HRM554 Health and Safety Practices Plan Wk3

Health and Safety

Health and Safety Practices Plan WK3

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Health and Safety Practices Plan WK3

The manufacturing environment is fraught with dangers that can an impact the manufacturing industry. There are many injuries and some illnesses a worker in a manufacturing plant can be exposed to that could potentially cause them harm. The most common illnesses in this environment are the respiratory disorder which is the result of particles, gases, and dusts in the air. The manufacturing environment creates illness due to the substances used to manufacture the automobile; it will have a negative impact on the worker, production, and management format.

When the automobile manufacturing environment causes respiratory illnesses in the form of COPD or asthma it harms the worker. COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is the result of long-term exposure to lung irritants. At Honda, the manufacturing of automobiles results in all types of dust, particles, and gases in the air. When the worker is continuously exposed to these foreign toxins is creates permanent damage to the lungs. In the case of COPD the dust, particles, and gases enter the lungs and travel down the bronchial tubes into the smaller bronchioles (NIH, 2013). They enter the alveoli (air sacs) and oxygen travels through the walls.

A person in COPD will have obstructions in these airways which can be the result of the no elasticity in the airs sacs and the wall between air sacs damaged or destroyed. They will experience thickening of the walls of the airways and will become clogged with mucus making it difficult for the worker to breath. When the worker cannot breathe they will be less productive creating a major disability for the worker. When the worker is ill due to COPD it limits their ability to do their job. The worker with COPD will also experience more sick days and if the worker becomes too sick they may no longer be able to work in this environment.

Asthma is a respiratory disorder where the lungs become infected with allergens leading to wheezing and coughing and the lungs constricting. In a severe asthma case the lungs begin to feel tight in the chest and the person completely stops breathing. Similar to COPD when the worker experiences an asthma attack it makes it difficult for them to perform at their best. This will slow down there production level and cause them to additional sick days. Asthma is chronic and exposure to dusts, particles, and gases will cause an asthma attack. When the worker gets COPD or asthma it negatively impacts their health and their ability to make them money they need to retain their lifestyle.

The worker is not the only stakeholder negatively impacted by these two respiratory diseases (Barrick, 2008). When the worker is affected by a respiratory disorder that developed due to exposure to toxins in the work environment it slows down their production which in turn affect Hondas profitability. When workers are not productive Honda will not make as much money as if these workers were productive. The management format will change when workers are sick because of the respiratory disease resulting in other workers having to take up the slack. The manager will need to change the schedule and make adjustments to the workload.

When workers get sick the organization foots the bill. The costs comes in the form of lost labor which results in lost production or it comes in the form of high insurance costs and costs for ensuring the risk to the worker are reduced. Because the auto industry requires the use of large machines in order to build the car there are many dangers from the large machines as well as the additional exposure to health hazards. When workers get sick it increases insurance rates for the manufacturer and creates a rise in health costs for the worker. All of these additional costs affect the bottom line.

In the workplace Honda has a legal obligation to create a safe and hazard free environment while it will not always be possible to completely stop exposure to some toxins the organization must take steps to reduce the risk. For example if the worker is exposed to particles or dust then Honda must proper ventilate the area to prevent harm to the worker. The employees also have an obligation to follow the safety rules established by the organization. The organization is required to establish safety OSHA standards to ensure the worker is safe and they are required to train the employee on the safety expectations.

Occupational safety assessment techniques are designed to identify hazards to the worker. The health and safety risk assessment involves Honda conducting a risk assessment in order to identify any potential issues that can lead to an accident or an illness. The health and safety risk assessment will involve analyzing every aspect of the manufacturing of the automobile to identify any risks to the worker. The next technique is a hazard analysis. In the hazard analysis the hazards are identified. Once they are identified who the hazards affect and then the level of impact to the worker.

An occupational safety and illness prevention strategy will assist Honda in reducing the number of illnesses or injuries that occur in the manufacturing environment. Once the risks have been identified steps will be outlined to avoid the hazard or the worker obtaining an illness. The steps will be taken to reduce the risk to accident or illness. This includes taking the necessary measures to stop the hazard from being a threat to the worker. Some threats can only be mitigated through the behavior of the workers.

The occupational safety and illness prevention strategy will be focused on making the workplace safe and then training employees on the steps needed to prevent accident or illness (OSHA, 2012). The first step is to assigning a safety coordinator. The safety coordinator will head up the program. The safety coordinator will ensure the hazard analysis is conducted to identify the potential risks and address these risks. Next they will establish an inspection system to identify any hazards that may surface in the work environment.

Honda will need to establish an injury and illness prevention program designed to make employees aware of the safety measure put into place in the plant to reduce any harm to the worker. Employees will need to be trained on the proper regulations to reduce risk to accident and on how to reduce the threat of illness. Employees that understand the proper safety regulations will be better equipped to avoid accidents and illnesses. Training will include employees conducting drills in the event of an emergency situation. For example employees will be trained on fire drills as well as on how to work safety with the machines and equipment in the plant.

The injury and illness prevention program will include a training program where employees learn the safety requirements they must follow. These safety requirements will also be labeled prominently throughout the plant to remind employees of the safety measures that need to be taken. OSHA posters will be placed prominently around the plant explaining the potential risks to workers. The posters will highlight the risks and dangers and provide the proper safety regulation

Every employee will be given a written copy of the safety regulations of Honda and must read and sign an agreement that states they have read and understand the safety regulations. This will ensure employees understand their role and responsibility in helping to keep a safe environment. Once the risks are identified, necessary measures are put into place, safety regulations established, and the employees are trained, Honda can establish a safe work environment.

References

Barrick, J. (2008). Respiratory Hazards in the Automotive Industry. Project Sensor, 19(2): 2-4

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

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

National Institute of Health. (2013). What is COPD? Retrieved August 21, 2014 from

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/copd/

OSHA. (2012). Injury and Illness Prevention Programs. Retrieved August 21, 2014 from

https://www.osha.gov/dsg/InjuryIllnessPreventionProgramsWhitePaper.html