WHSW L1: Intro Defining health and safety. ILO and WHO's broad and positive view 'Occupational health should aim at: the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to man (sic) and of each man to his job.' (Archer 2018, pp. 4-5) Defining health and safety: ILO and WHO Others define OHS negatively or narrowly, eg activities to prevent injuries and illnesses at work; ie safety from danger, risk management. The wider view also seeks ways to improve psychological and social wellbeing. (Archer 2018) The array of risks to workers · Physical hazards: noise, vibration, heat, cold, electro physical agents, radiation, pressure. · Chemical hazards. . Minerals and mineral fibres. · Coal, oil and petroleum. · Dust, pollutants. · Biologically infectious agents. · Stress. · Occupational violence. · Bullying and harassment. We need to consider these WHS problems in the context of broader work experience. WHS problems not just caused by physical, biological problems. Key theme: the multi-causal origins of occupational injury and the undervalued role of organisational and social factors Changing nature of hazards Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Both positive (greater awareness, sophisticated risk management techniques, medical treatment) and negative changes. Economic changes: from manufacturing to services Technological: rise of ICT - new jobs in call centres Political: deregulation of IR, privatisation of public sector, rising inequality, flexibility, job insecurity, flexibility, outsourcing WHS law - increased self-regulation and general duties of care New issues: sitting, climate change, nano-technology Perspectives in WHS There are many disciplinary perspectives contribute to understanding of OHS/WHS. They all differ in terms of: · key focus and concerns · explanations of causes of workplace injury and disease · techniques.
Manage- ment Occ medicine Epidem- iology Industrial relations OHS Psycho- logy Legal Expert Technical ¿MIT NIVERSITY Eco- nomics Industrial sociology L2: Perspectives in WHS: management psychology Work psychology: Intro Work psychology was the dominant social science discipline in OHS for most of C20. OHS 'surprisingly absent' from mainstream management and HRM literature. Most OHS innovations in management and HR have been derived from psychology. (Zanko & Dawson 2012, p. 332) Work psychology also called industrial, organizational & engineering psychology (human factors). Emerged in late 19C, early C20 - associated with scientific management - mainly concerned with organisational, productivity issues. Initially concerned with fatigue, monotony and accident proneness due to personality characteristics. More recently: broader, more holistic concerns: teams, leadership, culture and OHS Work psychology and scientific management Work psychology influenced by scientific management, Taylorism. SM entailed the application of scientific principles to management to improve productivity & output. . 'One best way', 'time and motion' studies. . Rigid work rules to cover