Safety Man Describe the Safety

Safety Man Describe the safety conditions that existed before the company was sold to the new owner. Before the company was sold to a new owner, Mundy claims that "management did only what it perceived as 'absolutely necessary' to avoid OSHA fines," (p. 3). There was "no formal safety plan." Employees did not receive safety training, and the company also did not require wearing protective gear. No fall protection was provided "on most jobs," states Mundy. Furthermore, employees were not trained in CPR or first aid.

Although Mundy states that the company "had been lucky -- not only because it had avoided fines but also because it had not experienced any fatal accidents or serious injuries," minor injuries took place regularly on company time. "According to OSHA injury logs," notes Mundy, "between 1975 and 2000, the company experienced an average of 14.5 recordable injuries per year. One year, the company experienced 27 injuries.

In another year, the company had only nine injuries, but three of them tallied a total of 275 lost days for the year." It is important to note that Mundy is describing an organizational culture that downplays the role of safety -- even ridicules it. The organizational culture was part of the problem before the new ownership. In fact, the attitudes of employees towards the newly implemented safety rules proves that the organizational climate was one that viewed safety as a burden and not as a boon.

Instead of valuing what OSHA had to say about preventing injuries and saving lives, the managerial staff and employees scoffed at any regulations that might cause changes in the way they worked. As Mundy points out, some of the changes were simple and did not entail any radical difference in how a roofer accomplishes tasks. 2. Mundy described the period of time after the company's purchase by a new owner as a "new era." Describe the safety initiatives introduced following the change in ownership.

The new ownership implemented radical changes to the organizational culture and climate, thereby improving workplace safety. The first thing the new owner did was to recognize that safety problems existed. Moreover, the owner also understood that to design and implement a new safety program, the company would need a full-time safety manager. The owner also had the foresight to understand that the full-time safety manager should "have experience as a roofer." The value of having someone experienced in roofing address safety issues in that field cannot be underestimated.

The new owner also hired a general manager "who shared this respect for a strong safety plan." A new manager also helped contribute to the changes in organizational culture that are at the foundation of the "new era." Interestingly, the new owner also put into place a pre-employment and random drug testing program that upset many of the employees. The program worked, calling attention to those employees who did not value the safety implications of substance use on the roofing profession.

The practical changes the new owner made included fall protection, warning lines, guardrails, and safety vests for monitors. OSHA guidelines were followed regarding the use of these safety tools. Under the "new era" safety policies, the organization offered comprehensive safety training and first aid training for employees. Record-keeping was also improved. Finally, to inspire interest in the new policies, the organization offered financial incentives to injury-free workers. 3.

Compare and contrast Mundy's role to that of the "safety man" (2nd article) How are the positions similar? Dissimilar? Mundy calls himself the "safety man" and is aware of the similarities between the first "safety men" and himself. The article describing the history of the safety man focuses on how the position started not as a direct reaction to too many workplace injuries but as a response to new labor laws. From a managerial standpoint, a "safety man" was necessary to avoid having to pay out worker compensation.

Mundy describes safety partly in terms of its financial implications for the company. Although Mundy acknowledges the ethical and.