Nigro 1 Grant Nigro Prof.

Adam Padgett English M-W 2:00 29 October 2012 Annotated Bibliography Worker Safety

During my observation, I found several possible topics of research to study. Some of the topics that I found interesting include running a business efficiently, dedication of workers, and worker safety. After writing my initial observation, I found that worker safety would be the best topic to write about. Some of the research that I did on worker safety brought me to organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that administer how safe the company is running and how they can improve their overall safety and efficiency. Based on my observations, I can conclude that OSHA is the main reason why businesses are safe. OSHA. "Protecting Young Workers: Prohibition Against Young Workers Operating Forklifts." US Department of Labor (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib093003.html>. Of the sources I found, one that I found interesting was Protecting Young Workers: Prohibition Against Young Workers Operating Forklifts. The reason I find this source interesting is because I can relate to it directly. During the summertime, I work in a warehouse and face the same tasks as approached in the source. I often use forklifts to put product in its correct location and to bring product down to complete orders. Although I somewhat disagree with what the

Nigro 2 book has to say, I know that it is right and that the only reason I dont completely agree with it is because I am a young warehouse worker. Luo, Honghong. "The Effectiveness of U.S. OSHA Process Safety Management Inspection A Preliminary Quantitative Evaluation." Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries 23.3 (2010): 455-61. Print. Another source I found interesting was The Effectiveness of US OSHA Process safety management Inspection A Preliminary Quantitative Evaluation. This source basically goes through what OSHA does on a normal inspection and how effective the inspection is. It also debates whether inspections influence the workplace enough to affect the amount of injuries that are apparent during work. I also found this interesting because it doesnt necessarily take a certain side, it just writes about both sides and how they can be considered correct. "The Declining Effects of OSHA Inspections on Manufacturing Injuries: 1979 to 1998." The Declining Effects of OSHA Inspections on Manufacturing Injuries: 1979 to 1998. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/9119.html>. One source I found that took a negative approach on OSHA was The Declining Effects on OSHA Inspections on Manufacturing Injuries. This was one of the only sources I found that took a negative approach on OSHA and states why OSHAs inspections arent as effective and satisfactory as they used to be. It also describes how only having one inspection a year is ineffective and doesnt show how safe the company being inspected is running. This is the one source that I agree with the most; it provides multiple ways to help improve worker safety and states how the current system is not good enough. If they were to have inspections more

Nigro 3 regularly, like once a month, than the inspections can be more conclusive and provide a definite answer to the question of how safe a company is being run. Newsome, Beth Reed. "Types of OSHA Inspections." EHow. Demand Media, 21 July 2010. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ehow.com/list_6758134_types-oshainspections.html>. A source I found that took a different approach to worker safety was, What Kinds of Injuries do OSHA Inspections prevent? This source took a more scientific approach to provide a solution to help prevent injuries in the workplace. The article showed that sprains and strains, mostly in the back, are the most common injury in the workplace. This makes sense because youre most likely going to experience a minor injury than a more severe injury. Although, severe injuries are possible and most likely will happen eventually in the workplace. Taylor, Michael T. "OSHA Compliance Mistakes." EHS Today July 2012, July 2012 ed., Vol. 5 Issue 7 sec.: 29-31. Print. The last source that I found interesting was OSHA Compliance Mistakes. This source went through the most common mistakes made by employers during OSHA inspections. Some of the most common mistakes made by employers include, employers dont develop written safety and health rules, employers dont properly track and implement corrective actions that are generated in response to incident investigations, and employers dont review relevant OSHA interpretation letters when prompted. This source took the route of employer violations rather than work related injuries.

Nigro 4 To conclude, work-related injuries are inevitable and are bound to happen. However, OSHA can help reduce the likeliness of these injuries and provide a way to monitor how safe companies are being run. I feel that OSHA is a great way to help increase productivity in the workplace and has very few flaws. However, one of the flaws noticeable with OSHA is the amount of inspections that are given a year. OSHA currently inspects companies once a year, which is way less than what needs to be. I feel that one inspection a year is not enough to conclude whether a company is being run safely or not. If OSHA increased the amount of inspections to 12 (once a month), than OSHA could make better judgment and make a better decision in deciding the safety of the company. Based on my observation, OSHA helps prevent injuries in the workplace and are the key factor in deciding the safety of the workplace.