Industrial relations health safety

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONSCONCEPT, HEALTH AND SAFTEY

BY PRANAV KUMAR OJHA

MBA 2nd SEMESTERMONIRBA,

UNIVERSITY OF ALLAHABAD

Concept of Industrial relations

• Industrial relations has very wide meaning. In its wider sense, the concept includes the relationship between employer and employee in the course of the running of the industry, and may cover the areas of production, quality control , team work and motivation. Industrial relation primarily stands for the relationship between management and workmen in industry, which may stem directly from trade union-management relationship leading to either industrial peace and harmony or industrial strife.

Definition of Industrial relations

• Industrial relations deal with either the relationships between the state and the employers and workers organizations or the other relations between the occupational organizations themselves.

- The International Labour Organization

• Whole field of relationship that exists because of the necessary collaboration of men and women in the employment process of an industry.

- Dale Yoder

Need/Objectives of Industrial Relations

• To Sustain and Maintain Industrial Peace.• To Minimize Industrial Conflicts. • To Create Goodwill and Trust.• To Ensure Discipline in the

Organization.

HEALTHHealth as defined by World Health

Organization (WHO), it is a "State of complete physical, mental, and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Health is a dynamic condition resulting from a body's constant adjustment and adaptation in response to stresses and changes in the environment for maintaining an inner equilibrium called homeostasis. -www.businessdictionary.com

We can examine employee health from following angles –

1)Physical Health2)Mental Health

1)Physical Health – The overall condition of a

living organism at a given time.The soundness of the body.Freedom from disease or abnormality.The environmental forces can attack the body or the person may have genetic malfunctions to generate the disease.

Physical health can be affected by several causes shown below -

Health Hazards Causes

Lung Cancer Coke oven emissions, asbestos, cigarette smoke.

White Lung Disease Asbestos

Black Lung Disease Coal dust

Brown Lung Disease Cotton Dust

Leukemia Benzene, Radiation.

Cancer Asbestos, radiation, Vinyl chloride, coke oven emissions.

Sterility Radiations

We can examine employee health from following angles –

1)Physical Health2)Mental Health

2) Mental Health –

Mental health includes emotional and psychological health.

In resent years, mental health of employees, particularly that of executives, has engaged the attention of employers. There are 3 reasons for this – (i) Mental breakdowns are common in

modern days because of pressures and tensions.

(ii) Mental disturbances of various types result in reduced productivity and lower profits for the organization.

(iii) Mental illness takes its toll through alcoholism, high employee turnover, and poor human relationships.

Mental Health services

A mental health service is generally rendered in the following ways –1) Psychiatric counseling.2) Education of company

personnel in the nature and the importance of mental health.

3) Development and maintenance of an effective human relations program.

We can examine employee health from following angles –

1)Physical Health2)Mental Health

Work Stress – An individual’s response to a disturbing factor in the environment.The consequences of such reactions.Stress is mostly understood to be negative.Where stress brings out something better from an individual, it is called eustress.

What is NOT Stress ?Stress is not simply anxiety

of nervous tension.Stress need not be always

damaging.Stress is not always due to

overwork.Stress cannot be avoided.The body has a limited

capacity to respond.

The Stress Experience

Not all individuals experience stress with the same intensity. Some people over-react to stressors and get highly stressed. Others have the stamina, endurance and composure to cope with any stressors.

Experiences of stress depends on – (i) The person’s perception

of the situation.(ii) The person’s past

experience.(iii)The presence or absence

of social support, and(iv)Individual differences

with regard to stress reactions.

Types of Stressors –

Individual-level Stressors.

Group-level Stressors.

Organizational Stressors.

Extra organizational Stressors.

Signs of StressPhysical

SignsEmotional

SignsMental Signs Relational

SignsSpiritual

SignsBehavioral

Signs

Appetite changes

Bad temper Lacking humor Isolation A feeling of emptiness

Pacing

Headaches Anxiety Dull senses Defensive Apathy Swearing

Fatigue Nightmares Lethargy Intolerance Inability to forgive

Substance abuse

Insomnia Irritability Boredom Resentment Cynicism Nail biting

Indigestion Depression Indecisiveness Loneliness Loss of direction

Slumped posture

Cold Frustration Forgetfulness Nagging Doubt Restlessness

Weight change

Over sensitivity

Poor concentration

Lower sex drive

Need to prove self

Risk aversion

Teeth grinding

Mood swings Personality changes

Aggression Negative outlook

Eating disorders

Tension Fearfulness Stuck in past Abuse Gloom Headaches

Stress Management – This may be categorized as (i) Individual Strategies (ii)Organizational Strategies

Alcoholism, Smoking and Drug Abuse – Alcoholism and Smoking are

serious and widespread problems. It does not strike any particular group – this strikes from the janitor to the general manager.

Organizations employ 3 techniques to tackle this problem –

First is disciplining the addicted employee. Where disciplining fails, the employee is discharged.

Second is in-house counseling by the HR department, the company doctor or by immediate supervisor.

Finally, companies use outside agencies, psychiatrists clinics to deal with the problem.

Drug abuse is a resent phenomenon and is a serious one. Drug abuse is more evident among young employees and is found across all job levels. Employees who are drug addicts are often much more difficult to detect than alcoholics.

Previous techniques are used in this case also.

SAFETYSafety refers to the absence of accidents.

Stated differently, safety refers to the protection of workers from the danger of accidents.

- K Aswathappa

Relative freedom from danger, risk, or threat of harm, injury, or loss to personnel and/or property, whether caused deliberately or by accident.

- www.businessdictionary.com

NEED FOR SAFETYCost saving – If the safety measures are not applied than the accident may result into following costs-

1) Direct cost- It may be in the form of compensation payable to the dependents of victim if the accident is fatal, and medical expenses incurred in treating the patient if the accident is non fatal.

2) Indirect cost – It includes loss on account of down time of operators , slowed up production rate of other workers, materials spoiled and labor for cleaning, and damages to equipment.

Safety measures also affect in the following ways-Increased ProductivityMoralLegal

Safety ProgramSafety program deals with the prevention of accidents and with minimizing the resulting loss and damages to person and property. Five basic principles must govern the safety program of an organization these are :-1) Industrial accidents resulting from a

multiplicity of factors must be traced to their root causes.

2) The most important function of safety program is to identify potential hazards, provide effective safety facilities and equipment and to take prompt remedial action.

3) The safety policies should be determined by top level management and it must be continuously involved in monitoring safety performance and in ensuring that corrective action is taken when necessary.

4) The management and supervision must be made fully accountable for safety performance in the working areas they control.

5) All employees should be given through training in safety methods of work and they should receive continuing education and guidance on eliminating safety hazards and prevention of accidents

A safety program generally consists of six elements :-

Strategic Choices

Development of Safety Policy

Organization for Safety

Evaluation of Effectiveness

Implementation of the Program

Analysis of Causes

for Accidents

Safety program can be divided into four parts-1. Strategic Choices 2. Safety Policy3. Organization for Safety 4. Causes, Extent and Remedies

for Accidents

TYPE OF ACCIDENTSAccident

Internal External

Major Minor

Fatal Disability

Temporary Permanent

Partial Total Partial Total

Extent of Accidents – It is estimated that 1.4 Million workers in India, five or seven times more than in Japan, U.K and U.S. are exposed to accidents. The problem is much more severe because there are thousands of unregistered industrial accidents, most of them small and tiny, which pose a major threat to the workers and the community.

Remedies - The method and devices for the prevention of accidents are now available in plenty.

There are certain principles which enables the management to understand the causes and consequences of accidents and to introduce suitable safety devices. The principles are –1) The occurrence of an injury invariably results

from a complete sequence of factors, the last one of these being accident itself.

2) The unsafe act of employees are responsible for a majority of accidents.

3) The employee who suffers a disability/injury caused by an unsafe act has an average of over 300 narrow escapes from serious injury that might have resulted from the very same unsafe act.

4) The method most valued in accident prevention are analogous to the methods required for the control of quality, cost and quantity of production.

5) The supervisor is the key person in industrial accident prevention.

6) Safety should be driven internally, not externally.

7) Do not count on common sense for safety improvement.

8) Safety incentive programs should focus on process rather than outcomes .

9) When people feel empowered, their safe behavior spreads to other situations.

