In this report I would like to analyse the company that I have worked for, in China. Its a small company that operated in rotational shifts. The different possible hazards and its prevention (practicable steps) are analysed according to the HSEA 1992, section 19.
Employee working long hours in front of computers
Employees spend more than 6-7 hours in front of computer concentrating at one position. Continuous looking at computer screen of high resolution can cause serious damage to eyes like myopia or hypermetropia and other corneal diseases.
Exposed electrical wires under computer tables or workstations
There are number of wires that run from workstation to electric socket which have not been properly installed and due to which the live wire are exposed. After long hours of work the employee may stretch his/her legs and there is chance that they may get in contact with that exposed wires and result in severe electric shock.
Improper workplace design
In office employee work for long hours but the chairs on which they sit are very sluggishly design. The chair has three legs with providing very low stability for employee when they sit. When employees lean back there is possibility of them falling due of instability. This fall can be fatal. Also, the chairs have tipped over the past because people lean back too far. The chairs do not have any mechanism for adjusting backrest. This provides very less lumbar support and can lead to muscular-skeleton or back problem to employees.
Insufficient emergency exits
The entrance is the only place for employee to exit and is just a meter wide door. So in case of emergency exit there could be chaos. And also for others employees it will take more time to reach to doors since its more than hundred feet away. In case of fire, this can block the path for fire rescue team.
Overloaded lifts
The lift installed by the company can only take maximum of 6 people at one time. But usually at the start of office time and during end of each shift the lift is always overloaded. At some time there are even 8 to 9 people at same time in using single lift. There are chances that due to overload the lift mechanism may fail and resulting in free fall of lift and killing the employees.
SIGNIFICANCE OF IDENTIFIED HAZARDS:
Employees working long hours in front of computers
According to HSEA 1992, of Section 2, Myopia and Hypermetropia classified as a serious harm. This can cause the malfunction of eyes and ability to focus the object at various distances. The longer exposure can also result in permanent loss of important bodily part, eyes.
Therefore, working for long hours in front of computers can be classified as significant hazard according to HSEA 1992 under section 2.
Exposed electrical wires under computer tables or workstations
The electric shock can result in different harms like burns, consciousness or paralysis. This can be classified another significant hazard.
Improper workplace design
The damage to muscular skeleton cannot be known in early stage. It is only identified when employee start to feel severe back pain. But by the time the damage is already been done to the skeleton system. This is the result of improper lumbar support which leads to improper posture. This problem can result in hospitalization for more than 48 hours. This hazard can be classified as a significant hazard defined under section 2 of HSEA 1992.
Insufficient emergency exits
The distance between the employees and exit is more than 100 feet and that is only exit. There is possibility that some employee may not be able to reach or cover that distance in case of emergency or accident like fire. Due to which some employees may get burns or even die in worst case. Therefore this is a significant hazard resulting in serious harm to employees working in office. This significant hazard can be defines under 1st schedule of HSEA, 1992.
Overloaded lifts
When lift becomes overload there are greater chances that the cables may slip and result in fall of lift from high heights. The people inside the lift can suffer from bodily injuries and in worst case it can even cause death from free fall overloaded lift. So definitely the overloaded lifts are significant hazard.
POSSIBLE STEPS TO PALLIATE THE HAZARDS:
Employees working long hours in front of computers
The Supervisor or the manager should make some alternate arrangement so that the employees are not at a stretch work on computers. For examples they can give the employees or suggest them to take short breaks or give them some paper work where they don't have to face the computer screen for long hours. And since this hazard is occupational hazard and cannot be reduced completely this alternate arrangement will take help employee.
Exposed electrical wires under computer tables or workstations
The employer should assign the electrician and as soon as possible and conceal all exposed and live wire. And also should make compulsory check by electrician every after 3 or 6 months to check the durability of wires and especially in rainy seasons.
Improper workplace design
The current chairs should be removed and replaced with the comfortable 5 legged chairs. These kinds of chairs are more comfortable and provide more stability and support to back and reduce the chance of back problems.
Insufficient emergency exits
Employer can make arrangement or convert some of its windows as emergency exits. Since the current window is only big enough for one person to climb out. Employer can also add ladder outside that windows from where the employees can escape in case of emergency. At least 3 to 4 such kind of exits should be installed ensuring that all employees will be safe and flee through windows in case of fire or any disaster.
