Jan 20, 2020
Doctor's health
A news item today in Deccan Chronicle about doctors to take care of themselves in light of stressful conditions faced by them.
Jan 12, 2020
Suspected death from gas geyser use
https://in.news.yahoo.com/mumbai-girl-dies-gas-geyser-194157257.html
Jan 5, 2020
Responsibility for ensuring safety at work place
The general perception of any management is that safety officer is responsible for ensuring safety. In case of occurrence of any incident or appearance of anything unpleasant, generally the finger pointing will be on safety officer.
It is true that safety officer has to ensure safety.
But, safe work conditions can be ensured in the work place only when there is cooperation from shopfloor manager and employees in the shopfloor. It is a collective effort. As long as this is not realized, the workplace can never be safer. There may not be accidents, but, this does not mean that workplace is safe for persons. It is totally by luck and till Murphy's law comes into picture, shopfloor persons have their head.
It is said that if workplace is to be safe, it can be done only by line function, but NOT by staff function. That is to say that safety can be ensured truly by workmen, supervisors and managers who are managing the shopfloor activity every moment. Any deviation can be observed immediately and can be rectified before accident takes place. Instead, if left to safety officer's observation, then plants have to depend upon their luck, as safety officer can't be present everywhere at the same time and all times.
Factories Act requires one safety officer for every 1000 employees, and with the increase in site workforce, the number of safety officers requirement is not in proportion. If these many employees can't see what is wrong in their own workplace, it is unrealistic to expect the safety officer to monitor entire area all the time. And, why safety officer alone should tell that some thing is wrong. Every person is responsible and I am responsible for my work. If a person can't or don't want to work responsibly for his own safety and that of others, then safe workplace can NEVER be ensured.
As long as fingers are pointed at safety officer alone, it will lead to the impression among plant personnel that they need to bother only production and are not responsible for safe work conditions in the shopfloor and think that safety officer has to see that aspect. They think that safety officer has to check and ensure even the basic requirements of machine guards, functioning interlocks, lighting, ventilation, obstruction-free access, wearing of safety shoe/helmet/safety belt, etc. Thus, ensuring safety lies mainly with the shopfloor personnel and its managers. Shopfloor managers have to be visible in the work area which can lead to better safety culture.
And it can be strengthened by advice and monitoring of safety officers.
It is true that safety officer has to ensure safety.
But, safe work conditions can be ensured in the work place only when there is cooperation from shopfloor manager and employees in the shopfloor. It is a collective effort. As long as this is not realized, the workplace can never be safer. There may not be accidents, but, this does not mean that workplace is safe for persons. It is totally by luck and till Murphy's law comes into picture, shopfloor persons have their head.
It is said that if workplace is to be safe, it can be done only by line function, but NOT by staff function. That is to say that safety can be ensured truly by workmen, supervisors and managers who are managing the shopfloor activity every moment. Any deviation can be observed immediately and can be rectified before accident takes place. Instead, if left to safety officer's observation, then plants have to depend upon their luck, as safety officer can't be present everywhere at the same time and all times.
Factories Act requires one safety officer for every 1000 employees, and with the increase in site workforce, the number of safety officers requirement is not in proportion. If these many employees can't see what is wrong in their own workplace, it is unrealistic to expect the safety officer to monitor entire area all the time. And, why safety officer alone should tell that some thing is wrong. Every person is responsible and I am responsible for my work. If a person can't or don't want to work responsibly for his own safety and that of others, then safe workplace can NEVER be ensured.
As long as fingers are pointed at safety officer alone, it will lead to the impression among plant personnel that they need to bother only production and are not responsible for safe work conditions in the shopfloor and think that safety officer has to see that aspect. They think that safety officer has to check and ensure even the basic requirements of machine guards, functioning interlocks, lighting, ventilation, obstruction-free access, wearing of safety shoe/helmet/safety belt, etc. Thus, ensuring safety lies mainly with the shopfloor personnel and its managers. Shopfloor managers have to be visible in the work area which can lead to better safety culture.
And it can be strengthened by advice and monitoring of safety officers.
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