Safety Human Resources Safety the

Safety Human Resources Safety The issue regarding occupational health and safety is an aspect that concerns the state's authorities, companies, and their employees. Given the numerous problems reported by organizations about problems in the field, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration has developed strict rules, regulations, and guidelines, and monitors that areas where the most problems have been reported. Companies must also conduct periodic audits in order to assess the health, safety, and wellness situation in their work environment. Such a company is represented by KFC.

The company's activity determines several directions that must be taken into consideration when developing the occupational health and safety strategy. Therefore, the company must develop plans regarding the use of chemicals, handling heavy and potentially dangerous machinery, and dealing with violent customers. There are also other aspects that the company's workplace health and safety strategy must include. The company's Hazardous Chemicals Communication program is developed in order to teach KFC's employees, how to use chemicals properly, how to use the required safety equipment, and how to handle potentially dangerous situations.

The company's department managers must ensure that his subordinates are informed about the program and to support compliance to its requirements (KFC, 2001). The program also identifies the materials in case and how they are labeled in order for the employees to easily recognize them. Information in the program also presents the OSHA requirements. In addition to this, the program provides information on general chemical safety recommendations and information on cleaning products.

As mentioned above, the managers of each department, especially those that have direct contact with such products must ensure that employees understand these practices. Even if the company is determined to comply with the OSHA requirements and is interested in developing and implementing strategies intended to reduce the risks at the KFC workplace, there are several situations that reveal the company's lack of interest in certain work units regarding the healthy and safety issues.

For example, KFC was fined $20,000 when one of its employees was severely burned while cleaning cooking equipment (DynamicBusiness, 2008). The employee in case claimed that she asked her supervisor to instruct her on how to properly dispose of hot oil. The supervisor did not provide suitable instructions and information. As a consequence, an explosion was produced that severely affected the worker. The employee received extensive medical expenses and the inability to work for a certain period of time. KFC was forced to admit the blame for this situation and its causes.

The company explained its situation as a failure of its safety, health, and welfare program. The fine received by KFC proves the seriousness of the situation. As mentioned above, the reasons that led to this situation are represented by the manager's lack of interest in his subordinates' safety, and on the image of his company. The manager basically refused to provide suitable instructions to his employees. The company was involved in other scandals that threatened the safety of its employees.

The Herald sun in Australia reported an incident that took place in Werribee. At a KFC restaurant, a drunken customer entered the premises and assaulted one of the workers. In addition to this, the violent customer verbally abused other workers (UNITE, 2008). The standard procedure in such cases is to close the restaurant and allow the staff to stop working and go to their homes or to seek for medical care if necessary. The company also commits to ensuring that employees involved in such situations receive psychological care.

Same as in the case described above, the restaurant manager did not apply the standard procedures. The manager did not allow the employees to close the store, to go home, or to receive medical care. Instead, the workers were pressured into continuing their job in order for the restaurant to continue its regular activity. The company should have conducted an audit at the Werribee KFC unit.

Several organizations in the field tried to discuss the situation with the KFC manager that could not provide additional information because he was not allowed to do this while the company is investigating the situation. The company was reported to the authority that supervises health and safety at the workplace. Certain unions consider that the situation was improperly managed because these workers are not unionized and are not properly represented in their relationship with the company.

The described situations can be considered exceptions, as only few incidents of this type have been reported in relationship with the high number of units and workers at KFC. However, this does not mean the.