Ochs 1433

Ancient Times:

- relationship between work environment and worker health and safety was well known

- ancient records indicate only slaves and prisoners were used for certain dangerous tasks

- safety rules compiled in 2000 BC (first Babylonian dynasty)

- clauses dealing with injuries, allowable fees for physicians, financial damages assessed against those who injured others

- "If a man has caused the loss of a gentleman's eye, his own eye shall be caused to be lost."

- "If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death."

- "If a shipbuilder builds a boat for someone, and do not make it tight, if during that same year that boat is sent away and suffers injury, the shipbuilder shall take the boat apart and put it together tight at his own expense. The tight boat he shall give to the boat owner.

- industrious, concern for productivity

- slave labour, usually not well treated

- Ramses II (circa 1500 BC)

- created industrial medical service to ensure sufficent workforce to build temple

- slaves required to bathe daily in the Nile

- given regular medical exams

- sick workers were isolated

- vitally concerned with safety and health

- built aqueducts, sewerage system, public baths, latrines, well ventilated houses

- unfortunately, used lead in everything and poisoned themselves

Medieval Times:

- master craftsmen instructed apprentices to work safely (value was created through high-quality, efficient production)

- workers were valuable and to everyone's best interest to ensure workers remained unhurt and able to work

- workplace hazards identified:

- effects of lead and mercury exposure

- dangers of burning fires in confined spaces

- no organized or established safety standards or requirements although need for personal protective equipment was known

- before Industrial Revolution, most workers were independent artisans (or family run) and were solely responsible for own safety

Father of Industrial Medicine

- published first comprehensive text on occupational medicine in 1700

- Book, Discourse on the Diseases of Workmen, contained accurate descriptions of many occupational diseases common at that time

- described development of silicosis

- related occupational diseases to irregular or unnatural movements of the body

- described causes of occupational diseases in chemists in labs

- advice ignored for several centuries

- work processes worsened

- factory workers experienced high injury and fatality rates

- worked 14 hour days

- non-ventilated factories

- unguarded equipment

- no personal protection

- excessive noise

- dangerous machinery

- various new chemicals

- eg: Chinese railroad workers in Canada

- eg: older houses - need to let the water run to flush out lead in pipes

- don't run propane heaters indoors

Organized labour (unions)

- played a crucial role in development of safety movements in Canada and US

- fought for safer working conditions and appropriate compensation for injured workers

- first pieces of legislation to demonstrate concern for health of worker

- OH&S divided among all workplace stakeholders

- governments, employers, employees, unions, media have important roles to play in ensuring safe work environments

EG: WCB, Worksafe BC

- began in 1800s

- new processes shifted from skilled artisan to faster and greater production

- 1880 saw rapid increase in steel production

- need to improve work methods, quality, and productivity

- rudimentary profession among prevailing attitudes in late 1800s

- no proper compensation schemes for injured workers

- supervisors and workers not well trained

- little data to support efforts

- slow but steady progress made to improve safety movement

- three major defenses used by employers in lawsuits:

1. Assumption of Risk

2. Fellow Servant Rule

3. Contributory Negligence

- employer was not liable because employee took the job knowing the risks and hazards involved

- not used today

- try to mitigate

- employer was not liable for injury to employee resulting from negligence of a fellow employee

- now, employer IS liable

- employer was not liable if the employee was injured due to his own negligence

- now, employer IS liable

- employers pay to WorkSafe BC for insurance against being sued by employees

- government can still take criminal action against negligent employers

- safety initiative study conducted in 1909

- revealed 526 fatal industrial accidents occurred in Allegheny County alone during 12 months between 1906-1907.

- found over 50% of surviving widows and children were left with no source of income

- only 30% of settlements exceeded $500

- 30,000 industrial fatalities in US in 1909

- outraged Americans demanded improvements to workplace health and safety

- mechanical engineer with Ford Motor Company in early 1900s

- the Father of Management Science

- one of the pioneers of time and motion studies, which was instituted at Ford assembly plants

- goal was to use scientific methods to define the "one best way" to do a job

- Developed by Taylor

1. Develop a science for every job

2. Carefully train workers

3. Carefully select workers

4. Support workers by planning their work

- one of the first attempts to define the effects of workplace conditions on productivity

- study on the lighting in 1924 at Western Electric Hawthorne Works near Chicago

- production increased because workers felt good about being involved in the study (knew that it was expected that their productivity would increase)

- change in productivity due to extra attention and group pressure

- based on the illumination studies

- productivity, safety consciousness, quality of work, and other job performance indicators cannot be controlled by scientifically changing the physical workplace

- job performance must be approached from a behavioural standpoint also

- employees NEED to be involved in safety process and asked for input

- written safety program MUST be written by an OH&S practitioner