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OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, HEALTH AND

ENVIRONMENTEXECUTIVE DIPLOMA PROGRAM

Module 1:

Historical Perspective of OSHE

1. Module Objectives To describe the historical development of OSH

management.

To recall the background to the development ofOSHA:1994 legislation and its underlying philosophy

To recall the development of occupational safety andhealth management system

2. Course Topics OSH before and during the industrial revolution Development in OSH management between the 1930s

and 1970s

Development of self-regulation legislation Modern OSH management.

3. Early Recognition Of Occupational Diseases. In 1473 a German physician, Ellenborg, published thefirst known pamphlets on occupational disease from

gold miners.

In 1556 the German scholar, Agricola, described thediseases of miners.

In 1713 Ramazzini, who is regarded as the father ofoccupational medicine, suggested that in diagnosis

doctors should ask patients about their occupations.

4. Emergence Of Industrial Accident Industrial accidents arose out of the Factory System

during the Industrial Revolution in Britain in 18th

Century (1700s).

Women and children worked as heavy labourers underunsafe and unhealthy workplaces.

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5. Emergence Of Industrial Safety Legislation

In 1833 English Factory Acts was the first effectiveindustrial safety law.

It provide compensation for accidents rather than tocontrol their causes.

Insurance companies inspected work places andsuggested prevention methods

Problem:6. Safety became injury and insurance orientedEmergence Of Safety Management

Role of Herbert W. Heinrich (1930s), Developed Domino Theory and promoted control of

workers behaviour. Problem;

1. Focused on worker behaviour and notmanagement

2. Caused people to think that safety is aboutpolicing worker.

7. Emergence Of Safety Management (cont) Frank Bird (1970) developed Loss Control Theory. Suggested that underlying cause of accidents are lack

of management controls and poor management

decisions.

Problem: Not so popular: blames management

(responsibility and control).

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In 80s Behavioural Based Safety (BBS) was introduced; Based on Heinrichs findings. Work by recognizing safe work habits and offering

rewards and punishment.

Problem:1. Focuses on workers and not on hazard or

management

2. Reward and punishment system have flaws Current development of Occupational Safety And

Health management system was driven by two parallel

forces:

Self-regulatory legislation in the United Kingdom(1974),

Quality management movement8. A-Self Regulation Legislation

Lord Robens, Chairman of a Royal Safety CommissionReport noted that:

1. There was too many OSH legislation,2. Was fragmented,3. Limited in coverage (specific hazards & workplace),4. Out of date and difficult to update,5. Inflexible (prescriptive),6. People thought that safety was what government

inspectors enforced.

Lord Robens recommendedo Self regulati on

Report resulted in the Health and Safety of Workers AtWork Act in the UK in 1974

Similar legislation was enacted in Australia in 1984 Enacted in Malaysia in 1994 after the 1992 Bright Sparkler

accident in Sungai Buloh

Features of Robens style legislation:1. General duties of care by:2. Employer, employee, manufacturer, designer,

supplier

3. Duty of employer to make the workplace safe4. Consultation with employees through Safety and

Health Committees

5. Safety and Health Officer as advisor andcoordinator

6. Improvement and prohibition notices.

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Legislation follow major accidents and reinforce need formanagement system

12. Quality Management Approach to Occupational Safety and

Health Management

There are similar issues in safety management as in qualitymanagement

Example:1. Productivity2. Worker involvement3. Proactive approach4. Scientific approach5. Customer and human rights

Management system standards:1. ISO 9000 QMS was proven successful and ISO

14000 EMS was introduced in 19962. UK published BS 8800 and Australia AS8401 OSH

management systems in 1996

3. International and auditable OHSAS 18001 OSHManagement System published in 1999

4. ILO approved an OSH management system forgovernments to adopt during 2000

13. Summary

1. The industrial revolution cause of industrialaccidents.

2. Laws were enacted to compensate and protectworkers in 1833.

3. Safety management guidelines began with Heinrichand followed by Frank Bird and others.

4. Lord Robens in 1972 recommended self-regulatorylegislation. Adopted by Malaysia in 1994.

5. Outcome of accidents in the 1970s and 1980sresulted in OSH management system today.

6. Health problems due to occupation has beenknown from ancient times

7. Industrial accidents became rampant after theindustrial revolution8. Accidents in the 70s & 80s resulted in OSH-MS

today