Discussion: Safety, Health, and Risk Management

Even though the rate of worker deaths and reported injuries has decreased by more than $60\%$ since the inception of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, there are still $3\mathrm{.}6$ million serious job$-$related injuries and more than $5,000$ workers killed on the job each year.

As an HR manager at an ophthalmic medicine research lab at a major university, you provide safety guidance for about $400$ faculty and staff. These $400$ people are actively engaged in research that involves chemicals, sharp tools like scalpels and needles, easily$-$broken glassware, and machinery that cryogenically and deep$-$freezes biological and chemical materials.

Safety concerns for the lab would include fire and being able to safely extinguish it; proper use of chemicals that follow biohazard rules, use of them in properly vented areas, and careful procedures for use of radioactive materials; safely operating all machinery; and proper use and disposal of $$sharps$,$ which include needles and syringes, scalpels and the like. Safety and risk management are a large part of your job as the HR manager.