Safety Management

03 Jul

CASE STUDY: 1

You as a Safety Manager, have just received a report that Harold Jacobs has lost the tips of two fingers in an accident on the milling machine he operates. His foreman states that it was a clear case of carelessness, that Jacobs is accident-prone anyway and that he thinks the man ought to be discharged, or at least move to another department. The records show Jacobs has been on his present job three weeks. He has been with the company and in this department for three years. Two months ago, he was out three days with a badly lacerated hand as a result of an ‘accident’ with the broach he was then operating. A year earlier he suffered a badly sprained ankle in a fall, and shortly after he was hired he suffered a minor injury on a drill press.

Question:

1) Do you agree with foreman?

2) What things would you want to investigate relative to possible clauses?

3) Discuss some of the possibilities in this case?

4) Is Safety more a psychological problem or more an engineering problem, why?

 

CASE STUDY: 2

The Lux manufacturing Company is seriously considering going into production of a new liquid glass cleaner for house, cars and table glasses. Tests have shown the liquid is particularly effective in dissolving spots of grease, albumen and other stubborn materials, as well as washing away ordinary dirt. It seems to leave glass clean and shining. The company is satisfied that it has the money, equipment, manpower, and marketing facilities to handle this additional product.

Question:

1) From a Safety point of view what investigations would you wish to have made?

2) Suggest how these investigations might be handled? i.e. what people, departments or organizations might carry out investigations of what hazards?

3) How serious are the dangers is unsuspected hazards of new products? Cite an example or two briefly?

4) Suggest steps a company may take to increase the probability that its products will not prove injurious on occasion?

 

CASE STUDY: 3

The Bateman Corporation manufactures metal parts for farm machinery and road building equipment assembled and merchandised by other concerns. It does a good deal of cutting, pressing and welding of both steel and magnesium. Occupying a two-storey brick building containing 230,000 square feet of floor space on each floor, it employs on the average, 950 men and 1000 women.

Question:

1) What are the two considerations in reducing the fire hazard?

2) What provisions should be made for rescue units?

3) Which portable fire-extinguishing equipment you would recommend?

4) Suggest a training program for fire prevention?

 

CASE STUDY: 4

Suppose that a safety specialist in October of 1990 decides to figure out approximately how much injuries and accidents have cost the company in the preceding 12 months perhaps the top management has raised the question as to whether the company, making an all out effort to cut costs, should not curtail its safety program. The safety specialist can show that the firm’s prevention efforts over a period of time have reduced the rate of injuries by 30 percent. He or she now wants to translate that into dollars.

Question:

1) Define the term Insurance cost?

2) Define the term Average Uninsured costs?

3) Why is it desirable to make some use of averages or ratios in calculating the cost to a company resulting from its work injuries?

4) What is the logical basis for including the cost of no injury accidents as well as injury cases when appraising the measurable dollar gain from safety work?