HRM554 Health and Safety Practices Plan W1

Health and Safety

Health and Safety Practices Plan W1

Name

HRM554

Date

Professor

Health and Safety Practices Plan W1

Every industry faces potential safety hazards or risks but the automobile industry if not properly regulated can result in risk to their health and safety. The automobile industry is responsible for producing the cars, trucks, vans, and other vehicles that are on the road. In order to create these automobile they must be manufactured. During the manufacturing process workers become vulnerable to becoming harmed or injured. At Honda the company goes above and beyond to prevent any risks from negatively impacting their workers but all automobile manufacturers face risk.

Honda is a Japanese car company that manufactures automobiles in several locations across the United States. Just like with any other manufacturing process there are inherent dangers when manufacturing an automobile but Honda goes above and beyond to ensure these dangers are minimized. Honda’s approach to health and safety is if the safety is not there the production will not start (Honda Worldwide, 2014). Any potential risks to the worker are eliminated before they can create harm. The "no safety, no production" policy of Honda has led to strong safety initiatives to create a safe and productive work environment for their workers.

Honda considers the mental and physical health of associates to be one of its most important responsibilities, alongside workplace and traffic safety (Sylvester & Yoo, 2012). The company has not only established a policy to support this goal but have created specific initiatives to ensure safety comes first. The first was establishing and following the safety regulations established by the Occupational Safety and health Administration (OSHA) and then establishing an Occupational Health and Safety Management System in order to ensure the company is compliant with OSHA safety regulations.

Honda also creates a safe work environment y conducting risk analysis to identify any potential risks in the work environment. Risk can be broadly defined as the probability of variation surrounding an anticipated outcome (Carter and Rogers, 2008). Once these risks are identified steps are taken to mitigate the risks. Honda also fosters education by enhancing health and safety education, and raising associates' safety awareness (Sylvester & Yoo, 2012). The company has built safety support systems to reduce the inherent risks associated with the automobile industry and led the industry in achieving excellent results in providing a safe and healthy work environment.

The automobile industry is filled with all types of dangers and risk that could potential harm a worker. The dangers can include death. Death or injury can be caused by hydraulic pressure machines used in the manufacturing process to put together large pieces of the automobile. The manufacturing of automobiles requires high voltage machines to create the different parts of the automobile that if not properly operated can result in major harm or death to the worker. Toxic fumes from heavy machinery are all dangerous to workers and must be properly mitigated.

Potential physical harm can also come to the worker in the automobile manufacturing industry. Workers in the automobile industry lose limbs or fingers and experience physical injuries, such as broken bones or back injuries. Back injuries can be the result of the heavy parts the workers handle on a day to day basis in order to put the automobile together. Workers in the automobile industry can potentially lose their hearing from the loud noises in the manufacturing process or in some cases they can lose their vision. Each risk must be effectively addressed to minimize the potential of psychical injury.

Honda and any other business in the automobile industry are responsible for establishing the proper safety measures to ensure the worker faces minimal risk. OSHA requires businesses to adhere to the safety regulations that have been established and to create written safety compliance plans to ensure employees are aware of the safety requirements and regulations needed to create a safe work environment. OSHA requirements for the motor vehicle industry are addressed in specific standards that must be followed or the company faces potential fines for noncompliance. Honda strives to keep their workers safe but despite the safety measures this type of manufacturing environment is dangerous and must be properly regulated.

References

Carter CR, Rogers DS (2008) A framework of sustainable supply chain management: moving

toward new theory. International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics

Management, 38(5): pp. 360-387

Honda Worldwide. (2014). Honda’s Approach to Occupational Health and Safety. Retrieved

August 10, 2014 from http://world.honda.com/CSR/employee/safety/

Sylvester, D. & Yoo, J. (2012). Risk Analysis in the Automobile Industry. Retrieved August 10,

2014 from http://www.slideserve.com/Rita/risk-analysis-in-the-automobile-industry