Dissertation

On
“EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND SECURITY AT
WORKPLACE: A CASE STUDY OF UNION CARBIDE
INDIA LIMITED (UCIL)”

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT

FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE

Master of Business Administration

Submitted By:
Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan
Roll No. 1217570088

Under the supervision of

Mr. Babar Mushtaq
(Assistant Professor)

AL-BARKAAT INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES,

ALIGARH
(Affiliated to UPTU Lucknow)
2014

Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan MBA 4th Sem. 2013-14 ABIMS, Aligarh 1

 Acknowledgement

This dissertation is the result of the contributions and cooperation of many people, other than

my own small efforts.

I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all my teachers, who have bestowed me with the

erudition that has made this assignment possible.

In particular I wish to extend my earnest and heartfelt thanks to my supervisor MR. BABAR

MUSHTAQ (Assistant Professor) Al-Barkaat Institute of Management Studies , Aligarh

whose timely advice, sermonizing words of wisdom and motivation inspired me into finishing

this assignment successfully. I am indebted to him for his involvement.

I also wish to thank my parents and all those unknown people who agreed on filling my

questionnaires painstakingly and thus helped me actually go ahead with my assignment or my

work would have remained confined to my imagination.

In the end I would also like to add that this report exists because of the cooperation of all and

that I take no credit for this achievement but responsibility for any mistake and inaccuracies.

Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan

Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan MBA 4th Sem. 2013-14 ABIMS, Aligarh 2

 DECLARATION

I solemnly declare that the report titled “EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND

SECURITY AT WORK PLACE : A CASE STUDY OF UNION

CARBIDE INDIA LIMITED (UCIL)” is a bonafide record of work carried by

me, submitted to partial fulfillment of requirement for the award of degree Master

of Business Administration under the guidance of MR. BABAR MUSHTAQ,

(ASSISTANT PROFESSOR) Al-Barkaat Institute of Management Studies , Aligarh

This dissertation report is solely the work of me based upon analysis,

printed material given in bibliography. The matter embodied in this report has not

been submitted for the award of any other degree.

Dated: Subuktgeen M Raize Khan

Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan MBA 4th Sem. 2013-14 ABIMS, Aligarh 3

 INDEX

CERTIFICATE
DECLARATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

PREFACE

1. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 1-2

2. INTRODUCTION 3-5

3. OSHA STANDARD IN INDIA 6-62

 INTRODUCTION TO COMPANY 11
 WORK CONDITIONS 12

 ACCIDENT 14

 LOOPHOLES RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENT 17

 HEALTH EFFECTS 20
 AFTERMATH 22
 COMPENTATION 24

 GLIMPSE OF VARIOUS DECTORS 30

 RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT 36

4. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 63-66

5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 67-68

6. FINDINGS 69-70

7. SUGGESTION 71-72

8. CONCLUSION 73-75

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY 76-77
Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan MBA 4th Sem. 2013-14 ABIMS, Aligarh 4
 PREFACE

The workplace environment impacts employee morale, productivity and

engagement - both positively and negatively. The work place environment in

a majority of industry is unsafe and unhealthy. These includes poorly

designed workstations, unsuitable furniture, lack of ventilation, inappropriate

lighting, excessive noise, insufficient safety measures in fire emergencies and

lack of personal protective equipment. People working in such environment

are prone to occupational disease and it impacts on employee‘s performance.

Thus productivity is decreased due to the workplace environment. It is the

quality of the employee‘s workplace environment that most impacts on their

level of motivation and subsequent performance. How well they engage with

the organization, especially with their immediate environment, influences to a

great extent their error rate, level of innovation and collaboration with other

employees, absenteeism and ultimately, how long they stay in the job.

Creating a work environment in which employees are productive is essential

to increased profits for your organization, corporation or small business. The

relationship between work, the workplace and the tools of work, workplace

becomes an integral part of work itself. The management that dictate how,

exactly, to maximize employee productivity center around two major areas of

focus: personal motivation and the infrastructure of the work environment.

Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan MBA 4th Sem. 2013-14 ABIMS, Aligarh 5

 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan MBA 4th Sem. 2013-14 ABIMS, Aligarh 6

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

 To study the Employee‘s Safety and Security at workplace.

 To study the responsibilities of the Employee‘s safety.

 To study the measures adopted by the employer for employee

safety.

 To study the training method provided by the employer to the

employee regarding their safety and security.

Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan MBA 4th Sem. 2013-14 ABIMS, Aligarh 7

 INTRODUCTION

OF

TOPIC

Subuktgeen M. Raize Khan MBA 4th Sem. 2013-14 ABIMS, Aligarh 8

 INTRODUCTION

First of all everyone needs to know that safety is associated with three

different M‘s they are man, machine and material. Every worker has the right

to work in a healthy and secure environment. It the prime duty of the

employers to give their labor force with an environment that is safe healthy

and friendly. Workers safety and health should be the prime concern of all the

employers. A worker of an industry or organization is liable to work in an

environment where his safety and health are properly taken care of. The

responsibility of the safety and health of the worker is not only the sole

responsibility of the employer; it is also the responsibility of the workers to

take care of their own health and safety. A safe and healthy environment can

only be achieved with the proper coordination of the workers, but the prime

responsibility is on the hands of the employers. They need to take the

initiative and invest in the industry, in terms of eliminating risks that are

attached with the work procedures.

Ultimately accidents with the employees not only leads to loss of time,

damage to machines in certain cases, delay in work increasing expenses but

also the amount of money need to be given to the employee as compensation

which is an additional overhead and sometimes even loss of a precious

human life which are not even being taken care of by many higher

4
authorities. This project encompasses all the vital aspect related to each and

every prospect with the help of a case study. In India, occupational accidents,

traditional physical ad ergonomic hazards and occupational diseases are

important factors influencing the health of the industrial workers.

Diseases like byssinosis and pneumoconiosis are rampant among the

industrial workers in India. Among other types of occupational diseases

prevalent in India are diseases of the circulatory system, digestive system,

urinary tracts, nervous system and sense organs (hearing loss, CNS effects),

blood diseases, etc. However, the present health for the Indian workers is not

adequate enough to cope with the ever-increasing occupational diseases and

health problems. The only health facilities offered specifically to the workers

are the health centers under the Employees‘ State Insurance Scheme.

5
 OSHA (OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT)

STANDARDS IN INDIA

India has had legislation on occupational safety and health for 50 years. But

regulatory authorities are limited to 1,400 safety officers, 1,154 factory

inspectors, and 27 medical inspectors. These numbers are grossly inadequate

even for the inspection of formal units that only employ about 10% of India‘s

total workforce (around 26 million), let alone the millions who work in the

informal sector with absolutely no safeguards. It is estimated that unsafe

work conditions is one of the leading causes of death and disability among

India‘s working population. These deaths are needless and preventable.

Unlike growth rates and GDP figures that are flaunted every quarter, the

figures of dying and ailing workers who make this growth possible are never

recorded or spoken about. The only way to get an idea of the scale of the

problem is from data released by the ILO (2), which estimates that around

403,000 people in India die every year due to work-related problems. To give

some idea of the scale -- more than 1,000 workers die every day from work-

related diseases; that‘s about 46 every hour!

LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Safety and health occupy a significant place in India‘s

6
Constitution, which prohibits employment of children under the age of 14 in

factories, mines and hazardous occupations. This policy aims to protect the

health and strength of all workers by discouraging employment in

occupations unsuitable to the worker‘s age and strength. It is the policy of the

State to make provisions to secure just and humane conditions at work. The

principal health and safety laws are based on the British Factories Act. The

Factories Act, 1948 has been amended from time to time, especially after the

Bhopal gas disaster. The amendment demanded a shift away from dealing

with disaster to prevention of its occurrence. The Factories (Amendment) Act

came into force on December 1, 1987. A special chapter on occupational

health and safety to safeguard workers employed in hazardous industries was

added. In this chapter, pre-employment and periodic medical examinations

and monitoring of the work environment are mandatory for industries defined

as hazardous under the Act. A maximum permissible limit has been laid

down for a number of chemicals. The Act is implemented by state factory

inspectorates, supported by industrial hygiene laboratories. There are similar

provisions under the Mines Act. The Factories Act is applicable only to

factories that employ 10 or more workers; it covers only a small proportion of

workers. The Directorate General of Factory Advice Service and Labour

Institutes (DGFASLI) assists the labour ministry in formulating national

policies on occupational safety and health in factories and docks, and

7
enforcing them through inspectorates of factories and inspectorates of dock

safety. Similarly, the Director General of Mines Safety (DGMS), Ministry of

Labour, is responsible for the health and safety of mine workers and

implementation of the Mines Act, 1952.

OSHA OBJECTIVES

The organization shall develop and document OHS goals and objectives, in

consistent with the OHS policy. The goals and objectives shall be

periodically reviewed and communicated to employees and other

stakeholders. The intent of OHS goals and objectives is to meet OHS

performance expectations, and therefore these must be measurable for each

function in the organization viz.

 reduction of risk levels;

 introduction of additional

 features into the OHSMS; steps taken to improve existing features, or

the consistency of their application;

 elimination or the reduction in frequency of undesired incident(s)

KEY OSHA LEGISLATIONS

 Factories Act, 1948, amended in 1954, 1970, 1976, 1987

8
  Mines Act, 1952

 Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986

 Plantation Labour Act, 1951

 Explosives Act, 1884

 Petroleum Act, 1934

 Insecticide Act, 1968

 Indian Boilers Act, 1923

 Indian Electricity Act, 1910

 Dangerous Machines (Regulations) Act, 1983

 Indian Atomic Energy Act, 1962

 Radiological Protection Rules, 1971

 Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989

ILO CONVENTIONS

The International Labor Organization frames key conventions for protecting

the rights of workers; many of them are specifically on occupational health

and safety. These conventions once ratified by member states, form guiding

9
principles for the formulation of national policies and laws. The ILO has 18

conventions that are targeted at addressing the issue of occupational safety

and health (OSH). Though India has ratified 41 ILO conventions and treaties

on labor welfare and labor rights to date, it has ratified only three conventions

on OSH. India is still to ratify important conventions like Convention 155 on

occupational safety and health and the working environment, Convention 161

on occupational health services, Convention 167 on safety and helth in

construction, Convention 176 on safety and health in mines, Convention 184

on safety and health in agriculture, Convention 187, the promotional

framework for occupational safety and health.

LACKS IMPLEMENTATION

In spite of having a good legal framework for the protection of workers, India

suffers from the chronic problem of lacks in implementation. Regulatory

bodies, including the inspectorates, are ill-equipped and severely

understaffed. According to a DGFASLI report (1998), the country has 1,400

safety officers, 1,154 factory inspectors, and 27 medical inspectors. These

numbers are grossly inadequate even for the inspection of formal units that

only employ about 10% of India‘s total workforce

10
 INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPANY

Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) was established in 1934, when Union

Carbide Corporation (UCC) became one of the first U.S. companies to invest

in India. UCIL shares were publicly traded on the Calcutta Stock Exchange.

UCIL was a diversified manufacturing company, employing approximately

9,000 people and operating 14 plants in five divisions. The Bhopal plant was

built in the late 1970's and was owned and operated by UCIL, an Indian

company in which Union Carbide held just over half of the stock. Indian

financial institutions and thousands of private investors in India owned the

remainder of the stock. 50.9% was owned by Union Carbide Corporation

(UCC) and 49.1% by various ndian investors at the time, UCIL was the

Indian subsidiary of the U.S. company UCC, itself now a subsidiary of Dow

Chemical Company. The plant produced pesticide Sevin using methyl

11
isocyanate (MIC) as an intermediatefor use in India to help the country's

agricultural sector increase its productivity and contribute more significantly

to meeting the food needs of one of the world's most heavily populated

regions.

WORK CONDITIONS

Attempts to reduce expenses affected the factory's employees and their

conditions. Kurzman argues that "cuts...meant less stringent quality control

and thus looser safety rules. A pipe

leaked? Don't replace it; employees

said they were told ... MIC workers

needed more training? They could do

with less. Promotions were halted,

seriously affecting employee morale

and driving some of the most skilled ... elsewhere". Workers were forced to

use English manuals, even though only a few had a grasp of the language.

By 1984, only six of the original twelve operators were still working with

MIC and the number of supervisory personnel was also cut in half. No

maintenance supervisor was placed on the night shift and instrument readings

were taken every two hours, rather than the previous and required one-hour

readings. Workers made complaints about the cuts through their union but
12
were ignored. One employee was fired after going on a 15-day hunger strike.

70% of the plant's employees were fined before the disaster for refusing to

deviate from the proper safety regulations under pressure from management.

In addition, some observers, such as those writing in the Trade

Environmental Database (TED) Case Studies as part of the Mandala Project

from American University, have pointed to "serious communication problems

and management gaps between Union Carbide and its Indian operation",

characterized by "the parent companies hands-off approach to its overseas

operation" and "cross-cultural barriers". The personnel management policy

led to an exodus of skilled personnel to better and safer jobs.

PREVIOUS WARNINGS AND INCIDENTS

 A series of prior warnings and MIC-related accidents had occurred:

 In 1976, the two trade unions reacted because of pollution within the

plant.

 In 1981, a worker was splashed with phosgene. In panic he ripped off

his mask, thus inhaling a large amount of phosgene gas; he died 72

hours later.

 In January 1982, there was a phosgene leak, when 24 workers were

exposed and had to be admitted to hospital. None of the workers had

been ordered to wear protective masks.

13
  In February 1982, an MIC leak affected 18 workers.

 In August 1982, a chemical engineer came into contact with liquid

MIC, resulting in burns over 30 percent of his body.

 In October 1982, there was a leak of MIC, methylcarbaryl chloride,

chloroform and hydrochloric acid. In attempting to stop the leak, the

MIC supervisor suffered intensive chemical burns and two other

workers were severely exposed to the gases.

 During 1983 and 1984, leaks of the following substances regularly

took place in the MIC plant: MIC, chlorine, mono methylamine,

phosgene, and carbon tetrachloride, sometimes in combination.

 Reports issued months before the incident by UCC engineers warned

of the possibility of an accident almost identical to that which occurred

in Bhopal. The reports never reached UCC's senior management.

 UCC was warned by American experts who visited the plant after 1981

of the potential of a "runaway reaction" in the MIC storage tank. Local

Indian authorities warned the company of problems on several

occasions from 1979 onwards.

ACCIDENT

Just four hours after the leak of methyl isocyanate (MIC), the works manager

at Union Carbide‘s Bhopal plant said: ―Our safety measures are the best in

14
the country.‖ Barely 100 yards from his office, had thousands of people lain

dead and dying? Tens of thousands more were being crippled for life. People

were terrified, as they woke up to find themselves surrounded by dense

poison clouds. Neither Union Carbide nor the local authorities provided

direction, support, help or guidance that night or in the following days. In the

intervening years, victims‘ organizations have fought relentlessly for justice,

recognition and support. They have received little either through the legal

process or from the Indian government. Today, the toxic legacy of the

disaster continues with tens of thousands of survivors suffering from chronic

illnesses, the persistent presence of poisons in the soil and water and breast

milk, the alarming rise in cancers and congenital problems among children

born to exposed people. An initiative in the city, the Bhopal People‘s Health

and Documentation Clinic, started by the Samb havna Trust, demonstrates an

important practical way of supporting and working with communities

victimized by corporate crime.

