An Assessment of the Health and Safety Culture in the Workplace

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY1

PART 2: WORKPLACE2

PART 3: ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH AND SAFETY CULTURE3

Construction Workers4

Biophysical Hazards Related to Construction Company5

Chemical Hazards5

Disorders of the Skin6

Disorders of the Respiratory System6

Disorders of the Hematopoietic System7

Disorders of the Central Nervous System7

Accidents7

Construction Safety and Health Hazards8

Occupational Health & Safety Association9

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)10

Safety and LEED11

Designing for Safety13

Secondary and Supplemental Support Devices17

PART 4: STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING HEALTH AND SAFETY CULTURE19

Aim and Objectives of Strategy19

Proposals for Action20

Implementation of Strategy20

Time22

Monitoring of Success23

Improvements in Construction Safety23

Implementing Change24

Challenges faced in managing stress26

Managing Stress26

PART 5: BUSINESS CASE31

Statement of Resources31

Reference to Health and Safety Legislation31

Cost and Benefit Analysis36

Argument38

Falls38

Overexertion40

Caught-In or Between41

BIBLIOGRAPHY43

APPENDIX47

MSHA regulations47

Occupational Safety and Health Administration Regulations50

PART 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The report is based on the evaluations of the health and safety policies and regulations that are implemented and used by the company operating in the construction industry for the past many years. The DeRocher Construction has been one of the oldest coal mining companies in the United States that is running its coal construction business for a long time now. The progress of the company has been mainly suffered due to the violations of the health and safety culture at workplace injuring number of construction workers at various sites operating under the name of the DeRocher Construction in Iowa. As the DeRocher Construction has been violating the regulations regarding the safety of its employees, the main areas of improvement have been the appropriate passage for the escape in underground passages, proper ventilation of methane and dust and the release of combustible materials within the mine at specific periods of time. The success can be monitored with respect to the reduction in the fatalities and the injuries of the employees working in the underground passage for longer durations. The success would be monitored through the reduction in the fatalities and injuries to the employees working in the coal mines that are underground and based on difficult tasks. The cost that would be incurred on the implementation of the strategy is $ 20,000 that undertakes all the expenses made on the services of the human resource personnel, labors and the raw materials needed for the improvements in the company. However the benefits of spending $ 20, 000 would be $50,000 or more. These estimated values have been based on the assumptions as the DeRocher has already been operating its routine activities and the estimated cost is based on certain evaluations.

PART 2: WORKPLACE

The construction industry is considered to be the most risky and vulnerable industries in the world that is exposed to various risks including the daily accidents and fatalities of the workers working at various construction sites. The company that has been selected for the analysis of the health and safety culture is the Iowa construction company, an important and renowned construction company in the United States. The company has long been engaged in constructing various buildings and huge projects in the United States having wide operations in Iowa and ...