Overloaded lifts
The lift has sign, stating that only 6 people should board the lift at one time. The new technology lift such as when more than 6 people board the lift the red alarm should buzz and then the door remain unclosed until the 7th person does not go out of the lift. This new technology should be installed in the current lift.
ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICABILITY OF POSSIBLE STEPS:
Let us analyse the practicability of possible step that can be taken according to HSEA, 1992.
Employees working long hours in front of computers
Prevention Possible steps:
In case of employee working for long hours in front of computers, the supervisor or manager can assign the alternate jobs or responsibility where they don't need to sit in front of computers.
The alternate job will reduce the strain on eyes and it is an moderately an effective step.
Cost Involved for this step:
This step will result in low productivity because the employee that will be assign alternate work will not be proficient in that. Since because of working for long time on computers they are used to it and alternate work may be time consuming for them and cause low productivity.
But on other hand, the positive side is the employees will not have the any kind of eye injury and reduces the probability of being sick and taking sick leaves.
The cost involved in short term is medium but in long term the cost is minimum.
Harm Reduction:
In office, employees spend around 8 hours each day. So the probability of harm is high since they are continuously spending most of the time in front of screen. If they are given alternate work or responsibility at least break into one hour per day, that can be split in small intervals, the probability of harm to the eyes and other corneal dieses can be reduced to greater extend.
However the extend of harm in this case is high because it involves losing of one of the most important body part, eye.
Overall the cost involved in implementing this step is low and it is a practicable step.
Exposed electrical wires under computer tables or workstations
Their chances that an employee working and getting shock while working are very high. The only possible probability of prevention is being concealing all the live wires in a protective sheath that does not conduct electricity. This can ensure the safety of employee at work.
The cost involved in doing this is very less.
Since the probability of employee getting shock is high while working, the severity of harm from electric shock is extreme and can also result in death in worst case.
All the fatal injuries can be avoided at low cost. So this is a practical step and can be avoided from happening.
Improper workplace design
With proper chair the probability of reducing the muscular skeleton disorder can be reduced to great extend. Therefore the probability of this step being effective is very high.
The chairs with five legged provide more stability and chances of falling from that chair while leaning back is minimised and it becomes more flexible for body movement.
For new good quality chair the cost involved is less compared to cost involved when employee get physically disorder. The good and durable chair can also last for long period since many of employees in shift will be using the chair. So every employee will feel comfortable while sitting.
If we compare above with the extend of potential harm it can cause, we can conclude that the possibility of employee getting muscular skeleton disorder. Since the employee has to sit in one position for very long time and there is no comfort from chair. So if this step is adapted it can reduce the probability of harm.
The muscular skeleton disorder can result in hospitalising more than 24 hours and also result in paralyse due to skeleton disorder.
So in this step we see more benefits and cost involve in less and a practicable step to take.
Insufficient emergency exits
In this case to reduce the probability of harm, more emergency exits needs to be installed. This is because the current emergency exit is at distance from the employees. And during the danger it will take time for them to move quickly to safe place. More emergency exits will ensure their safety and less time to escape in case of danger like fire.
Also to install may be three to more convenient exits is low cost.
During the fire, the single exit can be very dangerous because everyone need to be out to safe place and when each employee tries to get out of that exit there will be chaos and might result in stamped.
The lives of employee is more valuable then cost incurred in installing new emergency exits and therefore this is a practical step of high priority.
Overloaded lifts
Lift is used by many people during the working hours and becomes overloaded during peak hours. So there is high probability of harm when lift becomes overloaded.
So this step will be very effective like buzz alarm when lift boarded by more than 6 people. And this step can result in preventing the serious harm.
The life's of employees are at stake when lift becomes crowded. Because the lifts are built only to take certain weights and if that weight becomes overload then the danger things such as lift can slip from heights and fall sharply and can result in death of employee using lift.
The severity of causing harm is high even if the cost involved in implementing high tech lift is high. But the life's of people are involved and this is a practicable step.
EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTABLE AS PER HSEA 1992, SECTION 19:
Now, we can identify as per HSEA, 1992 that whether the employee is accountable in any one of the above hazards.
Lets analyse for, employee working long hours in front of screen. Whether or not he is accountable?
Employees are held accountable under two possibilities,
When they have control
When they have knowledge of practicable steps to be taken.
But in this case, the employees know about the possible harm they can get and have knowledge about the practicable steps. But they don't have the authority to take regular small breaks.
The employees do not have any sort of control over the way of work, regardless of having knowledge; they cannot be held accountable for not taking the practical step for their safety.