During the night of December 2–3, 1984, water entered a tank 610 containing

42 tons of MIC much more than safety rules allowed. Most of the safety

systems were not functioning. Many valves and lines were in poor condition.

A runaway reaction started, which was accelerated by contaminants, high

temperatures and other factors. The resulting exothermic reaction increased

the temperature inside the tank to over 200 °C (392 °F) and raised the
15
pressure. The tank vented releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere. The

gases were blown by northwesterly winds over Bhopal. The reaction was

sped up by the presence of iron from corroding non-stainless steel pipelines.

It is known that workers cleaned pipelines with water. They were not told by

the supervisor to add a slip-blind water isolation plate. Because of this, and

the bad maintenance, the workers consider it possible for water to have

accidentally entered the MIC tank. UCC maintains that a "disgruntled

worker" deliberately connected a hose to a pressure gauge.

Theories differ as to how the water entered the tank. At the time, workers

were cleaning out a clogged pipe with water about 400 feet from the tank.

The operators assumed that owing to bad maintenance and leaking valves, it

was possible for the water to leak into the tank. However, this water entry

route could not be reproduced. UCC also maintains that this route was not

possible, but instead alleges water was introduced directly into the tank as an

act of sabotage by a disgruntled worker via a connection to a missing

pressure gauge on the top of the tank. Early the next morning, a UCIL

manager asked the instrument engineer to replace the gauge. UCIL's

investigation team found no evidence of the necessary connection; however,

the investigation was totally controlled by the government denying UCC

investigators access to the tank or interviews with the operators.

16
LOOP HOLES THAT LEAD TO

ACCIDENT

It emerged in 1998, during civil

action suits in India that the plant

was not prepared for problems. No

action plans had been established to cope with incidents of this magnitude.

This included not informing local authorities of the quantities or dangers of

chemicals used and manufactured at Bhopal.

 The MIC tank alarms had not worked for four years.

 There was only one manual back-up system, compared to a four-stage

system used in the US.

 The flare tower and the vent gas scrubber had been out of service for

five months before the disaster. The gas scrubber therefore did not treat

escaping gases with sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), which might

have brought the concentration down to a safe level. The maximum

pressure the scrubber could handle, provided it had been operating,

was only a quarter of the pressure during the leak. The flare tower

could only hold a quarter of the gas that leaked in 1984.

17
 To reduce energy costs, the refrigeration system was idle. The MIC

was kept at 20 degrees Celsius, not the 4.5 degrees advised by the

manual.

 The steam boiler, intended to clean the pipes, was out of action for

unknown reasons.

 Slip-blind plates that would have prevented water from pipes being

cleaned from leaking into the MIC tanks through faulty valves were

not installed. Their installation had been omitted from the cleaning

checklist.

 The water pressure was too weak to spray the escaping gases from the

stack. They could not spray high enough to reduce the concentration of

escaping gas.

 According to the operators the MIC tank pressure gauge had been

malfunctioning for roughly a week. Other tanks were used rather than

repairing the gauge. The build-up in temperature and pressure is

believed to have affected the magnitude of the gas release. UCC

investigation studies have disputed this hypothesis.

 Carbon steel valves were used at the factory, even though they corrode

when exposed to acid.

 UCC admitted in their own investigation report that most of the safety

systems were not functioning on the night of December 3, 1984.

18
 The design of the MIC plant, following government guidelines, was

"Indianized" by UCIL engineers to maximize the use of indigenous

materials and products. Mumbai based Humphreys and Glasgow

Consultants PVT. Ltd. were the main consultants, Larsen and Toubro

fabricated the MIC storage tanks, and Taylor of India Ltd. provided the

instrumentation.

 Other factors identified by the inquiry included: use of a more

dangerous pesticide manufacturing method, large-scale MIC storage,

plant location close to a densely populated area, undersized safety

devices, and the dependence on manual operations. Plant management

deficiencies were also identified – lack of skilled operators, reduction

of safety management, insufficient maintenance, and inadequate

emergency action plans.

 The chemical process, or "route", used in the Bhopal plant reacted

methylamine with phosgene to form MIC (methyl isocyanate), which

was then reacted with 1-naphthol to form the final product, carbaryl.

This route differs from MIC-free routes used elsewhere, in which the

same raw materials are combined in a different manufacturing order,

with phosgene first reacted with the naphthol to form chloroform ate

ester, which is then reacted with methyl amine. In the early 1980s, the

19
 demand for pesticides had fallen, but production continued, leading to

buildup of stores of unused MIC.

SEVERAL OTHER FACTORS

 Storing MIC in large tanks and filling beyond recommended levels.

 Poor maintenance after the plant ceased MIC production at the end of

1984.

 Failure of several safety systems (due to poor maintenance).

 Safety systems being switched off to save money—including the MIC

tank refrigeration system which could have mitigated the disaster

severity.

The problem was made worse by the mushrooming of slums in the vicinity of

the plant, non-existent catastrophe plans, and shortcomings in health care and

socio-economic rehabilitation.

HEALTH EFFECTS

SHORT TERM HEALTH EFFECTS

Reversible reaction of glutathione (top) with methyl isocyanate (MIC,

middle) allows the MIC to be transported into the body. The leakage caused

many short term health effects in the surrounding areas. Apart from MIC, the

gas cloud may have contained phosgene, hydrogen cyanide, carbon

20
monoxide, hydrogen chloride, oxides of nitrogen, monomethyl amine

(MMA) and carbon dioxide, either produced in the storage tank or in the

atmosphere. The gas cloud was composed mainly of materials denser than the

surrounding air, stayed close to the ground and spread outwards through the

surrounding community.

The initial effects of exposure were coughing, vomiting, severe eye irritation

and a feeling of suffocation. People awakened by these symptoms fled away

from the plant. Those who ran inhaled more than those who had a vehicle to

ride. Owing to their height, children and other people of shorter stature

inhaled higher concentrations. Many people were trampled trying to escape.

There were mass funerals and mass cremations as well as disposal of bodies

in the Narmada River. 170,000 people were treated at hospitals and

temporary dispensaries. 2,000 buffalo, goats, and other animals were

collected and buried. Within a few days, leaves on trees yellowed and fell off.

Supplies, including food, became scarce owing to suppliers' safety fears.

Fishing was prohibited causing further supply shortages.

A total of 36 wards were marked by the authorities as being "gas affected",

affecting a population of 520,000. Of these, 200,000 were below 15 years of

age, and 3,000 were pregnant women. In 1991, 3,928 deaths had been

certified. Independent organizations recorded 8,000 dead in the first days.

21
Other estimations vary between 10,000 and 30,000. Another 100,000 to

200,000 people are estimated to have permanent injuries of different degrees.

The acute symptoms were burning in the respiratory tract and eyes,

blepharospasm, breathlessness, stomach pains and vomiting. The causes of

deaths were choking, reflexogenic circulatory collapse and pulmonary

oedema. Findings during autopsies revealed changes not only in the lungs but

also cerebral oedema, tubular necrosis of the kidneys, fatty degeneration of

the liver and necrotising enteritis.

LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS

It is estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people have permanent injuries. Reported

symptoms are eye problems, respiratory difficulties, immune and

neurological disorders, cardiac failure secondary to lung injury, female

reproductive difficulties and birth defects among children born to affected

women. The Indian Government and UCC deny permanent injuries were

caused by MIC or the other gases.

AFTERMATH OF THE LEAKAGE

 Medical staffs were unprepared for the thousands of casualties.

 Doctors and hospitals were not informed of proper treatment methods

for MIC gas inhalation. They were told to simply give cough medicine

and eye drops to their patients.

22
 The gases immediately caused visible damage to the trees. Within a

few days, all the leaves fell off.

