Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers

BACKGROUND The field of occupational safety and health has undergone significant change over the past two decades. There are many reasons for this. Some of the more prominent include the following: technological changes that have introduced new hazards in the workplace; proliferation of health and safety legislation and corresponding regulations: increased pressure from regulatory agencies; realization by executives that workers in a safe and healthy workplace are typically more productive: health care and workers' compensation costs: increased pressure from environmental groups and the public; a growing interest in ethics and corporate responsibility; professionalization of health and safety occupations; increased pressure from labor organizations and employees in general: rapidly mounting costs associated with product safety and other types of litigation: and increasing incidents of workplace violence. All of these factors, when taken together, have made the job of the modem safety and health professional more challenging and more important than it has ever been. These factors have also created a need for an up-to-date book on workplace safety and health that contains the latest information needed by people who will practice this profession in the age of global competition and rapid technological change. WHY WAS THIS BOOK WRITTEN AND FOR WHOM? This book was written to fulfill the need for an up-to-date practical teaching resource that focuses on the needs of modern safety and health professionals practicing in the workplace. It is intended for use in universities, colleges, community colleges, and corporate training settings that offer programs, courses, workshops, and/or seminars in occupational safety and health. Educators in such disciplines as industrial technology, manufacturing technology, industrial engineering, engineering technology, occupational safety, management, and supervision may find this book both valuable and easy to use. The direct, straightforward presentation of material focuses on making the theories and principles of occupational safety and health practical and useful in a real-world setting. Up-to-date research has been integrated throughout in a down-to-earth manner. ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK The text contains thirty chapters, each focusing on a major area of concern for modern safety and health professionals. The chapters are presented in an order that is compatible with the typical organization of a college-level safety and health course. a standard chapter format is used throughout the book. Each chapter begins with a list of major topics and ends with a comprehensive summary. Following the summary. each chapter contains end material including review questions, key terms and concepts, and endnotes. Within each chapter are case studies to promote classroom discussion, as well as at least one safety fact or myth. These materials are provided to encourage review, stimulate additional thought, and provide opportunities for applying what has been learned. HOW THIS BOOK DIFFERS FROM OTHERS This book was written because in the age of global competition. safety and health in the workplace has changed drastically. Many issues, concerns, and factors relating specifically to modem workplace environments have been given more attention, greater depth of coverage, and more illumination than other textbooks. Some of the areas receiving more attention and specific occupational examples are the following: The OSHAct and OSHA Standards and codes Laws and liability Stress-related problems Life safety Evolving roles of health and safety professionals Health and safety training Human factors in safety Environmental issues and ISO 14000 standards Computers, robots, and automation Ethics and safety Bloodborne pathogens in the workplace Product safety and liaGoetsch, David L. is the author of 'Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers', published 2004 under ISBN 9780131137646 and ISBN 0131137646.