ABSTRACT
Industrial safety deals with the areas of safety engineering and public health that are concerned with the protection of workers’ health, through control of the work environment to reduce or eliminate hazards. Industrial accidents and unsafe working conditions can result in temporary or permanent injury, illness, or even death. They also impact on reduced efficiency and loss of productivity. In the United States before 1900 the safety of workers was of little concern to employers. Only with the passage of the Workmen’s Compensation Laws and related labor statutes between 1908 and 1948 did U.S. employers start to pay attention to industrial safety; making the work environment safer was less costly than paying compensation. A new national policy was established in 1970 when for the first time all industrial workers in businesses affected by interstate commerce were covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Under this act the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was given responsibility for conducting research on occupational health and safety standards, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was charged with setting and enforcing appropriate standards in industry. Various external factors, such as chemical, biological, or physical hazards, can cause work-related injury. Poor working posture or improper design of the workplace often results in muscle strains, sprains, fractures, bruises, and back pain (e.g., Repetitive Stress Injury). In recent years engineers have attempted to develop a systems approach (termed safety engineering) to industrial accident prevention. The systems approach examines all work locations to eliminate or control hazards. It also examines operating methods and practices and the training of employees and supervisors. This first chapter serves as an introduction to the general topics and areas reviewed in various chapters.
