History of Occupational Health and Safety Timeline - Coursework Example

History of Occupational Health and Safety Timeline Name Course Title Date Introduction For any business or organization to be successful, it must create a safe running environment in order to retain its employees and increase the company’s productivity. It’s an expensive process of installing the safety equipments and implementing of the safety practices but there can be severe effects if the actions are not taken. The business proprietors have the duty on the duty of health and safety at the place of work. There is a need to ensure that the organization does not generate health and safety troubles for the employees, public or the customers. Understanding the occupational health and safety helps in avoiding the unnecessary costs in additional to damages brought about by injuries and illnesses at the place of work. This also helps the organization in establishing a strong foundation and help in achieving the organizational long term objectives (Helen & Stephen, 2005). In a move to reduce the health and safety risks in the place of work, there are a series of procedures that allows the organization to put more emphasize and help the company be equipped in all circumstances. The first important step is to have the right mind-set towards the health and safety of the employees, customers, public and contractors. Occupational health and safety should never be viewed as an extra expenditure because it is wise to tackle the health and safety problems before they rise (Business.gov.au, 2014). This paper will outline the historical timeline of Occupational Health and Safety and the factors that influenced its development, formation of various international and national bodies as well as current status of Australia Work Health and Safety Legislation and the harmonization process. Occupational Health and Safety Timeline and Formation of International and National Bodies 200 BC - The code of Hammurabi who was the king or babylons in 200 BC. This ciode had harsh punishments even sometimes it demanded the removal of body parts that were guilty like hand, tomgue, eye, earor breasts. The code was was an attempt to compensate workers 1500 BC – Pharaoh Ramses instituted the industrial medical check for employees. 1700- Dr Bernardino Ramazzini who was an Italian physician organized the first inclusive labor on occupational diseases. He wrote a text known as De Morbis Artificum Diatriba (Diseases of Workers) where he outlined the health hazards that are related with contact to dust, chemicals, violent motion, awkward posture, metals in addition to other agents that cause diseases that the workers come across in their professions. He is therefore referred to as father of occupational medicine (UL, 2014). 1736- The first fire fighting company was organized by Benjamin Franklin in the United States. Majority of the houses were constructed of wood and were heated by fireplace and open hearths. There was unrestrained spread of fire which was a great concern to the highly populated areas. This problem was mitigated by establishment of the first fire fighting company in the U.S (Charles, 2003). 1775 – Percivall Pott discovered a connection involving occupational carcinogens with cancer in chimney sweeps. He established that men who are frequently to coal tar were vulnerable to this type of cancer. Relating cancer with agents that are exteriorly found in relation to internal causes characterized a vital component in the industrial medicine (UL, 2014). 1798 – An act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen is signed into law by President John Adams. The act approved that 20cents in a month be deducted from the wages of seamen to cater for their medical care. After a year, the congress expanded the act to include all the officers and the sailors in the United States navy. This led to the slow establishment of marine hospitals controlled by the locals alongside inland and coastal waterways. This act is similar to Medicare or the insurance mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (UL, 2014). 1821 – The industrial revolution started in britain and later spread out to other parts of the content. The textile factores, steam engines, rail roads and other development meant that the farmers left farming to look for jobs in the townswhich led to new working conditions, crowded ousing and the urban slums which were a health hazards, there was rise in the number of deaths and life expectancy decreased. 1833- Factories act. The initial factory inspectors were established as a result of this act. The legislation was mandated with avoiding injuries amongst the child employees. The act was created the inspectorate of factories which was made up of four people with the powers to punish those who violated the act, but the inspectorate was minute and could not implement the legislature in all factories. However, it created a leeway for the establishment of the government control (Murie, 2007). 1856 – There was the introduction of the Eight hours a day when the stonemasons in Melbourne demonstrated to provide employees eight hours sleep, leisure and work. 1871 – The International Labor Organization (ILO) was started with the mandate to supervise the growth of international labor standards. The ILO is an agency of the United Nations which consolidates the government representatives of workers and employers to together outline the guidelines endorsing “decent work for all” (Charles, 2003). 