 2,000 bloated animal carcasses had to be disposed of.

 "Operation Faith": On December 16, the tanks 611 and 619 were

emptied of the remaining MIC. This led to a second mass evacuation

from Bhopal.

 Complaints of a lack of information or misinformation were

widespread. The Bhopal plant medical doctor did not have proper

information about the

properties of the gases. An

Indian Government

spokesman said that

"Carbide is more interested in getting information from us than in

helping our relief work."

 As of 2008, UCC had not released information about the possible

composition of the cloud.

 Formal statements were issued that air, water, vegetation and

foodstuffs were safe within the city. At the same time, people were

informed that poultry was unaffected, but were warned not to consume

fish.

23
COMPENSATION FROM UNION CARBIDE

 The Government of India passed the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster Act

that gave the government rights to represent all victims in or outside

India.

 UCC offered US $350 million, the insurance sum. The Government of

India claimed US$ 3.3 billion from UCC. In 1989, a settlement was

reached under which UCC agreed to pay US$470 million (the

insurance sum, plus interest) in a full and final settlement of its civil

and criminal liability.

 When UCC wanted to sell its shares in UCIL, it was directed by the

Supreme Court to finance a 500-bed hospital for the medical care of

the survivors. Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre

(BMHRC) was inaugurated in 1998. It was obliged to give free care for

survivors for eight years.

ECONOMIC REHABILITATION

 After the accident, no one under the age of 18 was registered. The

number of children exposed to the gases was at least 200,000.

 Immediate relief was decided two days after the tragedy.

 Relief measures commenced in 1985 when food was distributed for a

short period and ration cards were distributed.

24
 Widow pension of the rate of Rs 200/per month (later Rs 750) was

provided.

 One-time ex-gratia payment of Rs 1,500 to families with monthly

income Rs 500 or less was decided.

 Each claimant was to be categorised by a doctor. In court, the

claimants were expected to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that death

or injury in each case was attributable to exposure. In 1992, 44 percent

of the claimants still had to be medically examined.

 From 1990 interim relief of Rs 200 was paid to everyone in the family

who was born before the disaster.

 The final compensation (including interim relief) for personal injury

was for the majority Rs 25,000 (US$ 830). For death claim, the

average sum paid out was Rs 62,000 (US$ 2,058).

 Effects of interim relief were more children sent to school, more

money spent on treatment, more money spent on food, improvement of

housing conditions.

 The management of registration and distribution of relief showed many

shortcomings.

 In 2007, 1,029,517 cases were registered and decided. Numbers of

awarded cases were 574,304 and number of rejected cases 455,213.

Total compensation awarded was Rs.1, 546.47 crores.

25
  On June 24, the Union Cabinet of the Government of India approved

Rs1265cr aid package. It will be funded by Indian taxpayers through

the government.

OCCUPATIONAL REHABILITATION

 33 of the 50 planned work-sheds for gas victims started. All except one

was closed down by 1992.

 1986, the MP government invested in the Special Industrial Area

Bhopal. 152 of the planned 200 work-sheds were built. In 2000, 16

were partially functioning.

 It is estimated that 50,000 persons need alternative jobs, and that less

than 100 gas victims have found regular employment under the

government's scheme.

HABITATION REHABILITATION

2,486 flats in two- and four-story buildings were constructed in the "Widows

colony" outside Bhopal. The water did not reach the upper floors. It was not

possible to keep cattle. Infrastructures like buses, In the immediate aftermath

of the disaster, the health care system became tremendously schools, etc.

were missing for at least a decade.

26
HEALTH CARE

Overloaded within weeks, the State Government established a number of

hospitals, clinics and mobile units in the gas-affected area.

 Radical health groups set up JSK (the People's Health Centre) that was

working a few years from 1985.

 Since the leak, a very large number of private practitioners have

opened in Bhopal. In the severely affected areas, nearly 70 percent do

not appear to be professionally qualified.

 The Government of India has focused primarily on increasing the

hospital-based services for gas victims. Several hospitals have been

built after the disaster. In 1994, there were approximately 1.25 beds per

1,000, compared to the recommendation from the World Bank of 1.0

bed per 1,000 in developing countries.

 The Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC) is a

350-bedded super specialty hospital. Heart surgery and hemodialysis

are done. Major specialties missing are gynecology, obstetrics and

pediatrics. Eight mini-units (outreach health centers) were started. Free

health care for gas victims should be offered until 2006. The

management has faced problems with strikes, and the quality of the

health care is disputed.

27
  Sambhavna Trust is a charitable trust that registered in 1995. The clinic

gives modern and Ayurvedic treatments to gas victims, free of charge.

ENVIRONMENTAL REHABILITATION

Variations in economic structure, social set-up, conditions of work, quality of

the work environment all have an impact on the standard of occupational

safety and health. As such the social aspects have been considered while

assessing the health and safety status of the industrial workers. There are also

special occupational settings and types of enterprises, economic activities and

undertakings in which work and workplace deviate substantially from the

norm. Major changes in social and economic systems result in weakening of

the infrastructure for occupational health and safety.

 When the factory was closed in 1985–1986, pipes, drums and tanks

were cleaned and sold. The MIC and the Sevin plants are still there, as

are storages of different residues. Isolation material is falling down and

spreading.

28
 The area around the plant was used as a dumping area for hazardous

chemicals. In 1982 tubewells in the vicinity of the UCC factory had to

be abandoned. UCC's laboratory tests in 1989 revealed that soil and

water samples collected from near the factory and inside the plant were

toxic to fish. Several other studies have shown polluted soil and

groundwater in the area.

 Reported polluting compounds include naphthol, naphthalene, Sevin,

tarry residue, mercury, toxic organochlorines, volatile organochlorine

compounds, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, hexachloroethane,

hexachlorobutadiene, and the pesticide HCH.

 In order to provide safe drinking water to the population around the

UCC factory, there is a scheme for improvement of water supply.

29
GLIMPSE OF VARIOUS SECTORS FACING SIMILAR PROBLEMS

Most workers in India (90%) work in the vast informal sector. The variable

and insecure nature of the work means that more and more workers are

pushed into taking up hazardous and precarious employment both in the

informal economy as well as informal work in the formal sector. For these

workers, employment not only fails to bring about a successful escape from

poverty, it may contribute to existing vulnerabilities.

There are other contributory factors that lead to poor working conditions in

the informal sector:

 There is very little awareness about workplace hazards due to lack of

access to information, or even any kind of formal education. Then too,

OSH is given very low priority among informal workers, as having

work is more important than the quality of the job. As many workers

say: ―We might die of work, but if we don‘t work our families will die

of hunger.‖

 No proper work hours; piece-rate work often leads to exploitation and

extended exposure to hazardous chemicals and processes.

 Diagnosis of occupational diseases is difficult even in the formal

sector; in the informal sector it is almost impossible. In the absence of

30
 proper diagnosis, treatment of occupational illness is next to

impossible for workers in this sector.

 No clear distinction between living and working area complicates the

problem and exposes relatives and others living in the vicinity to work-

related risks

COMPUTER RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS AND THEIR

REMEDIES:

Some of the key problems associated with the IT/BPO/KPO/LPO sectors are

short term eye burning, itching, tearing, eye soreness and eye strain.

Backaches and neckaches are also widespread. There may also be a tendency

for computer users to suffer from cumulative motion disorders, such as carpal

tunnel syndrome, caused by repetitive use of the hands and arms at

uncomfortable angels. OSHA has no specific standards that apply to

computer workstations.

But still in India the government has provided certain guidelines regarding

the use of computer screens. These include:

 Give employees rest break for duration of 3-5 mins for every 20-30

mins of work.

31
 Design maximum flexibility into the work station so it can be adapted

to the individual operator.

 Reduce glare with devices such as shades over windows, and recessed

or indirect lighting.

