As an OSH employee at Machines Unlimited, you are tasked with the supervision of

Question

As an OSH employee at Machines Unlimited, you are tasked with the supervision of over 200 employees, numerous machinery, and a hotter than average working climate. Your boss recently let you know that a promotion is coming available and asked you to address the following criteria: identify how would you incorporate the concept of total safety management (TSM) into the factory to make it a better working environment; and identify how you believe that incorporating TSM would help cut down on direct and indirect costs. Finally, if selected for the promotion, your boss wants you incorporate what you know about OSH professionals by preparing a slogan for your own risk reduction program you would implement, along with risk-reduction strategies you would institute.

Explanation / Answer

A factory is a place that is risky due to the presence of machines used in operation. It should, therefore, have a great concern regarding the provision of safety. Total safety management (TSM) serves to provide a safe and a healthy working environment that is conducive to the workers. The role of this task to is to elucidate the incorporation of the concept of TSM in the factory. It also highlights some of the risk reduction strategies that can be instituted in the factory.

           As an Operation Safety Employee (OSH), the incorporation of the concept of total safety management can be achieved through some ways. The first step is the removal of the hazard or "engineer-out." The elimination of the hazards can be done through safety inspections, good housekeeping, and job safety analysis among other techniques. Training is the other way to achieve safety. It is a method to communicate procedures to the factory employees and avoid accidents. Recognition is also the other technique to use. Recognition means rewarding the entire group in the factory for working for a period without injury. In such a case the program, therefore, needs to be designed in a manner that it does not discourage reporting of injuries. The program will, therefore, encourage honesty among employees and controls the abuse of workers compensation(Blunt & Balchin, 2002).

           When it comes to the hiring of employees, being an OSH employee should ensure that quality employees have been hired for work in the factory. The quality employees are those willing and able to do their job duties under the procedure of the company. Another way will be by organizing for the setting of Employee Safety Committee who will be involved in the setting of policies, running the recognition program and assists in the investigation of accidents. They will be ambassadors for safety and therefore a helping hand. Looking for insurance is also another strategy that will help in case of any accidents. The insurance will help in compensation for loss to the employees of the factory(Fife, Redgrave & Fife, 1990). The insurance will as well help in doing inspections to find out areas that are not in compliance with the Operation, Safety and Health Act and hence take the necessary action towards improving the condition of the factory workers. Relationship with the medical community should also be developed to help in times of an accident to the employees.

           Direct costs incurred by the company during its operation such as in the production of goods and services can sometimes become high due to improper management. The presence of (TSM) in the factory will help by ensuring that every employee is properly executing his/her duty and keeping time. As a result, the operation will be fast and effective hence reducing other direct costs that would have otherwise been incurred. Indirect costs such as depreciation and administrative costs will be reduced by TSM by ensuring that every employee is carrying out his/her duty properly and consistently to avoid such costs.

           Reduction of risks in the work place is very important. However, the risks may not get easily reduced without making the employees have the knowledge of keeping safety. As an OSH employee, coming up with a slogan aimed at reducing risks in the factory is essential. The slogan can be "Risk- is it worth?"

           Some of the risk reduction strategies to institute in the factory are, for example, use of awareness methods such as lights and horns, use of fixed enclosing guards for the protection against exposure or hazards, development of safe working procedures and specification of the use of appropriate personal protective equipment and policies.

           In conclusion, the safety of employees should be provided in the factory and every other work place. Without safety, there is no activity that can take place. Safety in the work place contributes greatly to the achievement of the desired goal. The management such as the Total Safety Management (TSM) should, therefore, make sure that the employees are safe during the execution of their duties.

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