be taken when deciding the methods and
operations.
2. Proper Selection of Workers:
o Disciplined, mentally stable, emotionally balanced, and alert people should
be selected for work. Workers with these qualities, with good motives, must
be chosen for the job. The attitude of employees must be tested through
various psychological tests and interviews during selection.
3. Training for Safe Working:
o Training provides knowledge of work, improves a person's attitude, and helps
make correct decisions. Trained employees work safely. Proper training
ensures workers understand the necessary safety measures.
4) Accident-Declared Areas:
• By surveying industrial processes and plant layout, we can identify areas where the
possibility of accidents is higher. Corrective actions and preventive measures can be
taken in such places.
5) Safety Devices:
• During industrial operations, prevention can be achieved by using safety devices.
Helmets, goggles, breath purifiers, hand gloves, safety shoes, aprons, and protection
shields are some personal safety devices that can be used. Unnecessary extra care,
which creates difficulties in work, must be avoided.
6) Safety Program:
• Safety departments, which are dedicated solely to safety-related work, help establish
systematic working procedures for safety. Workers can be educated by conducting
various safety programs and providing training to make them conscious of safety.
7) Safety Provisions:
• a) Fencing of rotary and moving parts.
• b) Provision of fire extinguishing equipment.
• c) Employment of children on dangerous work must be restricted.
• d) Availability of First Aid facilities.
• e) Instructions for safety and related precautions.
8) Promoting Safety Awareness:
Even though everybody knows the demerits of accidents, there are a number of accidents
every day. It is also important to create safety consciousness among employees. Safety
awareness can be promoted through the following methods:
• a) Safety training programs.
• b) Display of banners and posters which underline the importance of safety.
• c) Organizing seminars, conferences, and sessions by experts on industrial safety-
related issues.
• d) Display safety-related messages and instructions near the work area.
• e) Competitions in the industry related to safety and awards to those departments
where minimal accidents occur.
• f) Formation of safety committees.
• g) Essay competitions, picture competitions related to industrial safety (slogan
competitions also).