 Give workers a complete preplacement vision exam to ensure properly

corrected vision for reduced visual strain.

 Put the screen at or just below eye level, at a distance of 18-30 inches

from the eyes.

 Put the feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.

32
 STATISTICS

Death toll Aviation

349 – 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision (India, 1996)

213 – Air India Flight 855 (India, 1978)

158 – Air India Express Flight 812 (India, 2010)

94 – Alitalia Flight 771 (Mumbai, India, 7 July 1962)

86 – Japan Airlines Flight 471, (Delhi, India, June, 1972)

69 – Indian Airlines Flight 257, Imphal, India, 1991

56 – Indian Airlines Flight 491, Aurangabad, India

Coal mine disasters

375 – Coal mine (Bihar, India, 1965)

Industrial disasters

20,000 – Bhopal Disaster (India, 1984)

22 – Hindustan Petroleum Refinery fire – 14-Sep-1997,

Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India,

33
Maritime

625 – 1947 Ramdas Ship Disaster, SS Ramdas (Bombay, 1947)

438 – Baccha Singh (Manihari Ghat, Bihar, River Ganges, 6 August 1988)

Structural fires

538 – Dayananda Anglo Vedic private school fire (Mandi Dabwali, India,

December 23, 1995)

Train accidents and disasters

500-800 – Bihar train disaster (Bihar, India, 1981)

358 – Firozabad rail disaster (India, 1995)

285 – Gaisal train disaster (India, 1999)

212 – Khanna rail disaster (India, 1998)

154 – Mardaiyar river bridge derail disaster, (Tamil-Nadu, India,

1956)

107 – Patna train derailed, (Bihar, India, 1937)

34
Most Frequently Cited OSHA Standards

35
 RESPONSIBILTIES OF MANAGEMENT

Management are supposed to get personally involved in safety activities in

terms of providing safety matters high priority in meetings and production

scheduling, giving the company security officer high rank and status and

include safety training in their work culture. Along with all these the

management must also include:

 Management‘s commitment with a safety policy, and publicize it.

 Analyze the number of accidents and safety incidents and then set

specific achievable safety goals.

REDUCING UNSAFE CONDITIONS

Injuries and accidents are common here due to the highly risky procedures.

Working in or even around a construction site can be dangerous. The location

need not be a building site; it can be any construction related area. What

matters is you being aware of the hazards lurking around at such sites and

how much dangerous they can possibly be for you as a worker.

Thousands of people are killed at the construction sites every year.

Construction industry has reported largest number of fatalities as compared to

any other industry sectors. The main trouble is not that risks and hazards are

unknown but the trouble is that it is difficult to control risks and hazards in

36
the constantly changing environment in the world place today.

The safety hazards at the construction site will fall from the motor vehicle

crashes, height, machines, electrocution, being struck with the falling objects

and equipments. Due to the nature of the work, the workers at the

construction site face higher risks of injury and accidents as compared to

almost any other normal industry.

People must be aware of conditions that can contribute to an accident and

then work to remove exposure to these conditions. Examples are enclosing

live electrical circuits or providing workers with the proper protective

equipment. Of course, it is difficult to eliminate all unsafe conditions, and it's

even more difficult to predict or anticipate where such conditions may exist

or develop on construction jobs involving lead. To eliminate unsafe actions

and conditions in and around construction sites, many advanced traffic,

propping equipments and propping accessories are available. These high

quality propping and traffic equipments will ensure workers safety. Using

good quality bridge supports, roof supports, and wall supporting applications

will prove helpful. The employer can also choose from various props to best

suit the purpose. Propping equipments like a crow props, multi props, tilt

props and titan props to name a few offers safety and support for most

construction sites. Taking proper measures for reducing unsafe actions and

eliminating unsafe conditions should ensure workers safety.

37
REDUCING UNSAFE ACTS

Each worker must make a conscious effort to work safely despite the

hazardous conditions that may exist at any site. A high degree of safety

awareness and training must be maintained so that the safety factors involved

in a job become an actual part of the job. By being conscious of the task you

are performing, the environment in which it is being performed, as well as

how you are going to actually perform the task, you will be capable of

identifying potential hazards that will cause you to act in an unsafe manner.

Safety is the condition of being secure from hurt, injury, or loss. Therefore, to

be safe, you act in two ways, proactively and reactively. When you act

proactively, you anticipate problems before they occur and take steps to make

sure accidents don't happen. When you act reactively, you are responding to

problems after they occur. Workers are best protected when they act

proactively.

From an employee‘s perspective he needs to take care of the following

checklist

38
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets,

goggles, or other garment or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body

from injury by blunt impacts, electrical hazards, heat, chemicals, and

infection, for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, and in

sports, martial arts, combat, etc.

Personal armor is combat-specialized protective gear. In British legislation

the term PPE does not cover items such as armor. The terms "protective gear"

and "protective clothing" are in many cases interchangeable; "protective

clothing" is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and "gear" is a more

39
general term and preferably means uniquely protective categories, such as

pads, guards, shields, masks, etc. Items such as fire extinguishers, first aid

kits are equipment to support the personal protection of the subject. Police

use handcuffs, tasers, battens and handguns as PPE.

 The goal of personal protective equipment is to prevent the transfer of

hazardous material from victims or the environment to rescue or health

care workers.

 Different types of PPE may be used depending on the hazard present.

The types of hazards addressed here include biological warfare agents

(BWAs), chemical warfare agents (CWAs), and radioactive agents.

 The most common routes of exposure to these hazards include

inhalation (breathing, from the air), skin contact, and ingestion (eating

or drinking).

The use of personal protective equipment is to reduce employee exposure to

hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or

effective to reduce these risks to acceptable levels.

40
CONDUCT SAFETY AND HEALTH

AUDITS AND INSPECTIONS

Purpose

Inspection of work areas and audits of safety programs are tools that can be

used to identify problems and hazards before these conditions result in

accidents or injuries. Audits also help to identify the effectiveness of safety

program management and can be used as a guide to assure regulatory

compliance and a safe workplace.

Responsibilities

 Design and schedule audit and inspection procedures for all work

areas, processes and procedures.

 Conduct routine audits and inspections

 Ensure audits are conducted by employees who understand the various

safety programs and policies

 conduct informal daily safety inspections and ensure all unsafe

conditions are corrected

 conduct documented weekly inspections and ensure all unsafe

conditions are corrected

41
Corrections

All safety deficiencies found during audits and inspections should be

corrected as soon as possible. Documentation of corrections should be made

on the audit or inspection sheet. And conditions that present hazards are to be

corrected or controlled immediately.

Types of Inspections

Supervisor & Management Daily Walk-through: this is an undocumented

inspection that is made daily prior to startup and shift change to ensure the

facility and equipment are in safe conditions for Employees. All noted unsafe

areas are placed in a safe condition prior to Employees working in the area.

Weekly Supervisor Inspections are conducted and recorded with an

Employee. This documented inspection provides a focus to ensure current

hazard controls are still effective, equipment is in safe condition and safe

work practices are in use. Discrepancies are listed on the inspection sheet,

recorded on work orders for correction. The inspection sheet is forwarded to

the Safety Manager for review and logging to track discrepancy correction.

