Protecting Vulnerable Employees, Assessment Example

Employers have the duty to their employees to provide a safe working environment for them. Certain populations within the labor force are deemed as special populations or vulnerable populations. Employers have to take into account these population when designing a safe working environment. Vulnerable populations include women, the elderly, individuals with physical disabilities and even individuals living with HIV/Aids. Vulnerable employees does not only apply to a single group.

Safety equipment that is used in most place of work are designed to fit men. Women are usually left susceptible too work-related injuries due to the lack of proper or fitting safety equipment (Dessler, 2015). Furthermore safety equipment that has been designed for physically disabled employees is difficult to obtain. As such, an employer would endeavor to provide all necessary equipment that best suits an individual.

Furthermore, women are the primary caregivers in most homes. Employers are supposed to take into account this fact when conducting recruitment. This will enable the employer develop a work environment that allows for women to realize their career objectives, while maintaining their duties as required by family and society.

Each place of employment has its own inherent dangers. Vulnerable employees are particularly susceptible to these dangers as a result of their orientation to the workplace. It is the employers’ duty to inform employees of all the dangers related to their place of work. Safety features are usually developed and installed in every place of work to enhance work flow and security of employees during working hours. Vulnerable employees may require the installment of security features, such as ramps alongside staircases for physically challenged employees.

The Supervisor’s Role in Workplace Safety

The supervisor is a key figure in ensuring the safety of the workplace environment. While most employees institute safety policies and procedures, the supervisor has the important role of ensuring these policies are adhered to and minimal injury experienced as a result of work related risks. The supervisor has four main roles that ensure workplace place safety. They include;

1. Managing self; this entails identifying one’s own work style as a supervisor in order to successfully manage other employees. This is done through 1) self-awareness and integration of self and role 2) effective communication, 3) understanding importance of diversity.
2. Managing others; this entails developing a respectful workplace, conducting performance management, encouraging team work and conflict resolution and managing inappropriate behavior at the workplace.
3. Managing work; this entails resources and budget management, setting goals, delegating and coordinating.
4. Managing the system; this entails understanding the legal issues specific to the workplace and the risks associated with the workplace.(Dessler, 2015)

Supervisors can further mitigate the unsafe acts of subordinates by employing tools that will help them give priority to workplace safety. A health and safety program is a fixed strategy intended to prevent accidents and work-related diseases. Such a program is mandatory under the occupational health and safety legislation in most organisations (Tom, Norman, & Denis, 2008) . A health and safety program has to contain the essentials required by the health and safety regulation as a minimum. Health and safety training should start with employee placement when an employee joins the business or happens to be reassigned to a different job. Experience has to be gained through time, both job skills training and health and safety training can be used to advance this record. Placement period covers explanation of the role of the labour unit, administrative arrangements, organizational relationships and various strategies and rules as per the ethics. (Tom, Norman, & Denis, 2008)

Items connected to health safety, which should be incorporated are; unsafe conditions and acts, location of first aid stations, health and safety responsibilities, emergency procedures, reporting of injuries, right to refuse hazardous work and use of personal protective equipment among others.

References

Dessler, G. (2015). Human Resource Management. Boston: Pearson Education.

Tom, L. B., Norman, E. B., & Denis, G. A. (2008). Ethical Theory and Business. New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall.