Workplace and Environmental Safety Term Paper

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Safety Audit

Acme Fireworks is facing tremendous challenges which are similar to growing businesses. This occurs when firms need to adjust with increasing demand and expand their operations. During this process, they must examine their business model and determine if it is economically viable moving forward. In this case, the company is currently organized as a sole proprietorship.

Fireworks are known to be deadly products. This is because a flame is ignited and travels into a tube filled with gunpowder. Even those who are exercising extreme caution, have the possibility of becoming injured from debris or being too close to the explosion. In these cases, there is a likelihood of death or the person receiving extensive injuries. This is problematic, as it exposes Acme Fireworks to potential litigation from these challenges. (Okrent, 2014)

At the heart of these challenges, are potential work safety issues. This is because the company is using highly combustible materials. Any kind of accident could result in a large number of injuries to the workers. To prevent this, a safety audit must be conducted. It focuses on the safety management system elements within the organization. To fully understand how this occurs there will be an examination of several areas. To include: leadership, occupational health / safety, responsibility, employee participation, reviews, assessments / prioritization, hierarchy of controls, design review, management change, procurement, emergency preparedness, education / training, monitoring / measurement, incident investigation, audits, corrective / preventive actions, feedback to the planning process and management review. Together, these different elements will show the best avenues for conducting a safety audit.

Management Leadership

One the main challenges any leader will face, is the sense of hopelessness in those around them and the inability to act. To motivate others, they must interrupt these thoughts and create new avenues of looking at the situation. This requires listening to them about the problems they are facing and talking about these issues. Once this happens, is when they can change everybody's perceptions of the situation and offer solutions for dealing with the challenges. This is the point they are willing to go the extra mile and will feel a sense of empowerment. In the modules, this is what effective leaders do, by listening to what they have to say and responding to these challenges. The differences are each situation, requires having a sense of flexibility and effectively troubleshooting the situation. This is the key for creating new ideas and motivating everyone. Over the course of time, this changes their perceptions and it helps them to have a sense of empowerment in the process. In the case of Acme Fireworks, the leadership can work with employees to establish effective safety guidelines. This will motivate everyone to want to follow them.

Occupational Health and Safety Policy

The occupational health and safety policy will focus on using federal and state guidelines for the workplace and storage / disposal of unstable substances. This occurs with the firm taking these guidelines and implementing them as a part of their policies and procedures. They will then, work with employees to create a standard that meets or exceeds these standards. This will ensure that everyone understands the importance of them.

Responsibility and Authority

There will be a designated Safety Officer who will monitor what is happening and report their issues to the owner. Their job is to ensure that the basic policies are followed and critical problems are quickly dealt with. They will delegate their authority to individual employees on the team level. These people are a part of the Safety Committee. Their job is to ensure a safe work environment for stakeholders at the mid to lower levels of the firm.

Employee Participation

Employees play a critical role in following and ensuring others are abiding by these guidelines. This is because they see what is happening and can encourage everyone to abide by these guidelines. Once this happens, is the point these habits will become standard within the organization.

Initial and Ongoing Review

The initial and ongoing reviews will occur by providing a follow up report that is delivered to a the committee monitoring safety standards. After this, is when an semiannual review will be conducted by an outside consultant. They can offer recommendations and identity critical weaknesses in the company's safety protocols.

Assessment and Prioritization

The most important aspect of the program is safety. In those situations, where the employees are in danger is the point immediate action will be taken. It is concentrating on dealing with critical issues.

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While at the same time, other areas that need to be addressed which are of less significance can be discussed during the committee meetings and in the semiannual review. This will ensure that the most crucial issues are addressed first.

Hierarchy of Controls

The safety committee has the ultimate authority. This means that they can look at any files and go into areas where their investigations take them. They will report their results to the owner. He will make choices that can ensure the company is able to continue to operate smoothly.

Design Review

The design will concentrate on using surveys to understand issues impacting stakeholders. This offers unique ideas that will help to deal with key challenges when they are first emerging.

Management of Change

All changes will involve committee members forging alliances and encouraging everyone to the benefits it provides to the organization. This is when they can adjust to new challenges and fully understand what is happening.

Procurement

Members from the accounting department will be brought in to serve the committee. They will monitor the impact of these transformations and the effects they are having on the organization.

Emergency Preparedness

There will be a series of safety kits provided all work stations. At the same time, everyone will be trained in first aid and helping to deal with critical issues.

Education, Training and Awareness

Initial training will be provided to everyone when the first join the company. They will go through continuing education in these areas to ensure they understand and can apply what they are taught. This is accomplished through certification process administered by the Safety Officer.

Monitoring and Measurement

The monitoring will occur through observations of committee members and a semiannual survey. This will determine the impact of different issues on the organization.

Incident Investigations

The Safety Committee will appoint an independent third party. Their job is to investigate all incidents. They will release a report outlining what happened and talking about how these issues can be avoided in the future.

Audits

A semi-annual review will determine the effectiveness of the program and the long-term effects it is having.

Corrective and Preventive Actions

Employees and managers will be provided with a certain amount of time to follow the company procedures. However, after this is when they will receive written warnings and must go through additional training for repeated violations.

Feedback to the Planning Process

The feedback involves having everyone anonymously providing their opinions. This ensures that the most honest information about critical problems effecting the organization.

Management Review

The owner and the Safety Committee will monitor what is happening and make recommendations. This ensures that everyone understands and is continually following safety guidelines.

The Safety Management System

The ISO 14001 is an effective safety and environmental management system. It is focusing on improving safety and reducing their ecological impact. According to Delmas (2009), this enables those organizations who are utilizing it to realize a number of benefits. It was developed to assist companies with a framework for better management controls that can result in reducing adverse safety and environmental impacts. It is added to improvements in performance, as organizations can reap a number of economic benefits. The most notable include: higher conformance with legislative and regulatory requirements by adopting the ISO standard. By minimizing the risk of regulatory and environmental liability fines and improving an organization's efficiency benefits can include a reduction in waste, consumption of resources, and operating costs. Second, as an internationally recognized standard, businesses operating in multiple locations across the globe can leverage their coverage. This eliminates the need for multiple registrations or certifications. Third, there has been a push in the last decade by consumers for companies to adopt better internal controls. These shifts occur through making the incorporation of ISO 14001 a smart approach for the long-term viability of businesses. This provides them with a competitive advantage against firms that do not adopt these standards. This can have a positive impact on a company's asset value. At the same time, it can improve public perceptions of the business, placing them in a better position to operate in the international marketplace. These insights are showing how an environmental management system can redefine the food and beverage industry. This helps them to improve efficiency, reduce costs and enhance the quality of services they are providing. These factors are critical in determining if the organization is able to maintain its popularity and profitability in the long-term.

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