Monthly Safety Committee Inspection

Each month members of the Safety Committee will tour the entire facility

with the Safety Manager. This tour is to ensure Safety Committee Members
42
are familiar with all areas of the operation. Record of problem areas,

committee recommendations and deficiencies will be recorded and provided

to management. Noise Surveys are conducted at least annually, or whenever

facility modifications are made that impact the ambient or specific work area

noise levels, Noise surveys are conducted by qualified persons with

calibrated instruments. Equipment Inspections are conducted to ensure

specific safety equipment is in good working order and will function when

needed. Examples and frequencies are:

 Sprinkler Inspection - Monthly

 Boiler Checks- Weekly

 Emergency Lighting Test - Monthly

 Fire Extinguisher Inspections - Monthly

 Safety Equipment Inventories - Monthly

 Boiler Tests - Monthly

 Emergency Lighting 90 Min. Test - Semiannually

 Respirator Inspections- Before / After Use (Monthly at a minimum)

 Boiler Internal Inspections - Annually (by qualified inspector)

Program Audits are conducted to check the administration of specific safety

and health programs. Program Audits of the following shall be conducted

annually.

43
  Accident Prevention

 Fire Prevention

 Material Handling

 Flammable Material Storage

 Lockout-Tag out

 Hazard Communication

 Personal Protective Equipment

 Confined Space Entry

 Asbestos Controls

 Boiler Safety

 Blood borne Pathogens

 Contractor Safety

 Electrical Safety

 Tool Safety

 Hot Work

 Respiratory Protection

BASIC INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE PROGRAM

Managing exposure hazards like these comes under the category of industrial

hygiene ,and involves recognition ,evaluation, and control. First, the facility‘s

health and safety officers must recognize possible hazards. This typically

44
involves conducting plan/facility walk around surveys, employee interviews,

records, and reviews of government and non-governmental standards

regarding various occupational exposure hazards. Having identified a

possible hazard, the evaluation phase involves determining how severe

hazard is. This requires measuring the exposure, comparing the measured

exposure to some benchmark, and determining whether the risk is within

tolerances.

AVOIDING ALCOHOLISM OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE

DURING WORK

Drug-using employees are over three and half times more likely to be

involved in workplace accidents. Some experts estimate that as many as 50 %

of all ―problem employees‖ are actually alcoholics. One estimate places the

cost of substance abusers damage to a company at $7,000 per abuser per day.

Both the quality and quantity of the work decline, in the face of a sort of on-

the-job absenteeism. The alcoholic‘s on-the-job accidents

usually don‘t increase significantly, apparently because he

or she becomes much more cautious. The off-the-job

accident rate is higher than for nonalcoholic‘s. Morale of

other workers drops as they have to shoulder the alcoholic‘s burdens.

45
SUPERVISOR TRAINING

Supervisor training has far reaching benefits. When you improve the

performance of supervisors you are improving the performance of everyone

in the company.

Good supervisors with proper training will be able to direct and lead the staff

better to help increase efficiency and make employees perform better. The

possible effects of supervisor training can range from a simple change in the

quality of work to helping to lower costs.

When you train management to be better at their jobs they will help their

direct reports are better at their jobs. It is also possible through such

improvement to see a change in the company as a whole. When employees

feel happy at work their efforts almost always increase and therefore that will

help the company to become more stable and able to advance and grow.

As you can see supervisor training is something that will help to make your

company a better place to work and help make it a better overall company

REDUCING JOB STRESS

Increasing Employees' Sense of Control and Participation in the

Workplace
46
The key point here is to increase real control and participation; not the

illusion of control. Possible workplace strategies:

 Using staff meetings more effectively to encourage participation and

input.

 Develop autonomous work groups

For example:

Blue-Collar employees in a British confectionary company reported low

scores on three job characteristics (autonomy, task identity and feedback),

low work motivation, low job satisfaction and high levels of emotional

distress. Increases in group autonomy were attempted by shifting

responsibility and control to work teams and away from the supervisor.

Teams had control over the work place, organization of rest breaks, and

allocation of overtime and assignments. Six months and 18-month follow up

revealed reduced emotional distress and lasting increases in autonomy.

Increasing the Skill Levels of Employees

Healthy work is skillful work. It allows for the ongoing development of new

skills and the opportunity to use them. There has been a great deal of

discussion at the national level concerning the importance of high skill, high

wage work in increasing the productivity of U.S. companies. Unfortunately,

47
many of the jobs being added to the economy are extremely low skill ones.

Possible workplace strategies to counter this deskilling effect:

 Increased skill based training.

 Use of career ladders to reward skill development

 Use of job rotation to expand skills

 Use of job redesign to increase range of skill needed

 Healthy use of computers for skill development.

Increasing Levels of Social Support

Key components to social support in the workplace are supervisory support

and coworker support. Possible workplace strategies:

 Training in proactive supervision.

 This supervisory approach emphasizes positive feedback, employee

growth and development, open lines of communication, and strong

levels of support.

 Training in conflict resolution and team building.

 Appropriate use of staff retreats.

48
Changes that Improve Physical Working Conditions

There is extensive evidence that poor physical working conditions contribute

not only to physical hazards, but stress levels as well. Possible workplace

strategies:

 Improving indoor air quality.

 Reducing levels of physical hazards such as noise, toxins, chemicals,

etc.

 Job redesign to reduce incidence of repetitive strain injuries (that is,

reducing repetitive work, awkward work postures and/or heavy lifting.

Healthy Use of Technology

Healthy use of computers

More and more of our working time is spent in front of computers. While

they can be a tremendous help in our work, they can also increase stress

levels if the computer work is poorly designed. Cumulative trauma disorders

can be a particular physical hazard of increased computer use. Good

ergonomics is a key to healthy computer use. State health departments

usually have someone who is an expert in this area. They can help you with

proper equipment, lighting and pace of work issues. They can also help you

reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries among your staff.

49
2) Staff involvement in choosing new equipment:

This is a common sense strategy that is often overlooked. This can have

payoffs for both job satisfaction and productivity.

For example:

A large state human service agency was planning to buy new computer work

stations for its 3000 employees. This represented a tremendous expenditure

for the agency. Instead of making a unilateral decision, they put three

different work stations in one office and left them there for two months.

Maintaining Job Demands at Healthy Levels

Human beings can become sick if they work too long at a high sustained

pace. They are at their most productive and healthy if they can work at a

manageable level. Possible workplace strategies:

1) Reduced use of overtime

2) Caseload restrictions

3) Brake mechanism - an administrative group designed to reduce the amount

of change the organization initiates.

4) Formation of "What don't we need to do?" committee - an internal group

charged with finding low priority or unnecessary tasks. Job reduction is not a

goal of this approach.

50
Changes that Provide for Job Security and Career Development

Frequently, workplace changes occur in a climate of job insecurity or

downsizing. From the perspective of occupational stress, changes that are

intended to eliminate jobs are usually incompatible with efforts to improve

the quality of the working environment. Employees are particularly resentful

of participating in changes that may well lead to their own job loss such as

time and motion studies. More positive approaches attempt to use the skills of

existing employees in a more effective manner. Possible workplace

strategies:

1) Extension of career ladders.

2) Expansion of responsibilities and tasks.

For example:

A private company in Sweden provided mechanisms for their clerical

employees to increase their skill levels, job responsibilities and depth of

specialization. Nearly half of the secretaries were eventually promoted to

higher job classifications, opening up new career opportunities for them. This

process also generated a number of proposals for improved productivity at

the company.

51
Changes that Provide Healthy Work Schedules

Work schedules can have positive or negative health consequences. A

number of studies have associated poorer physical and psychological

functioning with rotating shifts. On the other hand, more flexible work

schedules have the potential of improving employee satisfaction and reducing

stress. Possible workplace strategies:

1) Reduced use of forced overtime

2) Rotating shifts in a forward (day to night) schedule.

3) Use of flextime and other alternative work week schedules.

For example:

A public sector agency responsible for environmental protection implemented

an Alternative Workweek Program for some of its employees. After the

program had been in place for approximately 8 months, participants, non-

participants and managers were surveyed regarding their satisfaction with the

plan. Strong majorities in all three groups expressed satisfaction with the

program. Virtually all participants reported that the program improved the

quality of their working life, gave them increased flexibility and control over

their schedules, improved their productivity, reduced their stress levels, and

allowed them to more easily balance work and family responsibilities.

