Unsafe and Unhealthy

Acts and Conditions

Joyce Ann O. Dela Cruz
Human Resource Mgt. Officer II
Training and Public Information Division

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Session Objectives
At the end of the session, the participants will be
able to:
• Discuss the basic causes of workplace accidents;
• Define and differentiate accidents, unsafe /
unhealthy acts and conditions; and
• Identify and enumerate different situations and
practices that constitute unsafe/unhealthy acts
and conditions.

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Workshop

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Group Exercise: Identification of Unsafe/Unhealthy Acts
and Unsafe/Unhealthy Conditions

• Each group will designate a facilitator and

reporter
• Each member will identify unsafe/unhealthy
acts/conditions in his/her own workplace
• Blue Metacard – Unsafe/Unhealthy Act
• White Metacard – Unsafe/Unhealthy Condition
• Workshop: 10 minutes
• Presentation: 5 minutes / group
• Comments from other groups: 5 minutes

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Background: The WORK SYSTEM
People

Environment Equipment

Materials
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Accident Theory

The WORK SYSTEM

People

Environment Equipment

Materials

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
ACCIDENT
An occurrence or event  loss; damage
that is unexpected/
unforeseen, unplanned  injury
and unwanted.
 death

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Accidents
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Accidents
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Accidents
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Accidents
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Workplace Hazards

Safety Hazards
• Something that has a potential for
injury
Health Hazards
• Something that has a potential to cause
illness

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Iceberg Theory
Direct Costs
• Medical Costs • Wasted raw materials

• Compensation • Damaged property / equipment

• Lost Time:
Injured
Worker,
• Training New
Supervisor
Employees
• Spoiled Product • Overhead Costs
• Unhappy customers • Legal Fees
• Cleanup Time • Increase in
• Schedule Delays Indirect Costs Insurance Cost

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Common Reasons for Accidents
Layman’s version:
• ‘Oras na kasi niya, hayaan na siyang
mamahinga!’
• ‘Ang malas naman niya!’
• ‘Tanga kasi niya!’
• ‘Kasama sa trabaho yan!’

These are not real causes - - -

only EXCUSES
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Let’s check this:

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Immediate CAUSES of accidents

• Unsafe / Unhealthy
ACTS

•Unsafe / Unhealthy
CONDITIONS

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Unsafe / Unhealthy ACT
• A human action that departs from
a standard or written job procedure
or common practice, safety rules,
regulations, or instructions.
• A violation of a commonly-
accepted safe procedures and or
processes.

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Examples of Unsafe Acts
• Operating equipment without authority
• Removing safety devices
• Using Defective equipment
• Improper/Non-use of PPE
• Horseplaying
• Working while under the
influence of alcohol or drugs

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Unsafe / Unhealthy A C T S
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Factors Contributing to Unsafe Acts

• Improper Attitude
• Physical Limitations

• Lack of Knowledge
or Skills

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Improper Attitudes
• Operating equipment without authority
• Disregard of SOP or instructions
• Removing safety devices
• Using defective equipment
• Not using PPE issued for the job
• Horseplaying
• Willful intent to injure

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Physical Limitations
• Defective eyesight
• Muscular weakness due to fatigue
• Impaired hearing
• Short in height
• Too tall in height
• Slow reactions

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Lack of Knowledge or Skill

• Failure to understand instruction

• Unaware of safe practices
• Safe practices are not understood
• Unskilled or unpracticed

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Unsafe Condition

• The physical or chemical property of a

material, machine or the environment
that may result in injury to a person,
damage or destruction to property and
other losses;
• could have been guarded or prevented.

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Examples of Unsafe Conditions
• Inadequate guards/protection
• Defective tools, equipment
• Congested / blocked exits
• Inadequate warning systems
• Slippery floors
• Hazardous atmospheric condition
• Excessive noise
• Extreme temperature
• Inadequate illumination/ ventilation

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 C O N D I-
Unsafe / Unhealthy
T I O N S
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
A fatal accident is just the TIP of the iceberg

1 Death
10 serious accidents
100 minor injuries
1,000 hazardous occurrences
10,000 unsafe acts or conditions

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Can accidents
be prevented?

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Generally…

• 98% - preventable
88% - unsafe / unhealthy
ACTS
10% - unsafe/unhealthy
CONDITIONS

• 2% - non-preventable

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
 ACCIDENTS / ILLNESSES

US / UH US / UH
Acts Conditions

•Unaware
•Unnoticed
•Unable
•Uncorrected
•Unmotivated

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Conclusion:

Both the human and the

technical factors of accident
causation should be addressed.

A comprehensive OSH program

is needed to prevent accidents
from happening.
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
Thank you!

Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER