accident investigation
collect facts; not to find fault
fault finding
can cause reticence among witnesses who have valuable information to
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emergency procedures
first thing to do when an accident takes place bringing the situation under control and caring for the injured worker
evidence
suggests that the same factors that cause minor accidents cause major accidents
primary witness
eyewitnesses to the accident
secondary witness
witnesses who did not actually see the accident happen, but were in the vicinity and arrived on the scene immediately or very shortly after the accident
tertiary witness
not present at the same time of the accident nor afterward but may still have relevant evidence to present
system failures
causes in this category consist of the various errors management makes that are not grossly negligent or serious and willful
traps
poor design of workstations and processes can create traps that, in turn, lead to unsafe behavior. Common causes in this category include defective equipment; failure to provide; failure to train
unsafe conditions
common causes in this category include: unsafe condition created by the person injured in the accident; unsafe condition created by a fellow employee; created by a third party, management, by elements such as rain, sun, snow, etc
unsafe acts
common causes in this category include individual chooses to ignore the rules; people are involved in horseplay or fighting, uses drugs or alcohol, unauthorized tools or equipment, fails to ask for information or other resources needed to do the job safely
accident investigation focus on what specifics
who what when where why and how
Common causes of accidents
personal beliefs and feelings, decision to work unsafely, mismatch or overload, systems failures, traps, unsafe conditions, and unsafe acts
Principal's Office Syndrome
avoid this when interviewing witnesses. important to select a neutral location in which witnesses will feel comfortable. One that is not likely to be intimidating to witnesses.
negligent design
design with defects and where breach of warranty occurs... us included in negligent manuafacture
duty to warn
this is why there are warning labels on so many consumer products (3 criteria)
involvement
the team building strategy where all personnel who must implement decisions in making those decisions
product liability
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reasonable risk
exist when consumers understand risk, evaluate the level of risk, how to deal with the risk, accept the risk based on reasonable risk benefit considerations. They behave prudently
discovery period
undertaken during which evidence is collected, depositions are taken, and the product is examined
community right-to-know-act
gives the right to obtain information about hazardous chemicals being used in their communities. It applies to all companies that make, transport, store, distribute, or use chemicals
consumer product safety act
has the most direct application to product liability. 4 basic purposes.
Negligent Manufacture
the maker of a product can e held liable for its performance from a safety and health perspective
Empowerment
the team building strategy where all personnel to take the action necessary to being about product and process improvements in their areas of responsibility and to recommend action outside of their areas
Three criteria whether Duty to Warn exists
1. potential for an accident when the product is used without a warning, provided the use to which it is put is reasonably predictable
2. probable seriousness of injuries if an accident does occur
3. Potential positive effectiveness and feasibility of a warning
The Four basic purposes of the Consumer Product Safety Act
1. to protect the public from the risk of injuries incurred while using consumer products
2. to help consumers make objective evaluations of the risks associated with using consumer products
3. to encourage uniformity on standards and regulations and to min conflicts among regulations at the various levels of govt
4. to encourage research into the causes of product-related injuries, health problems, and deaths and how these things can be prevented
CTDs (Cumulative trauma disorders)
injuries that results from an accumulation of repetitive motion stress.
Ergonomic hazards
workplace hazards related to the design and condition of the workplace. For example: a workstation that requires constant overhead work
Ergonomics
the science of conforming the workplace and all its elements to the worker
Environmental factors
characteristics of the environment in which an employee works that can affect his or her state of mind or physical conditions such as noise or distractions
General duty clause
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participatory ergonomics
an approach to intervention that combines outside experience and inside experience to design ergonomic interventions that are tailored to a specific workplace
worksite analysis
gathering information from available sources, conducting baseline screening surveys to determine which jobs need closer analysis, performing ergonomic job hazard analyses of those workstations with identified risk factors, after implementing control measures, conducting periodic surveys and follow-up studies to evaluate change
repetitive motion
short cycle motion that is repeated continually
multiple risk factors
have a higher probability of causing CTDs
incidence rates
counting the incidence of CTDs and repporting the number for each 100 full time workers per year by facility.
incidence rate equation
(Number of new cases/yr) X ( 200,000 work hrs) / (numberof hours worked/facility/yr)
Circadian rhythm
basic physiological functions are scheduled by the biological clock [Show Less]