52
Participants in the program also had a significant drop in sick day use

compared with non-participants.

Strategies to Improve Personal Coping Mechanisms

Individual strategies are easier to initiate but should never be seen as an

equivalent substitute for organizational change. These strategies can,

however, be very useful companions to structural change efforts. One good

distinction for person change strategies is the difference between functional

and dysfunctional coping mechanisms. All human beings have coping

mechanisms. Unfortunately, these mechanisms are not always the most

effective or functional. The goal is to replace dysfunctional coping

mechanisms with functional ones. Some healthy choices:

1) Improving the diet of employees:

Possible work place strategies: bring in a nutritionist for a day of training,

encourage employees to keep diet diaries for a week, offer nutritional foods

at the worksite, form a healthy snacks club.

2) Encouraging the employees to exercise.

Possible work place strategies: start a walking club at lunch time, look for

group discounts at nearby health clubs, bring in a fitness trainer for an in-

service day, and provide exercise equipment or facilities.

53
For example:

One intervention study found that combining a health risk assessment with

behavioral counseling was effective in reducing some cardiovascular risk

factors. This program gave workers a health assessment, education on the risk

factors of cardiovascular disease and provided them some behavioral

counseling. Among other suggestions, the counseling sessions encouraged

workers to stop smoking improve their diet and increase their exercise level.

3) Training in deep muscle relaxation techniques.

Psychologists have known for some time that anxiety and deep muscle

relaxation are mutually exclusive. That is, you can't be anxious and relaxed at

the same time. This finding has been used to successfully treat many phobias,

but it can also be a useful strategy for dealing with stress. The goal is to train

your employees to be able to become relaxed on demand, thereby cutting the

stress cycle short. It is an effective method for training individuals how to

relax their major muscle groups. There are other useful techniques available

for employees working on computers.

Possible workplace strategies: Many stress management consultants are able

to train your employees in these techniques. A good use of an in-service

training day would be to bring in a consultant and either has them train all

54
your employees, or intensively train a small group who would then become

your in-house trainers.

4) Training in effective cognitive strategies.

There are several potentially useful techniques here. Remember that

something is not stressful unless it is perceived or appraised as stressful.

Cognitive psychologists have developed techniques that replace negative

cognitions. Another useful strategy is called thought stopping. Since we know

that negative thoughts can increase anxiety and therefore stress symptoms,

psychologists have learned to train individuals too literally "stop" these

thoughts before they become too repetitive. These techniques have been

found to be extremely useful for people who have serious problems with

anxiety or depression.

Some possible workplace strategies: Realistically, these techniques require a

trained professional. You should find a competent cognitive psychologist in

your area and ask him/her to come in for an in-service day or work through

an Employee Assistance Program.

5) Training in Substance Abuse Awareness.

Individuals who are under a great deal of stress begin to self-medicate

themselves in order to feel better. They may drink more, take more

55
prescription medication, or take illegal drugs. Every organization has

individuals who may already have serious problems in this regard. These

individuals probably need professional help. Substance abuse awareness is

best used as a preventative measure.

Possible work place strategies: there are many resources available in the

community for substance abuse awareness training. Many human service

agencies are willing to do this kind of outreach for free, and many schools are

now hiring well qualified counselors who could be an important resource to

your employees, or you can establish your own employee assistance program.

6) Organize discussion groups on healthy stress reducers.

The idea is to get employees to share effective strategies with each other.

Possible workplace strategies: this strategy does not need external resources.

You can simply pull together a meeting where people share the stress

reducers that work for them. You may want to prepare a handout ahead of

time that reviews examples of healthy coping mechanisms. This will help to

structure the discussion and provide an opportunity for some additional

training. An added benefit of this approach is that it also provides a

mechanism for giving social support to employees.

56
7) Transition time.

Many employees leave their jobs only to return to stressful conditions at

home. They may have families to take care of, meals to cook, or older parents

to visit. Remember that it can take a good 20 to 30 minutes for the body to

return to baseline after experiencing a stressor. If the employee walks into

their door "stressed out" and then has to deal with a difficult situation at

home, their chances of having long-term health consequences increase.

Obviously the work place isn't responsible for solving employee's domestic

problems. But it is in your interest to have the healthiest possible workers.

Transition time can be a useful technique in short circuiting the stress

response at home. The basic idea is to train employees to find a way to relax

for 20-30 minutes before assuming family responsibilities. This allows the

body's autonomic responses to return to baseline.

8) Leaving stress at the front door - training on family dynamics and

parenting skills.

There's been a good deal of research showing that, as stress increases, so do

family problems. It is very easy for angry, frustrated employees to take stress

out on their families. Even healthy, supportive families can go through some

rough times. Parents who had few problems with their children suddenly have

major difficulties with them in adolescence. Again, the work place is not
57
responsible for domestic violence. But improving your employees' abilities to

handle pressures at home can have major payoffs for your organization.

WORKPLACE SMOKING

People smoke for many reasons and once they start, it is nearly impossible to

quit. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed

that a mere 2% of Indians quit smoking and that too after falling ill. In the

corporate culture, smoking is a fad. People smoke even if that involves

getting out of the office and taking a long walk. But there are some like the

fitness freak even hates the smell of it, and is uncomfortable with people

smoking during informal meetings. The law prohibits smoking in the

workplace.

 "Workplace" means an enclosed structure where employees perform

services for an employer or, in the case of an employer who assigns

employees to departments, divisions or similar organizational units, the

enclosed portion of a structure where the unit to which the employee is

assigned is located. "Workplace" does not include any portion of a

structure that also serves as the employee's or employers personal

residence

58
HOW SMOKING COSTS THE EMPLOYER

Weis, Kristein and others have found that smoking activity by employees

increases costs in many areas. Some of these areas are:

Absenteeism: On average, smokers are absent 50 percent more often than

nonsmokers. As long ago as 1974, Dow Chemical Company found that

cigarette smoking employees were missing 5.5 more work days per year than

their nonsmoking peers. Costs for these absences include temporary

replacements and lowered productivity and morale among employees who

are on the job and must cope with the absences.

Productivity: One has only to visualize the smoking ritual to realize the time

lost by smokers. Add to that inefficiency and errors caused by higher CO

levels in smokers, eye irritation, and lower attentiveness. Research is

documenting lower productivity in smoking employees and increases in

productivity when smoking is limited or banned.

Insurance: Additional health-care cost per smoker in this country is slightly

over $300 per year in 1983 dollars, and this estimate is conservative. Some

insurers, recognizing the differential in mortality rates between smokers and

nonsmokers, are offering up to 45 percent discounts on premiums for term-

life coverage for nonsmokers with medical examinations. They represent

another area of potential savings when smoking is either banned or restricted

59
in the workplace. Smokers have twice the accident rate of nonsmokers due in

part to loss of attention, smoking hand occupied, eye irritation, and cough.

Researchers have estimated fire accident costs due to smoking to be $10 per

year per smoker. Dr. Weis says that health and fire insurance premiums can

be 25 to 35 percent lower for smoke-free businesses, and morbidity and fire

statistics suggest that premium discounts should be as high as 70 percent.

Disability and early retirement payments can be cut by as much as 75 percent.

Ventilation: The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air

Conditioning Engineers notes that "higher ventilation rates are specified for

spaces where smoking is permitted because tobacco smoke is one of the most

difficult contaminants to control at the source." Requirements for outdoor air

are two to three times greater when smoking is a factor, and filters must be

cleaned or changed much more frequently.

Maintenance Costs: Employers who have banned smoking report dramatic

decreases in the maintenance costs of their businesses. Building maintenance

services are enthusiastic about the change in the amount of cleaning required.

