Chapter 20

A Safe and Healthy Environment

Learning Objectives
Understand the nature of safety and its role Describe accidents and their types Design a safety programme Identify dangers to health of employees and suggest ways of eliminating the dangers

Major Accidents in the Last Decade

Bhopal, December 1984 In the worlds worst chemical disaster, a methylisocyanate gas leak from the Union Carbide plant in the city killed over 4000 people. Thousands suffered irreversible health damage. Delhi, December 1985 An oleum gas leak from the Sriram Foods and Fertilisers plant in Delhi severely affected workers and those living in the neighbourhood. Rourkela, December 1985 Blast furnace accident in Rourkela Steel Plant, 18 workers affected. Durgapur, June 1987 Chlorine leak at Durgapur Chemicals Factory created panic all around. Long distance trains were halted. Over 100 were affected. Bombay, November 1988 Fire at the Bharat Petroleum Refinery at Mahul, North-East Bombay, killed 32. Ramagundam, September 1989 Major gas leak at Fertilisers Corporation of India unit at Ramagundam, killed 7.

Accidents (contd..)
Nagothane, November 1990 Explosion at the Indian Petrochemicals, Nagothane Complex, 35 persons killed, over 50 suffered 70 per cent burns. Bombay, July 1991 Accident in a Hindustan Organic Chemicals unit near Bombay kills 7 workers. Gwalior, December 1991 Blast at the dyeing department of GRASIM unit at Gwalior, 14 killed and 22 severely injured. Panipat, August 1992 Ammonia leak at the National Fertilisers plant, Panipat, killed 11, many injured. Kahalgaon, October 1992 Boiler explosion in the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), 11 killed and several injured.2 Ahmedabad, August 3, 2003 Over 30 persons were killed and several injured in an explosion in an old three storeyed building that housed an industrial unit to manufacture equipment for a diamond cutting and polishing industry.

Accidents (contd..)
Bhadravati, Karnataka, August 1, 2003 Eight employees of VISL, including two officers, died on the spot and nine others were injured when a powerful explosion occurred in a converter in the steel-making section (SMS) of the plant. Mumbai, August 11, 2003 23 employees of ONGC were killed in a helicopter crash in the offshore Heera Panna Oilfields Neelam area. Kolkota, November 6, 2003 19 people were burnt alive when a mob of nearly 400, mostly tea garden workers, set ablaze house of a trade union leader in the Dalgaon tea estate in north Bengals Jalpaiguri District. S Manjunath, an office of IOC was murdered on Nov 19, 2005.

Types of Accidents
Accidents Internal External

Major

Minor

Fatal

Disability

Temporary

Permanent

Partial

Total

Partial

Total

Accidents Estimated Loss

Date of Occurrence Name of the Organisation Estimated Loss (Rs. In crore)

29.10.1987
11.11.1987 09.01.1988 20.09.1988 05.05.1988 30.08.1988 07.09.1988 09.11.1988 02.02.1989 09.02.1989 23.02.1989 08.01.95 to 02.03.1995

Madras Ref., Manali

HPL Refinery, Vizag JK Synthetics Monica Electronics Zenith Chem., Tarapur IOC, Mathura IEL, Gornia BPCL IPCL, Baroda IAAI, Bombay Voltas, Warora ONGC, Pasarlapudi well blowout

4.85
3.40 6.92 3.86 4.00 4.63 5.00 9.00 41.82 43.00 5.00 41.44

Source: The Economic Times, March 10, 1995

Safety Process
Strategic Choices Development of Safety Policy Organisation for Safety

Evaluation of Effectiveness

Implementation of the Programme

Analysis of Causes for Accidents

Causes of Industrial Accidents

Unsafe acts of persons 1. Operating without clearance, failure to heed warning. 2. Operating or working at an unsafe speed. 3. Making safety devices inoperative. 4. Using unsafe equipment, or using equipment unsafely. Unsafe Mechanical or Physical Conditions 1. Inadequately guarded, guards of improper height, strength, mesh, etc. 2. Unguarded, absence or required guards. 3. Defective, rough, sharp, slippery, decayed, cracked, etc. 4. Unsafely designed machines, tools, etc.

5. Unsafe loading, placing, mixing, combining, etc.

6. Taking an unsafe position or posture. 7. Working on moving or dangerous equipment. 8. Distracting, teasing, abusing, startling, etc. 9. Failure to use safe attire or personal protective devices.

5. Unsafely arranged, poor housekeeping congestion, blocked exits, etc.

6. inadequately lighted, sources of glare, etc. 7. Inadequately ventilated, impure oil source, etc.

8. Unsafely clothed, no goggles, glares or masks, high heels, etc.

9. Unsafe processes, mechanical, chemical, electrical, nuclear, etc.

Inadequate Inspection
State Andhra Pradesh Assam Bihar Gujarat Number of Inspectors 92 1.2 46 103 Factories per Inspector 233 212 1038 144

Haryana
HImachal Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Manipur Orissa Punjab Rajasthan Tamil Nadu Tripura Uttar Pradesh West Bengal Chandigarh Delhi Goa Pondicherry

15
1 4 38 65 50 130 1 24 33 40 131 4 48 62 1 22 3 5

255
529 180 315 186 156 184 357 94 304 232 100 175 135 138 284 208 140 171

All India

903

6004

Source: The Economic Times, November 8, 1992

Employees Health
Physical health Mental health Noise control Work stress AIDS Alcoholism and drug abuse Violence in the work place