1871 – The great Chicago fire destroyed so many buildings and around 200-300 people died as a result of the fire. A minimum of 1,180 people died due to the Peshtigo fire when soaring winds extended the fire flames past throughout drought stricken towns of upper Michigan and Wisconsin. The families of those workers who were injured were never compensated since employers never imagined fatalities and injuries that are related to work as costly. Fires at the places of work kill around 200 and above 5,000 employees are injured every year, while most of them can be prevented. UL conducts training courses that pay attention to the prevention and protection of fires at the places of work (Murie, 2007). 1876 – Alfred noble, who was behind the Nobel Peace Prize, was awarded with United States patent No 78,317 for dynamite. Nobel developed the detonating cups to blast the dynamite through the lit fuse which was a development from the shock and unstable detonating agents like liquid nitroglycerine. UL offers training on blasting safety (UL, 2014). 1881 – The French tried to build the Panama Canal but it was unsuccessful. Malaria, typhoid and yellow fever affected so many employees. More than 22,000 employees lost their lives during this period since no one understood how mosquitoes spread the disease and the public health actions were not effective. The course on West Nile Virus has a broad description on what can be done in a move to reduce the risks of contact to it (Bohle & Qunilan 2000). 1890 – Underwriters Electrical Bureau was opened by William Henry Merrill the founder of Underwriters Laboratories (UL). 1900 – The Australia first compensation scheme was established by the government after agitation by unions on the increase in the number of deaths at the places of work the factory act was enacted for some mining tragedies (Bohle & Qunilan 2000). 1900 – 8000 people were killed by the hurricane wind in Galveston, Texas which was equal to 135 miles per hour. This still remains the worst natural disaster in the history of America. 1902- The worker’s compensation law was adopted by Maryland which pioneered the adoption of social insurance plan in the United States. This law also led to the establishment of the first aid services onsite. 1907- 362 coal miners lost their lives in an explosion. This led to the establishment of U.S. Bureau of mines. 1912 – Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) started a research on the iron and steel business. This led to the establishment of Occupational Health and Safety act of 1970. 1912 – The United States public health service was set up with the mandate to carry out investigations and evaluate the consequences of toxins at the place of work. 1926- The NSW Government made it mandatory for employers to comprise insurance which covered the injuries that arose on journeys to and from the place of work and also the Worker’s Compensation Commission was established (Toohey, Borthwick & Archer, 2005). 1942 – Occupational and environmental health nurses assembled to form an association. 1948- The constitution creating the World Health Organization (WHO) is implemented. This day is nowadays celebrated as World Health Day. The WHO was started to endorse the global collaboration and improve worldwide health conditions. WHO is a part of the U.N and helps with the research, sets standards and norms provide the much needed support to nations and scrutinize and evaluate health trends (World Health Organization, 2014). 1969- The Internet is introduced. This has changed the manner in which employers offer safety training to the employees. 1970- Occupational Safety and Health act is signed into law by President Richard Nixon. This act established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). OSHA courses help educate the employees on topics like electrical safety, hazard communication, personal protective equipments plus many more (UL, 2014). 1972- There was a worldwide OHS legislation. Lord Robens the chairman of the National Coal Board, U.K., presented a report that was conducted by the parliamentary committee into Safety and Health in Work. The findings of the report incoroporated that there was a lot of legislation in OHS and it needed to be simplified. A well structured legislation should be sustained by guidance, codes of practice and specific regulations where required. Lord Robens established that the equilibrium between goal setting and prescriptivelaws needed to move towards goal settingand promote self regulation. He also recommended a significant reforms on OHS insepectrorate to adjust to the changes in approach. 1972- 1989 – the territory, federal and state governments launch the fresh OHS laws (Toohey, Borthwick & Archer, 2005). 1984- 3,800 people died while the health of 500,000 people is affected by the release of methyl isocyanate which is a toxic chemical at Carbide’s plant in Bhopal, India. This led to a more global attention on chemical safety. 1985 – The National Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) is established to guide and organize national health and safety enhancement. Government, employer groups and unions all have representatives in the commission (UL, 2014). 