Safety Health and Environmental Auditing

This paper aims to evaluate traditional Process Safety Management (PSM) auditing practices and assess how confidential reporting mechanisms could enhance these audits. Methods: A comprehensive literature review and analysis of existing case studies were conducted to identify gaps in current PSM auditing practices. The study focused on underreporting of near-misses and insufficient capture of safety culture issues. Confidential reporting systems were examined for their potential to improve risk identification and management. Results: The analysis revealed significant gaps in traditional PSM audits, including the underreporting of near-misses and the failure to adequately capture safety culture issues. Confidential reporting systems were shown to improve risk identification and management by providing a safe channel for employees to report safety concerns anonymously. These systems enhance the completeness of safety data, offering auditors a more comprehensive view of the safety landscape. Conclusion: Integrating confidential reporting mechanisms into PSM audits can significantly improve hazard identification, promote transparency, and foster a stronger safety culture. This integration addresses the limitations of traditional audits by capturing critical safety information that might otherwise go unreported. The paper concludes that evolving PSM auditing practices to include confidential reporting can lead to more effective risk management and a safer working environment. Plain Language Summary: This paper discusses how traditional safety audits might miss critical safety concerns due to limited employee openness. Incorporating confidential reporting systems can significantly enhance safety by allowing employees to anonymously report hazards or near-miss incidents, thus improving overall safety performance in hazardous industries.

This paper argues that current safety assessment methodologies and models must be revised to reflect what is now known about the complexity of technological disasters. It first introduces the normal accident's debate and indicates three types of issues that maintain the quarrel unsettled: the retrospective fallacy, the unanticipated consequences of technological and social actions and the difficulty to establish normative frames. Second, it argues, despite the 'normal accident' theory background, that there is much room for improvement in the way safety is assessed, if one considers closely, for instance, the lessons from socio-technological disasters. The Macondo well case study in 2010 (Chief Counsel Report, 2011) illustrates the complexity of the problem and the multidimensional nature of disasters. As safety assessments rely for a good part on safety management system audits (although the situation differs according to the high-risk industries concerned), it is found relevant to start questioning their limits. This is what is explored in a third section, based on literature, empirical studies, and theory. The conclusion is that the audit rationale is not adapted to address the complexity of high-risk socio technical system and what we know from major accidents investigations.

The aim of this study is to examine the causal relationship between key auditor factors and quality audit output by the Malaysian Quality Management System (QMS) auditors. QMS auditors require a wide knowledge base, skill set, personal attributes and relevant experience to effectively evaluate contemporary QMS and provide quality audit results. The intended outcome of this study is to establish the significant relationship between auditor factors the audit quality and to generate a more comprehensive unified framework for future external quality auditors (EQAs). The resulting framework can be adopted by accreditation and certification bodies to evaluate and improve their auditors’ audit performance. Competency theory will be used in this study to better understand audit quality.  Quantitative research methodology using a deductive reasoning approach will be employed in this research. A survey instrument will be used to collect primary data from key auditees who are exposed to ISO 9001QMS audits in certified organizations.

This paper argues that the practical reach and ethical impact of the One Health paradigm is conditional on satisfactorily distinguishing between interconnected and interdependent factors among human, non-human, and environmental health. Interconnection does not entail interdependence. Offering examples of interconnections and interdependence in the context of existing One Health literature, we demonstrate that the conversations about One Health do not yet sufficiently differentiate between those concepts. They tend to either ignore such distinctions or embrace bioethically untenable positions. We conclude that careful conceptual differentiation can prevent One Health stakeholders either from overreaching or under-reaching the practical and ethical boundaries of this developing paradigm.

Emergency situations would cause a reactive behavior in an individual rather than thoughtful behavior and mostly due to the fear of unknown happening whose results may lead to their premature elimination from the earth plantation and particularly a section of it called Kenya. Take for example that an individual hears a loud bang while at the office desk, the first reaction would be to seek for safety before thinking quietly or loud whether the blast would result into unsurmountable danger to self. Most Kenyan workplaces believe that the emergency response plan is the same as the emergency evacuation plan which is displayed always in form of a signage along the major entrances and corridors. The question therefore is: what is the difference between Emergency Response Plan and Evacuation Map and how are these required to be implemented within the workplaces in Kenya taking into considerations the relevant safety legal, policies, regulations, and institutional frameworks. Emergency Response Plan and Evacuation Map Emergency Response Plan is a document that outlines the workplace structure and outlines workplace specific procedures to eminent emergencies that may lead to partial or total stoppage of operations within the workplace. For workplaces that have a fully departmentalized safety section, this document is always part of the greater Health Safety Security and Environment (HSSE) policy document. The emergency response plan in most workplaces in Kenya is not explicitly required by any safety regulations. It must be noted that the Kenyan Fire Risk Regulations Rules Legal Notice Number 59 of 2007 is in itself a form of emergency response requirement for a workplace. The Kenyan Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 2007 makes it mandatory for workplaces to implement emergency preparedness and response procedures in broader aspects. These aspects includes the development of emergency ACTION PLAN, and the provision of emergency numbers from common agencies. Workplace Emergency Response Plan (ERP) is therefore a standard safety. ERP in most instances incorporates the emergency evacuation map to every floor and or section of the workplace. Evacuation plan or loosely referred to as the evacuation map lays out the routes to the primary and secondary exits of the section of the building where the map is located. This is an escape plan and provides the quickest way out of the building for employees and visitors alike but it also guides the response team arriving at the scene during emergencies without the building architectural plan. Dangers within the workplace which may range from fire to toxic chemicals may necessitate immediate evacuation and the evacuation map will direct the employees the nearest exit points and the possible assembling points after evacuation. In Kenya, it is mandatory to have an evacuation map as required under section 82 (1) and 17 (5) of OSH Act 2007 and Fire Risk Regulations L.N. 59 of 2007. 82. (1) Every occupier of a workplace shall design evacuation procedures to be used during any emergency and have the procedures tested at regular intervals [OSH Act, 2007]. 17 (5) Every occupier shall ensure that every emergency exit route is clearly marked in writing or by signs indicating the direction of exit and that a drawing or map showing evacuation routes shall be posted in prominent positions in the work place. [Fire Risk Regulation Rules L.N. 59 of 2007]. It complying with the above law and regulation it is prudent that workplaces embrace the competencies of sound safety policy implementers as the emergency evacuation map and the risk response plan does require knowledge in broader aspect to be implemented candidly. There are international standards in the development of risk response plans and evacuation maps and the implementation of the same should not only have a look at the localized regulations but both. From the regulations it is concluded that risk response plan is a requirement when developing the health safety security and environment policy document and the evacuation map is a requirement with explicit regulations.