Health Hazards
Health Hazards Causes Coke oven emissions, asbestos, active or passive cigarette smoke Asbestos Coal dust Cotton dust Benzene, radiation

Lung cancer
White lung disease Black lung disease Brown lung disease Leukemia

Cancer of other organs

Sterility/reproductive problems Deteriorating eye-sight Hearing impairment

Asbestos, radiation, vinyl chloride, coke over emissions

Radiation Chemical fumes, office equipment High noise levels

Relationship between Stressors and Stress

Perception Past Experience Social Support Individual Differences

The Individual The Environment Stress Stressor

A Model of Occupational Stress

Stressors Outcome Individual Level Personality Role Overload Role Conflict Role Ambiguity Task-Characteristics Behavioural Satisfaction Performance Absenteeism Turn over Accidents substance Abuse

Group Level Managerial Behaviour Lack of Cohesiveness Intra-group conflict Status Incongruence Sexual harassment Work place violence

Stress

Cognitive Poor Decision-making Lack of concentration forgetfulness

Organisational Level Climate Management styles Organisational life cycle

Moderating Variables Perception Past Experience Social Support Individual Differences

Extra- Organisational Family Economy Lack of mobility Quality of Life

Physiology Increased-blood pressure High cholesterol heart disease Burnout

14

Stress Vs. Burnout

Stress The person feels fatigue The person is anxious The person is dissatisfied with his or her job The persons job commitment has dropped off The person feels moody The person feels guilty The person is having difficulty in concentrating he/she tends to forget things The person undergoes physiological changes such as increased blood pressure and heartbeat Burnout The individual encounters chronic exhaustion The individual is hypertensive The individual is bored and cynical about the work

The individual's job commitment is virtually nil; he/she is mentally detached from the organisation
The individual feels impatient, irritable and unwilling to talk to others The individual encounters mental depression The individual does not seem to know where he/she is; forgetfulness is become more frequent The individual begins to voice psychosomatic complaints

Source: Richard M. Hodgetts, Organisational Behaviour, p.345

A Model of Burnout
Emotional Exhaustion

Personal, Job and organisational stressors

Depersonalisation

Attitudinal and Behavioural symptoms of Burnout

Feeling a lack of personal Accomplishment

Signs of Stress
Physical signs Appetite changes Headaches Fatigue Emotional signs Bad temper Anxiety Nightmares Mental signs Lacking humour Dull senses Lethargy Relational signs Isolation Defensive Intolerance Spiritual signs A feeling of emptiness Apathy Inability to forgive Behavioural signs Pacing Swearing Substance abuse

Insomnia
Indigestion Cold Weight change Teeth grinding Tension

Irritability
Depression Frustration Over sensitivity Mood swings Fearfulness

Boredom Indecisivenes s
Forgetfulness Poor concentration Personality change Stuck in past

Resentment
Loneliness Nagging Lower sex drive Aggression abuse

Cynicism Loss of direction

Doubt Need to prove self Negative look Gloom

Nail biting Slumped posture

Restlessness Risk aversion Eating disorder Headaches

Source: Suzanne C. De Junasz, et al., Interpersonal Skills in Organisation, p.72

Taking Time to Manage Time

One of the major causes of stress for managers comes from time pressures. No matter how fast some managers work and how much time they put in, they are still unable to get all their work done. One of the most effective ways of dealing with this problem is the use of time management technique. Today many organisations are training their managers how to get more done in less time. Some of the most helpful guidelines for effective time management are:
Make out a to do list that identifies everything that must be done during the day. This helps keep track of work progress. Delegate as much minor work as possible to subordinates. Determine when you do the best workmorning or afternoon and schedule the most difficult assignments for this time period. Set time aside, preferably at least one hour, during the day when visitors or other interruptions are not permitted.

Time (contd..)
Have the secretary screen all incoming calls in order to turn away those that are minor or do not require your personal attention. Eat lunch in the office one or two days a week in order to save time and give yourself the opportunity to catch up on paperwork. Discourage drop-in visitors by turning your desk so that you do not have eye contact with the door or hallway. Read standing up. The average person reads faster and more accurately when in a less comfortable position. Make telephone calls between 4.30 and 5.00 pm. People tend to keep these conversations brief so that they can go home. Do not feel guilty about those things that have not been accomplished today. Put them on the top of the to do list for tomorrow.

Targets of Organisational Stress Management Programmes

Organisational Stress Management Programmes

Targeted at

Work Stressors Workload Job Conditions Role Conflict and Ambiguity Career Development Interpersonal Relations Aggressive Behaviour Conflict between Work and other Roles

Outcomes of Stress Physiological Emotional Behavioural Employee Perceptions/ Experience of Stress

HIV Growth in India

Workplace Violence - Levels

A. Moderately Injurious Property damage, vandalism Sabotage Pushing, fist fights Major violations of company policy Frequent arguments with customers, co-workers or supervisors Theft
Source: Bernardin, et al., op. cit., p.419

B. Highly Injurious Physical attacks and assaults Psychological trauma Anger-related accidents Rape Arson Murder

Smoking Related Costs

Insurance costs are higher Ventilation costs are greater for smoky atmosphere

Absenteeism-smokers take 50% more sick leave

Cleaning costs dirty ceilings, etc

Fire risks 15% of all industrial fires arise from smoking

Time spent smoking