HLTH-6040 INDIVIDUAL WRITTEN
ASSIGNMENT
Sachin Vazhavelil
School of Transportation Technology and
Apprenticeship
Fanshawe College
HLTH-6040 Occupational Health & Safety
Professor Connie Palmer
July 22, 2021
Safety in the workplace, the most important thing any member working in a firm should
take care of. Owners, managers, and employees believe it is someone else's
responsibility. However, this is not the case. Every employee in a company is
responsible for their own health and safety. There are certain rules and regulations that
are based on society's recognized standards in which organizations and people follow
specific codes of behavior. Some regulations are backed by the law and breaking them
carries a penalty. Other regulations, in contrast to this compelled obedience, are
voluntary. The organization or individual follows the norm not out of fear of punishment,
but because
FORCE COMPLIANCE
The premise behind forced compliance theory is that a higher-ranking person or
authority can force a lower-ranking person to make statements or conduct activities that
go against their better judgment. It focuses on persuasion and authority intending to
change someone's mind.
The theory of cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance theory is essentially a part of forced compliance theory. The
cognitive dissonance hypothesis defines the uncomfortable sensation that occurs when
two opposing beliefs are held simultaneously. It is most convincing when it comes to
one's own sentiments and thoughts. It may also be used as a powerful motivator to
persuade us to select one action or thinking over another.
The forced compliance idea is being utilized to aid in the projections of the cognitive
dissonance hypothesis.
Those who fail to follow the rules may be subjected to penalties. High penalties may
prevent some individuals from breaking the law, but others may evaluate the risks of
being detected and decide not to comply.
They can penalize the offender $250 to $650 on the spot if they discover any OHSA
violations. More significant OHSA violations will be taken to court, where the penalties
might be substantially harsher:
Individuals may be fined up to $100,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 12 months.
A company may face a fine of up to $1,500,000. [ CITATION Sad19 \l 1033 ]
A federal measure (Bill C-45) has been introduced to address corporate responsibility in
the areas of fraud and workplace health and safety. Parliament passed the bill in 2003,
and it became law in March 2004. The bill resulted in the addition of provisions to the
Criminal Code of Canada. It led to the inclusion of Section 217.1, which stipulates that
individuals in positions of control over workers must take reasonable efforts to
safeguard those workers from injury.
If an employee died or was hurt because of carelessness, these amendments to the
Criminal Code may result in a business and its management being legally punished for
failing to provide an acceptable standard of occupational health and safety in the
workplace. [CITATION EKE212 \p 43 \l 1033 ]
Transpave Inc. was fined $110 OOO after pleading guilty to criminal negligence in the
death of an employee. In a second instance, when one of his employees was crushed
by a poorly kept backhoe, a landscape contractor (Pasquale Scrocca) was sentenced to
two years less a day to be served in the community for criminal negligence causing
death. [CITATION EKE212 \p 43 \l 1033 ]
Steven Bell, the owner of a Belleville roofing firm, was sentenced to seven days in jail
on May 9, 2019, for failing to follow Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act
(OHSA) and its rules.[ CITATION Syd19 \l 1033 ]
PROS OF FORCE COMPLIANCE
Safety improvements
People working in a firm may improve their safety concerns and regulations when they
think about the fines they may subject to.
Improved company-wide employee interactions. Everyone agrees in terms of
security.
Improving safety usually provides a competitive advantage due to lower
expenses.
CONS OF FORCE COMPLIANCE
Can lead to inaccuracies in reporting
Accidents and injuries may be unreported since the program is designed to promote
positive conduct. Nobody wants to be the one who shatters the "days without injuries"
record. Furthermore, when things go wrong or when dangerous conduct is noticed,
workers are hesitant to inquiries and in-depth discussions.
The incorrect underlying cause is identified.
When dangerous behaviors are noticed or injuries occur, incident investigations are
required. However, these investigations frequently focus on what happened rather than
the fundamental reason, or why it happened.
Overall level of freedom may suffer.
As the authorities are making workers to only act as they required, workers lose their
freedom which may lead to discomfort in the work and absenteeism.
Productivity may reduce.
As the workers need to work under the pressure of not having any pleasure in the
workplace, their productivity might be decreased. Workers always needed to be
motivated to be more productive.
SELF RELIANCE
Employers are required to provide the necessary safety practices in the workplace for
the sake of not just workers but for everyone. They must ensure to offer dangerous
information, adequate safety equipment, and professional supervision in a safe and
well-maintained environment. And in the event of an injury, an employer must make
sure to follow the correct steps.
The next responsibility is upon supervisors. Their responsibility is to provide a secure
workplace with secure work assignments, information and training, and supervision
There are many things workers need to be taken care of for themselves. Employers can
only make sure that they are providing an adequate amount of training and the required
resources and information for safety in the workplace. The rest is always upon workers.
They have the right to know, participate and refuse. [CITATION EKE212 \p 235 \l 1033 ].
It is each and everyone's responsibility to strictly follow safety and regulation in the
workplace. No other person can guarantee own safety. Workers need to work safely
and avoid any works that have risks. They are required to report and refuse any unsafe
work. They must be aware of the hazards that may occur in the workplace and should
behave according to the safety standards.