Depending on how your current workplace defines a boardroom, the universally accepted definition is that of a room within the workplace that is specifically designed for meeting purposes either by the board, employees or visitors on a mission with the company or organization. Hence the saying a good man in the boardroom is worth two in the bedroom. But how good should the meeting point be for it to be of good use? The fire risk regulation rules legal notice number 59 of 2007 in Kenya does not specifically mention boardroom safety regulations. Even the mother of safety legislations (Kenyan OSH Act 2007) generalizes all workplaces and does not mention boardroom in particular. They say show me your friends and I will define your character and I say show me your reception and boardroom and I will define the worth of your company or organization. The boardroom (also reception) defines the face of the company and the kind of furniture, the design, and the walling clearly outline where the company is in terms of safety provisions. Most modern boardrooms (read: Not very very modern) are built with inbuilt safety provisions which have been implemented from the design stage to the final phase of the whole structural project. Since a board –room is a room in particular most safety officers considers it as another office room with safety provisions as the rest of the rooms. However an ideal boardroom should have at least the following premises: 1. An air conditioning system during hot temperatures and an air heating system during cold temperature seasons 2. One main entry point to the boardroom and another exit marked as the emergency fire exit even though both can do the same purpose. If the boardroom has only one main exit then this is susceptible to crowd stampede dangers during emergencies. 3. An Occupational Safety and Health Abstract posted at the main exit area or at a notice board within the boardroom to communication the organization standings on various health, safety, security and environmental issues for those who care to see. 4. Marked emergency exits and instruction on fire action in cases of fire emergencies within the building. 5. An emergency evacuation plan that will give the boardroom occupants their current location and a map denoting the nearest exit route. 6. A fire point within or outside the boardroom having portable fire extinguishing systems which should be at least a CO2 gas extinguisher type and or water-type extinguisher type depending on the type of materials within the room. 7. A wired detection system in form of a smoke detection system that signals an alarm process in cases of emergencies due to fires and excessive dusts at the boardroom. 8. A small prayer phrase to give hope to the boardroom occupants that even if an emergency happen whoever they believe in is with them. Trust me every single sole believe in something and the levels of their beliefs differ hence the prayer phrase notice on the boardroom wall is a remainder. 9. Motion sensing and intruder detection systems to protect the room from any eminent arson attack on the face of the company or organization. 10. A Notice of Emergency Contact Numbers which should comprise of the security and safety manager of the company or organization, the local police contact numbers, the county disaster management responders, and the local disaster management unit responders.

Now in the competitive environment, organizations are facing increasing pressures that are in turning passed on to the employees creating certain problems both for the employees and the organization. In most of the organizations, people are talking about how hard it is to meet increasingly challenging work demands and at the same time take proper care of themselves and their families. Now it's no longer unusual for work to demand more time and attention from the employees far beyond the normal working hours. Fortunately or unfortunately, the benefits provided by technology also guarantee that work no longer ends when we walk out of the office. The outcome is a much greater intermingling of personal and work lives disturbing the work-life balance. Further with the increasing dual career families and nuclear families, work life balance issues have become more prominent drawing more attention.

The effects of numerous Human Resource Development factors on business performance have been reported in business research literature in recent years. After years of organizational restructuring and work reengineering, schools of management recognize that a productive. Workforce is increasingly important to attain sustainable competitive advantages for business organizations on a global basis. As the composition of workforce continues to change, companies offering better benefits and supportive working environments are expected to gain leverage in hiring and retaining valuable people. In this breadth, how employees perceive their working environment has also gained significance as companies scramble to ensure that employees experience the best possible Balance of Work Life.

Work life balance is essentially important to the private employees who work in construction business. As it is a service industry, without sound mind it is not possible to provide better service to the clients. Work life balance and job satisfaction are closely related. Highly satisfied workers are assumed to have better work life balance and result is more loyalty, commitment and highest productivity