Training is Safety – •Systematic training of industrial employees is necessary if they are to do their jobs efficiently and safely.•Training practice will be found to vary widely from company to company and the difference will be influenced by the size of company, the types of jobs performed, and awareness of the management regarding the importance of training.

Implementing the Policy – For implementing the policy the programme must cover – •Procedures for reporting accidents, hazards, fire precautions, first aid.•Arrangements for instructing workers about safe working methods and for training employees in safety matters.•Special rules for work done at a height, in confined spaces, on certain electrical equipment or unguarded machinery.

Implementing the Policy (cont…)–•The maintenance of equipment and the provision of proper inspection and testing arrangements.•General rules on safe working habits.

•Special rules for internal transport drivers.•Arrangement for checking new machinery and materials.•Safety inspection.•The provision of personal protective equipment, and rules as to its use.

•Suggestions on safety matters.

Conclusion

Industrial relations is an outcome of employer-employee relationship in an organization which facilitates harmonious relationships in an organization by setting a framework for the management and the employees.

It is based on mutual compromise and adjustment, for the benefit of both the parties involved.

References

Human Resource Management – K Aswathappa

Managing Human Resource-Wayne F. Cascio

Human Resource Management-Gary Dessler and Biju Varkkey

www.businessdictionary.com

(ii)Organizational Strategies – Organizations have been developing and implementing stress-reduction strategies.

Organizational strategies often include - Improvement in the physical work environment.Job redesign to eliminate stressors.Changes in workloads and deadlines.Changes in work schedules, more flexible working hours.Various fitness programs are adopted.

(i) Individual Strategies – The first step in managing stress is to understand that the individual is exposed to stressors. We cannot manage stress unless we know what causes stress and how these causes are affecting us.

Individual strategies to cope up with stress includes -

Muscle Relaxation

Biofeedback

Meditation

Cognitive Restructuring

Time Management

1) Strategic Choices – Some of the strategic choices are :-1.1 Managers must determine the level of protection the organization will provide for employees.1.2 Managers can decide whether a safety program will be formal or informal.1.3 Managers can also be proactive or reactive in developing procedures or plans with respect to employee safety.1.4 Managers can decide to use the safety of workers as a marketing tool for the organization.

2) Safety Policy – Safety policy specifies the firm’s goals and designations the responsibilities and authority for their achievement.Specifically, a safety policy must contain a declaration of the organizations intent and the means by which the intent is to be realized.

3) Organization for Safety – Companies constitute safety committees which are, composed of employees from across the organization. Typically, safety committees serve in advisory capacities and are responsible for such tasks as reviewing safety procedures, making recommendations for eliminating specific safety and health hazards, investigating accidents, fielding safety- related complaints from employees and monitoring statutory compliances.

4. Causes, Extent and Remedies for Accidents –Causes - Causes are of two types.Unsafe Acts of Persons Unsafe Mechanical or Physical Condition

1. Operating without clearance, failure to heed warning.

1. Inadequately guarded, guards of improper height, strength, mesh, etc

2. Operating or Working at an unsafe speed 2. Unguarded, absence of required guards.

3. Making safety device inoperative. 3. Defective, rough, sharp, slippery, decayed, cracked, etc

4.Using equipments unsafely. 4. Unsafely designed machines, tools, etc..

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

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

6. Taking an unsafe position or posture. 6. Inadequately lighted, sources of glare, etc

7. Working on moving or dangerous equipment.

7. Inadequately ventilated, impure oil source, etc

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

9. Failure to use attire or personal protective devices.

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

Increased Productivity- Safety promotes productivity because employee in safe plants can devote more time on improving the quality and quantity of their output and spend less time worrying about their safety and well being.

Moral – Safety is important on human grounds too. Managers must undertake accident prevention measures to minimize the pain and suffering the injured worker and his/her family is often exposed to as a result of the accident.

Legal – There are legal reasons too for undertaking safety measures. There are laws covering occupational health and safety, and penalties for non compliance have become quite severe. The responsibility extends to the safety and health of surrounding community, too. The supreme court held :

“ An enterprise which is engaged in a hazardous or inherently dangerous industry which poses a potential threat to the health and safety of the persons working in the factory and industry in the surrounding areas, owes an absolute and non-degradable duty to the community to ensure that no harm results to anyone on account of the hazardous or inherently dangerous nature.”