In the context of the IRS, responsibility implies that everyone in the company, from the
CEO on down, has unique and personal safety obligations that vary depending on their
function in the business. Individuals can take responsibility for workplace safety. If a
person detects a safety issue that they can address immediately away, they should do
so.[CITATION EKE212 \p 14 \l 1033 ]
PROS OF SELF RELIANCE
Employee engagement is encouraged.
Self reliance has the advantage of encouraging full involvement from all employees.
The programme seeks to give a clear picture in terms of safety.
Protects employees.
The primary benefit that a person can receive from following health and safety
regulations is to provide safe working condition for their employees and company, which
helps them not to subject to injury, disease, or other forms of harm that can occur in the
workplace. By following health and safety standards many problems like asthma, slips
and trips, back discomfort, falling, and asbestos-related sickness can be avoided.
Reduced absenteeism.
A safe work environment always reduces the chance of workplace injuries and illness,
which helps in fewer absenteeism. As a result, employers can save money on the costs
of absences of workers.
Increased productivity.
Workers are generally motivated work in a place where they feel safe. That feeling akes
them to be more productive.[CITATION Occnd \t \l 1033 ]
Improved working relationships with OSHA and other related organisations
CONS OF SELF RELIANCE
Are difficult to keep up with.
Even self-reliance requires complete support from top management to be effective. It
must also be used and assessed on a regular basis. It won't work if it's merely put in
place without any structure, devotion, or follow-up.
Large amount of administrative work.
Self-reliance requires the safety department to provide trainings and related
administrative works to complete which usually takes a large amount of time. It may not
be able to train a large group of people at a time which leads to split them into groups to
train. That needs a high amount of time.
PROMOTING SAFETY AND BALANCING BETWEEN ENFORCEMENT AND
ENCOURAGEMENT
A manager who merely imposes disciplinary actions without motivating his or her staff
will fail to motivate them. Employees lose motivation to achieve once they understand
there is no incentive for good behavior. As an HR manager in a firm, I will never be one
who always considers workers to be only disciplined. I will make sure that they are
motivated equally. Imposing their fines for the mistakes they do is a good option not to
let them do that again. But everyone makes mistakes. The first thing to be done is to
give them proper training and make them understand the consequences if they do not
follow safety regulations. The first time is meant for a warning which leads to fines and
then termination.
Employees are more productive in a safe atmosphere, and it is preferable to have them
collaborate with you to manage their own safety; this way, they will feel more
accountable for not only their own safety but also the safety of their coworkers.
Employees that are more involved are more diligent, productive, and have lower
absenteeism rates. [CITATION ndRI \l 1033 ]
If your company has employee unions, they typically bring up safety and health
programs, or the absence thereof, in contract talks. Contract disputes can be mitigated
with the help of a good Safety Management System.
People have high expectations of HR managers, regardless of the size of the company.
Everyone benefits from a healthy and safe workplace, and the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) expects supervisors to be the front-line guardians of
healthy and safe workers, whether they work on a construction site, in a healthcare
facility, in an industrial setting, or in a mine. Every excellent employer, as well as the
individuals you serve, expects this.
To promote and balance everyone in the organization to ensure health and safety, as
an HR representative I should make sure to myself that I am doing these things.
I am familiar with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and
the regulations that apply to the work we undertake.
I am explaining portions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and
its rules to the workers.
Notify employees of potential hazards and respond to their concerns.
I have arranged the task in such a way that it can be completed safely.
I am making sure the workers are wearing or using the protective gear,
equipment, and devices that the company requires.
Instruct personnel on how to work properly and ensure that they adhere to the
law as well as the company's health and safety rules and procedures.
Take all reasonable precautions to prevent workers from being injured or
contracting a work-related illness.
REFERENCES
(KELLOWAY, FRANCIS & GATIEN, 2021). Management of Occupational
Health and Safety (8th ed.). Nelson Education Ltd. (Chapter-1, Page No.14)
(KELLOWAY, FRANCIS & GATIEN, 2021). Management of Occupational
Health and Safety (8th ed.). Nelson Education Ltd. (Chapter-2, Page
No.42,43,44)
(KELLOWAY, FRANCIS & GATIEN, 2021). Management of Occupational
Health and Safety (8th ed.). Nelson Education Ltd. (Chapter-9, Page No.235) -
TEXT
Myres,C.(2021).Forced vs. Voluntary Compliance. CHRON.
[Link] -
WEBSITE
McCann, S. (2019). Who is Responsible for Health and Safety in the
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responsible-for-health-and-safety-in-the-workplace/ - JOURNAL ARTICLE
Mansaray, S. (2019, May 28). Owner Receives Jail Time for Failure to Comply
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Occupational Safety and Health Consultant Register. (2020, May). Benefits of
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benefits-of-following-health-and-safety-practices/ - WEBSITE
RISKS AND BENEFITS OF A SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. (2021, Jan).
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outrea/OSHA/documents/Intro/[Link] - MAGAZINE ARTICLE