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Focus on Safety, Health

and the (Green!) Environment

November 2008

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. . . ON STRESS ON & OFF THE JOB

Stress! The Hidden Enemy of S, H & E Performance

Michael Topf, MA

In the past, the role of stress in safety, health and environmental incidents was unknown or downplayed.

Most behavioral processes have focused on observable behaviors and their reinforcement or correction. This is clearly not the complete picture in accident, injury, and incident prevention.

In 1983, Topf conducted original research to determine the causes of accidents and injuries for a site of a major chemical company. We found there were two primary causes of accidents and injuries. (Later research also proved these two were also key factors in the occurrence of health issues and environmental incidents.) These two factors are:

Automatic or non-deliberate behaviors, such as, daydreaming, distractions, stress and fatigue that result in a loss of focus or one’s ability to pay attention.

Pre-meditated or deliberate behaviors resulting from unsafe choices made by both management and line employees that stem from their attitudes and beliefs related to personal and business priorities and time, comfort, convenience, and “looking good” or being “macho”. People also have the desire to show their strength, ability, or being viewed as a super hero or heroine, and as a valued employee worthy of keeping his or her job.

People’s choices and subsequent behaviors are influenced by their own attitudes, beliefs and thinking, that of their co-workers, their line or management leadership, family, friends, business trends, and other circumstances.

. . ON GOING (and staying!!) GREEN

Corporate Social Responsibility

By Joseph Win

Going Green today is more than just setting up a recycling program or using e-statements. While many businesses are familiar with the old concept of social responsibility, wherein companies, on a voluntary basis, reached out to assist their customers and communities, the definition now has been greatly expanded. Possibly due to the growing environmental issues facing our communities and planet, a new concept is being applied.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept that organizations and mostly companies, have an obligation to consider the interests of customers, members, employees, shareholders, communities, and ecological considerations in all aspects of their operations. Just like the old definition of social responsibility, this obligation is seen to extend beyond their statutory obligation to comply with legislation.

This concept applies to all businesses in all industries. Regardless of whether the company is a white collar office based service organization or a blue collar based manufacturing facility, there are steps that must be considered and taken to alleviate the impact of the company's activities on the environment. While a factory belching smoke has obvious environmental impacts, other industries impacts may not be as apparent. Consider the nice clean white collar office building. How much energy is it using? How much paper? Ink? Water? All of these factors , and many more, while unseen, have an deleterious impact on the environment.