Course Syllabus
Safety Evaluation and Measurement
Spring 2001
Kathleen Miezio Ph.D.
Office: 212 Communications
Phone: 696-3071
Email: miezio@marshall.edu
Office Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday:
Required text: Total Quality Safety Management and
Auditing
Course Description: Methods for analyzing safety performance for accident prevention and control
Course Objectives: By the end of this course a student will be able to recognize the elements of effective safety programs, with specific measurement techniques for the evaluation of programs. The course will concentrate on measurement of safety programs from OSHA guidance, and from the Voluntary Protection Program, with supplementary material from the ISO (International Standards Organization) standards. Critical evaluation of the methods of measurement will be emphasized.
Grading policy:
Written assignments 20%
Oral Presentation 20%
Course Examinations 50%
Class participation 10%
Exams will be given during the course (2) covering textbook, lecture and internet material. Lecture material will not always follow course outline. Absences from exams will be accepted if accompanied with a physician statement. A make up exam will be offered with different content for excused absences.
Attendance policy: Unexcused absences of 2 or more sessions WILL result in the lowering of the final course grade by one full grade, for example, an “A” will be lowered to a “B” etc.
Course Outline (Subject to Change)
Week 1 Introduction
Week 2 OSHA Program Evaluation
Week 3 VPP Programs
Week 4 VPP Programs continued
Week 5 Program Measurement Metrics
Week 5 Metrics
Week 6 Exam preparation
Week 7 Midterm Exam
Week 8 Audits –management
Week 9 Audits-equipment and facilities
Week 10 Audits work practices and communications
Week 11 Evaluating management performance
Week 12 Behavior Based Safety
Week 13 Presentations BBS continued
Week 14 Presentations, trend analysis
Week 15 Exam Preparation
Report: As the safety manager at XYZ Corporation, you have been asked to look into Behavior Based Safety, and report back to management on weather or not it would be a good thing to adopt at XYZ. You will write a report on Behavior Based Safety, covering both the advantages and the disadvantages of the system. The report must be at least 5 pages in length, and all statements, unless clearly identified as your opinion must be documented, with a bibliography at the end of the paper. The bibliography will include the required text, at least 2 journal articles, and at least 2 internet references. The report will be graded on quality, professional appearance, and logical presentation of the assigned topic. The report must be your own analysis.
SFT 378
Discussion and case study: At plant Baggie, the production superintendent has just been promoted to be plant manager. He knows that corporate policy now is to change management style from the top down, the command and control style of the past, to an inclusive and empowerment style involving all employees. He also knows that after seven years of reduced employee injuries, during the past four years, the plant’s injury rate has increased slightly each year causing concern among the employees and increased worker compensation costs. General corporate earnings are down and salaried positions are being eliminated
One way to cut costs and improve worker morale is to decrease the number of injuries and thereby reduce workers compensation costs.
1 What steps could this new plant manager take to communicate to all employees at this site that workers safety and health is the first priority?
2 What steps could the management staff take to convince the workers that they may now have more of a voice in decision making safety and health decisions?
3 What documentation would you want to review and assess the changes?