Furniture and drapes last longer and have to be cleaned less often. Many

chores done on a monthly basis can be scheduled semiannually or annually.

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EVACUATION PLANS

A disorganized evacuation can result in confusion, injury, and property

damage. When there is an emergency, getting workers out of poses special

challenges. Preparing in advance to safely evacuate the building is critical to

the safety of employees who work there.

What actions should employers take to help ensure safe evacuations?

 Don't lock fire exits or block doorways, halls, or stairways

 Test regularly all back-up systems and safety systems, such as

emergency lighting and communication systems, and repair them as

needed

 Develop a workplace evacuation plan, post it prominently on each

floor, and review it periodically to ensure its effectiveness

 Identify and train floor wardens, including back-up personnel, who will

be responsible for sounding alarms and helping to evacuate employees

 Conduct emergency evacuation drills periodically

 Ensure that during off-hour periods, systems are in place to notify,

evacuate, and account for off-hour building occupants

 Post emergency numbers near telephones

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What should employers do when an emergency occurs?

 Sound appropriate alarms and instruct employees to leave the building

 Notify, police, firefighters or other appropriate emergency personnel

 Take a head count of employees at designated meeting locations, and

notify emergency personnel of any missing workers

What actions should employees know before an emergency occurs?

 Be familiar with the work site's emergency evacuation plan

 Know the pathway to at least two alternative exits from every

room/area at the workplace

 Recognize the sound/signaling method of the fire/evacuation alarms

 Know who to contact in an emergency and how to contact them

 Know how many desks or cubicles are between your workstation and

two of the nearest exits so you can escape in the dark if necessary

 Know where the fire/evacuation alarms are located and how to use

them

 Report damaged or malfunction safety systems and back-up systems

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE

63
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A team from Massey and Auckland Universities carried out an extensive

review of New Zealand and overseas literature, and followed this up with

local case studies to test how well businesses understand the connection

between a healthy and safe workplace and their bottom line.

This report summarizes the literature review, its key findings and main

themes. The report covers:

the known costs and causes of injuries and disease in New Zealand and

overseas

the challenges to finding ways to measure health and safety performance

the links between health and safety interventions and increased

performance and productivity

the opportunities for businesses to change and further research.

ACCORDING TO BENNET

“Bennet (2002) finds the ILO approach towards safety and health in

the Workplace ideal since it seeks to benefit the workers who are always

Vulnerable to occupational incidences by advocating that total safety and

Health specifications should be given priority over performance standards.

He argues that pursuing performance standards does not have the safety of
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workers at heart and pursues a goal other than the total safety of workers is

to keep the establishment going. He maintains that performance standards

contain no specific objectives and thus are not measurable.‖

ACCORDING TO PARBOTEEAH AND KAPP

“Parboteeah and Kapp (2007) in their study of ethical climates and Safety

behavior found that egoistic behavior relates positively to injuries and

negatively to safety in the workplace. They also discovered that benevolence

and principled attributes relate negatively to injuries but positively to safety

enhancing behaviour in the workplace. This suggests that the life style of an

individual significantly affects safety and health in the workplace‘s study

highlighting statistics gathered from Namibian workplaces on common

causes of workplace incidents revealed that the most common incidents at the

workplace occur more often due to ordinary negligent human activity than

use of dangerous machinery and substances (Amweelo, 2000)‖.

ACCORDING TO PARKER

Parker (1999: 215) writes that the corporate veil frequently wards off the

Penetration of standards into the corporate world and prevents the imposition

of legal sanctions. She states that ―adversarial trained lawyers often facilitate

avoidance and evasion of corporate liability through creative compliance with

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legal requirements‖. She also states that a commonly preferred solution to the

problem of ensuring that values permeate the internal working of

corporations is to require large institutions to regulate themselves, which is

often found to be effective by some and problematic by others.

In Africa studies on human perception and experience of environmental

safety management is sparse. These studies tend to focus on behavioural

qualities of the workers at the workplaces (Burton: 2006) and on issues such

as occupational hygiene, global equity challenges, policies, problem solving,

Welding health hazards, health education, asbestos problems, responsibility

Assignment, health and safety and equity in the workplace (Asuzu, 1998;

Spee, 2006; Skinner, 2006; Loewenson, 2004; Jurdak and Shah in, 2001;

Meo and Khlaiwi, 2003; Kuye, 2001Rantanen, 1997; Harris and Kahwa

2003; Gyekye and Salminen, 2005).

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RESAERCH METHODOLOGY

67
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH DESIGN :

The design which is used in this research is ―DESCRIPTIVE‖ in nature. The

objective of descriptive study is learn who, what, when, where and how.

SOURCE OF DATA :

The sources of data collection method are basically:-

Secondary data

It means data that is already available i.e., they refer to data, which has

already been collected and analyzed by someone else. When a secondary data

is used, the researcher has to look into various sources from where he can

obtain data. This includes information from various books, periodicals,

magazines etc

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FINDINGS

69
 FINDINGS

 Employee safety and security play very important role in reducing

labour turnover and absenteeism at the workplace.

 Proper training is provided by the organization due to changing

technology in respect to employee‘s safety and security.

 Proper measure can be there in an organization regarding safety and

security of the employees.

 It is found out that employee‗s are given proper rest and greater

flexibility in working hour at the work place to reduce the chance of

accident and thereby ensuring safety and security.

 Organization conducts routine daily safety inspection and ensures all

unsafe condition at workplace are eliminated.

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SUGGESTION

71
 Suggestion

 Organization should reduce the level of physical hazards such as noise,

toxins, chemical etc. to the mini possible extent.

 Organization should redesign job to reduce incidence of repetitive

Strain injuring by reducing repetitive work, un-work, work posture,

Heavy lifting etc.

 Organization should reduce overtime and ensure more flexible timing

and other alternative work schedule.

 Management should show few commitments for a safety policy and

should communicate of all the work force on time.

 Just in time technique lecture by experts and conferences are for

training method which is used by organization regarding safety and

security.

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CONCLUSION

73
 CONCLUSION

Occupational health and safety is not limited in scope only to prevent and

control specific occupational diseases. Worker‘s health and safety programs

should deal with the complete relationship between work and total health of

man. However, the present occupational health and safety infrastructure in

India has not been able to achieve these objectives.

The Indian legislations fail to consider the numerous problems existing in

India industry. The legislations fail to reflect the importance of attitude of the

organizational system and the capacities or performance of working people.

The present state of Indian industry does not provide any incentive to the

employers/entrepreneurs to invest in safety measures. There is little

awareness about safety aspects among the Indian trade unions. The small

unorganized industrial units spread over the length and breadths of the

country are not covered by any occupational health services.

Besides all these it is the responsibility of the management to work with

ethics so as ensure the safety and security of the employees and make sure

that they are more than happy and comfortable in the area of their working

premises providing all sorts of essential needs and comforts. When all these

are met ultimately workers will be giving their best in terms of productivity

in an organization, which is really concerned about them. It is more than easy

74
if we could just take small and precautionary measures to avoid such a huge

disaster like the ―BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY‖.

75
BIBLIOGRAPHY

76
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://dgfasli.nic.in/info1.htm

http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/lang--en/index.htm

http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/lang--en/index.htm

http://www.iitk.ac.in/che/jpg/cwrep2.pdf

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-12-

03/india/28061521_1_compensation-gas-affected-persons-bhopal-gas-

tragedy

http://www.aiche.org/uploadedfiles/ccps/about/bhopal20yearslater.pdf

http://www.rrojasdatabank.info/urban/euv14n1p89.pdf

http://labour.nic.in/ilas/indiaandilo.htm

http://www.citehr.com/research.php?q=reducing+unsafe+conditions+i

n+an+organization&submit=reSearch

Human resource management book by- Gary Dessler and Bijju

Varkkey.

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