Occupational Safety, Case Study Example

Scenario 1:

Handling specific cases concerning issues of occupational safety is an important matter especially for production companies at present. Being able to handle particular issues that concern employees who specifically indicate high importance on the safety measures that the company takes into consideration is then something that should not be set aside (OSHA, 2013, web). In the case presented, it is assumed that the employee from which the complain came from do not have a solid background for integrity. Considering his history on forming a union and constantly being irritable even on the smallest matters could be assumed to have a strong impact on the manner by which he sees the situation in the company. Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, such complain should not be neglected.

It should be realized that no one would be complaining if everything is done right with full attention to what the employees need. The first step to take then is to look through the situation of the workers in an actual process of operation. This means to actually see the employees at work and evaluate the ways by which their safety is put into question. If there are relative reasons that would support the complains being presented to the administration, then particular adjustments should be made. Understandably, even though the current situation of the employees is but temporary until the renovations are done, the company should still assure the safety and comfortable environment with which the employees are subjected to stay while completing their assigned tasks while on duty (CDC, 2013, web).

Facing the OSHA officer, it is important to make sure that the complaints are properly addressed. The background of the complainant may not have a correlative impact on how the case progresses, hence it may not be helpful nor important to add such information in the process of investigation. What must be done is that the documentation of the current situation be pursued along with the list of alternative solutions that the administration is willing to take into consideration for the sake of assuring safety and protection of the employees, even though the situation they are subjected to is temporary.

Scenario 2:

First to note in relation to this case is the reexamination of the sturdiness of the cranes. Once the incident has been investigated upon, administrators should seek a documented report on the cranes especially in relation to their integrity to be used further for operation. If the cranes are indeed proven unable to withstand the pressure of the function they are supposed to contend with then a proposal for renewed equipments should immediately be forwarded. Meanwhile, it is also important to immediately talk with the employees during the process. It is understood that somehow, it would be hard for the employees to build trust with the company again after what has happened to their colleague. Reassuring the employees of their safety and that all other precautions are being undertaken by the administration to make sure that their needs are attended to should be given attention in the meeting. All these concerns should be addressed even before an OSHA officer comes in.

If the officer from OSHA does come in, it is first important to make sure that he knows what really happened. After which, presenting him with what was initially wrong and what the company considers to resolve the issue should be given practical concern. This would further impose that the company accepts its mistakes and is willing enough to make sure that the same incident does not happen again in the future through adjusting the support that they are putting in relation to the welfare of the workers (CDC, 2013, web).

References:

The OSHA Act. http://www.legalarchiver.org/osh.htm. Retrieved on June 19, 2013.

CDC: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/. Retrieved on June 19, 2013.