Occupational Health and Safety Issues - Essay Example

Topic: Occupational Health and safety Introduction: There is no doubt in the fact that there are two key elements that go hand in hand, which mark the success of any organization or business. These are, One the administration and the sort of management structure it establishes initially. Secondly, the employees who are employed for carious levels of tasks in the organization. If the management or the administration of any business or organizations would fail to successfully administer a good manage system, the organization would not achieve short term goals or long term goals. If the employees that are being positioned , are not in the right job , are not given specific Job specifications or training , it may very well lead the organization or any business to a complete loss or to never ending days of achievements . Background on the 1998 Esso Longford gas explosion It was Friday, the 25th of September 1998, around 12.00 in the afternoon, a heat Exchange vessel in the Esso Longford Gas Plant cracked. This resulted in the release of hydrocarbon fumes and fluid. A range of other blasts followed an enormous fire. There were two Esso employees of which Ian was one of the supervisors that day. Another man also along with him was killed. There were almost eight others who were wounded. As a result of this the supply of natural gas to the conjugal and industrial users stopped for an approximate 19 days. In specific the State of Victoria, which is very much reliant on natural gas, suffered considerable disturbance to the financial system. The Government ordered the setup of a Royal Commission in order to be able to better scrutinize the causes of the unpleasant incident .The Royal Commission then made its final report available in print. The most important message to be haggard from the Esson Longford incident is many a few are: as follows: 1. The Implementation of the correct Safety Management System – there was almost a very incomplete implementation. Rather it seemed as if no such thing as the awareness of a hazard and prevention were ever discussed with the employees at Esson. 2. Knowledge, lack of training – deficient on previous plant. They did not believe in training and increasing their employee’s knowledge on the Issue of Risk, safety or prevention. 3. The Management of modification – the organisational modification was not being exposed to the to this modus operandi 4. They should have better processed the inspection and the analysis – These were opportunities that could have been used in order to ascertain the gaps that were present and not being noticed. 1 Adverse events? Before moving onto our main argument it would be better if we would be able to comprehend what exactly is meant by adverse events, and what specific steps should be taken in the case of such adverse events happening in the city. Usually an Adverse event is a disaster that is basically considered a climatic occurring. This can be deemed as cyclone s etc. These adverse events are not possibly made better by human intervention. Any community or areas of people are usually unable to arrange or setup a procedure to aid their ways out of the adverse event. The aim herein is to be able to successfully perform the task , through the application of the following : The Risk drop off – recognizing and then analyzing the long-term risks from hazards; taking steps to eliminate these risks where realistically possible ; and where these were not able to take necessary steps in that scene . The Apathy – this is the development of an operational systems and training for to attain the capabilities further on of a vital circumstances happens The Reaction – this means to proceed towards the appealing action accurately then and there. The Revival – the synchronized hard work and processes to have an effect on the instantaneous, standard and protracted term recuperation of a group of people following a catastrophe.2 “Main argument”: Risk awareness and preventative action starts with the mindset of individual employees: therefore, individual employees bear responsibility for adverse events. Discuss with reference to the training, honesty and vigilance of frontline workers at the Esso Longford Plant There is no doubt in the fact that both the employer and employee needs to be well prepared for all sorts of situations that might occur during the course of the organizations working. Initially when organizations and business are setup, they are required to plan, set, implement and attain short term and long term goals. Along with this, sometimes, it has been observed that there are various organizational structures that seem to fail at the point of planning towards the Occupation health and safety standards at work. It is true, that the Risk awareness and preventative action starts with the mindset of individual employees. But to say this it would seem as if we were letting the management off the hook in the case of an adverse event or an occurring. It is the foremost responsibility of the employer to ensure that proper health and safety measures are taken towards implementation at heir workplace. The Occupational health and safety standard booklet of the year 1996, states these clearly, that the employer needs to make sure that al his machinery is in order, the environment is employee friendly etc. No matter, what individuals might perceive, but, the situation that occurred at Esson Plant, was clearly and misfortunate event, but amazingly there seem to be no measures or checks that were being taken to see if the plant machinery was working right. The crack occurred, a while a go in the heat exchanger, and then the blast occurred a few hours later. It seems so that during those hours, the machinery was not checked again. Ian did not check either before going close to a practical time bomb. It is the mutual responsibility of the employees individually and the employers also to make sure all are well prepared, and are trying their best to always avoid, catastrophes like these. Occupational health & safety Safety at the organization any employee is working at , is very vital to the sucessful operation an organization or a bussiness . the size of the organization does not reallymatter at this point in time . As an employer all individuals have certain rights along with certain responsibilities. These are in specific refernce to the environment regarding health and safety at the place of work .it is not necessary to mainly have employees to , follow the Health and safety policies . This same falls true for customers and the day to day public . Comprehending and analyzing the Occupational Health and Safety laws , can aid the process of organizatons being able to reecognize and hence avoid extra costs and damages . This which is extra damage to the parents . The Occupational Health and safety obligations Under the occuipational health and safety law , as an individual you are obliged to provide: A safe place of work the utilization of safe machinery and substances The safe systems of work The information, instruction, training and supervision a suitable working environment and facilities. Any organization or business setup which refuses to follow the above can be charged agood sum of money as fine and also be legaly taken to court . There exist Workplace health and safety implementing officers in every state and territory . They diseminate information and data which includes data Suggestion on safety issues information and advice on safety and health at work and education and training. One very notible point here the aims. Occupational Health and Safety Regulations and Codes of Practice Some place of work can potentially be full of hazards that have the potential to initate a much greater harm or damage that could actually hinder the performance of the organization or business .These rules and Regulations are enforceable By Law . these Codes of Practice tend to inform the individuals on how to advise on the right Time .These right ways pave the path towards on how to amalgamate necessities . these codes cannot be forced to be followed but non compliance with law would mean trouble . The injuries that come up at the Workplace cause damages , which have a huge influence on the workings of an organization or business . can have a big impact on your business. An injured worker is entitled to make a workers compensation claim where the injury occurs during the course of their employment. It is hence the individuals responsility in the form of an employee and an employer to be sure that they are individually able to build and then sustain a very safe place at work . Also the employers need to be sure that they sustain the present workers compensation insurance it is upto the employer to be able to structure and then , be able to safegaurd their intrests . 3 The question here then is who is to be actually blamed if the Occupational health and safety standards are not satisfied or being followed by an organization or any employer or business for that matter. There should be no doubt in the fact that, the following of any specific standards, rules and regulations there have to be situations that have to be true in the case of any business organization or employer, i.e. One that the employer need to be aware of this specific issue its vitality, and how he or she plans to incorporate it into their business affairs and workings. Also the employer needs to understand that training and planning are to other very vital aspects to this concept. Secondly, the employees of the specific organization or business need to be aware of the facts also, they need to be internally motivated to help facilitate the management to train them, and plan for them so that they would be fully equipped with the gear needed to handle a crisis or an adverse event in the true sense of it. The question here being who do we actually think is to be blamed for if these occupational health and safety standards are not met or being implied at all by an organization or an employee. We will initially take a preview into the Royal Commission report regarding Esson and their part in the whole scenario. The report published by the royal commission entailed minute details, that were uncovered during the investigation of the organization Exxon, Esson a subsidiary of Exxon, its management, workings, operational procedures, documented manual’s, machinery details etc .they concluded in their report holding the Esson organization responsible for the death of the two workers the explosion and the adverse event altogether that occurred. Majorly stating the facts that The Gas Plant at Longhord was a real old one, which needed overhauling or renovation as you may call it , in terms of the premises the machinery being used etc . The machine operators were not informed or did not have any prior knowledge or training regarding the effects of any incident good or bad that might occur due to the extreme pressures of hydrogen gas and liquid fuel etc. The exploitation, and the failure of the operators to assess the risk factor involved with the machines they were operating, all were blamed upon Esson. They were charged with not training their employees for any such disaster; they were also charged with neglecting the 30 year old plants dire need of a new system. They went so far as to not do the regular check on the machinery, only in order to maintain their high profit charge. The management at Esson tried their best to persuade the judge that the operator and the supervisor were at fault, but in vain. The evidence proved otherwise, they were in clear violation of the Occupational health and safety standards. For the sake of their organizations profits, they risked the lives of their employees, killed two, injured more, and also hundreds of homes had to go without gas or hot water. Industries suffered. 4 Conclusion: It would not be wrong to educe the fact that whatever happened with Esson at their plant and workplace was not only the responsibility of the employer, but was also the employee’s negligence. The employers in short need to realize that they have rights but their obligations are as similar the front line managers are basically there to act as an agent. It is on one hand the responsibility upon both the employee and the employer to make sure that either of the parties if not aware should be made aware of the steps to be taken. On the other hand the government should keep proper checks and balances and should not grant working permission until all these occupational health and safety standards are met , for sure . If any such adverse event occurs the employee will be to be blamed if they have not been able to successfully implement the Occupational health and safety standards at work. Bibliography 1) G. D. Kenney, M. Boult, R. M. Pitblado, DNV, 3 Palace House, Cathedral St, London SE1 9DE LESSONS FOR SEVESO II FROM LONGFORD AUSTRALIA. 2) AdverseEvent_Feedback@maf.govt.nz 3) Bussiness .gov.au. 4) By Will Marshall 5 July 1999 5) Esso blamed for Australian gas explosion But Royal Commission obscures underlying causes Read More