1988- The Federal government enacted the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Act that established Comcare. 1991 - A guideline on protection of employees from U.V light is released by the NOHSC thus providing a leeway for employees to be dressed in protective clothing. The federal government also establishes the OHS act inclusive of Commonwealth employers (Toohey, Borthwick & Archer, 2005). 1999- Australian Nursing Federation pushes the government to campaign for physical lifting of patients which lead to reduction of injuries in Victoria. 2001- James Hardie started the Medical research and compensation fund to compensate employees who suffered sicknesses due to the asbestos (Toohey, Borthwick & Archer, 2005). 2004 – Asbestos banned from the places of work (Jeremy, 2005). 2008 – COAG harmonizes the national’s health and safety laws (Jeremy, 2005). The Australian government has introduced laws to harmonize OHS laws all over Australia; this is mainly to provide a level playing ground in offering protection and standards to employees in each command. The laws are an element of national reform to OHS. 2009 – The ACTU draw attention to the impending risks of nanotechnology and they suggest that there should law and labeling of goods to protect employees and the end users (Toohey, Borthwick & Archer, 2005). 2009- The WHO recognizes the H1N1 virus or otherwise known as swine flu as a worldwide pandemic (WHO, 2014) 2012- OSHA amends hazard communication standard bringing into line with Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Employers are supposed to educate employees on new chemical labeling and safety data by December 1, 2013 (UL, 2014). The current status of Australia Work Health and Safety Legislation and the harmonization process The model work health and safety law is comprised of Model Work Health and Safety Act (WHS). The act is supported by model Codes of Practice, National Compliance and Enforcement Policy and model WHS regulation. Safe Work Australia is a state policy organization with the mandate for growth and assessment or the model WHS laws. The state, territories and commonwealth have the mandate to regulate and implement laws in their command (business.gov.au, 2014). The model WHS laws are the foundation for the harmonized laws all over Australia, the model WHS laws have to be ratified or approved by parliament for the to be legally binding. In the Intergovernmental Agreement for Regulatory and Operational Reform in Occupational Health and Safety the commands are dedicated to adopt the model WHS law, with negligible discrepancies are essential to make sure that there is consistent with the appropriate drafting protocols plus other legislation and procedures within the command (Charles, 2003). The Australian government has introduced laws to harmonize OHS laws all over Australia; this is mainly to provide a level playing ground in offering protection and standards to employees in each command. The laws are an element of national reform to OHS. All territories, commonwealth and states have a mandate to enact and implement their own OHS legislations. Even though all these will have a common approach for the places of work regulations, there are some discrepancies in the appliance and what the laws are all about. These issues have been catered by an intergovernmental concurrence where each state government, commonwealth and the territory have officially agreed the harmonization of OHS laws (business.gov.au, 2014). Conclusion As discussed above the occupational health and safety has evolved over a period of time, various occurrences have led to enactment of laws and setting up international bodies to oversee the drafting and implementation of different legislations in order to have a safe working environment for employees and reduce the injuries at workplaces. References Business.gov.au. (2014). Workplace Health and Safety (WHS). Accessed on August 19, 2014 http://www.business.gov.au/business-topics/employing-people/workplace-health-and- safety/Pages/default.aspx?utm_source=businessgovau-old-website&utm_medium=301- redirect&utm_campaign=Occupational-Health-Safety Bohle, P. A. & Qunilan, M. (2000). Managing occupational health and safety: a multi disciplinary approach. South Melbourne: Macmillan. Charles, D. (2003). Occuptational Health and Safety Management: A practical Approach. Florida: CRC Press. Helen, L. & Stephen, M. (2005). Occupation Health and Safety in Construction Management. London: Taylor and Francis. Jeremy, S. (2005). The handbook of health and safety practice. New York: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Johnstone, R., Quinlan, & Walters, D. (2005). Statutory occupational health and safety workplace arrangements for the modern labour market. The Journal of Industrial Relations, 47(1), p. 93-116. Murie, F. (2007). Building safety – An international perspective. International Journal of Occupational Environmental Health, 13(1), 5-11. Toohey, J., Borthwick, K., & Archer, R. (2005). OH&S in Australia. A management guide. Australia: Thomson UL. (2014). Evolution of Workplace Health and Safety. Accessed on August 19th, 2014 http://www.ulworkplace.com/custom/safetytimeline/ World Health Organization (WHO). (2014). 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