Industrial relations involves the relationship between management and workers in an industry. It aims to maintain industrial peace and minimize conflicts. Employee health and safety are important aspects of industrial relations. Mental health of employees is important due to increased work pressures. Companies provide counseling and training to support mental well-being. Physical health can be impacted by various occupational hazards. Safety programs and policies aim to prevent accidents and minimize losses through strategic planning, clear policies, safety organization, and addressing causes of accidents. Both individual and organizational strategies are used to manage work stress.

1. INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
CONCEPT, HEALTH AND SAFTEY
BY
PRANAV KUMAR OJHA
MBA 2nd SEMESTER
MONIRBA,
UNIVERSITY OF ALLAHABAD

2. Concept of Industrial relations
• Industrial relations has very wide meaning. In its
wider sense, the concept includes the
relationship between employer and employee in
the course of the running of the industry, and
may cover the areas of production, quality
control , team work and motivation. Industrial
relation primarily stands for the relationship
between management and workmen in industry,
which may stem directly from trade union-
management relationship leading to either
industrial peace and harmony or industrial strife.

3. Definition of Industrial relations
• Industrial relations deal with either the
relationships between the state and the
employers and workers organizations or the
other relations between the occupational
organizations themselves.
- The International Labour Organization
• Whole field of relationship that exists because of
the necessary collaboration of men and women
in the employment process of an industry.
- Dale Yoder

4. Need/Objectives of Industrial
Relations
• To Sustain and Maintain Industrial
Peace.
• To Minimize Industrial Conflicts.
• To Create Goodwill and Trust.
• To Ensure Discipline in the
Organization.

5. HEALTH
Health as defined by World Health
Organization (WHO), it is a "State of
complete physical, mental, and
social well being, and not merely
the absence of disease or infirmity."
Health is a dynamic condition resulting from
a body's constant adjustment and adaptation
in response to stresses and changes in the
environment for maintaining an inner
equilibrium called homeostasis.
-www.businessdictionary.com

6. We can examine employee health
from following angles –
1)Physical Health
2)Mental Health

7. 1)Physical Health –
The overall condition of a
living organism at a given time.
The soundness of the body.
Freedom from disease or
abnormality.
The environmental forces can
attack the body or the person
may have genetic malfunctions
to generate the disease.

8. Physical health can be affected by several
causes shown below -
Health Hazards Causes
Lung Cancer Coke oven emissions, asbestos, cigarette smoke.
White Lung Disease Asbestos
Black Lung Disease Coal dust
Brown Lung Disease Cotton Dust
Leukemia Benzene, Radiation.
Cancer Asbestos, radiation, Vinyl chloride, coke oven emissions.
Sterility Radiations

9. We can examine employee health from
following angles –
1)Physical Health
2)Mental Health

10. 2) Mental Health –
Mental health includes emotional and
psychological health.
In resent years, mental health of
employees, particularly that of
executives, has engaged the attention of
employers. There are 3 reasons for this –
(i) Mental breakdowns are common in
modern days because of pressures
and tensions.
(ii) Mental disturbances of various types
result in reduced productivity and
lower profits for the organization.
(iii) Mental illness takes its toll through
alcoholism, high employee turnover,
and poor human relationships.
Mental Health services

11. A mental health service
is generally rendered in
the following ways –
1) Psychiatric counseling.
2) Education of company
personnel in the nature
and the importance of
mental health.
3) Development and
maintenance of an
effective human
relations program.

12. We can examine employee health
from following angles –
1)Physical Health
2)Mental Health

13. Work Stress –
An individual’s response to a
disturbing factor in the
environment.
The consequences of such
reactions.
Stress is mostly understood to be
negative.
Where stress brings out
something better from an
individual, it is called eustress.

14. What is NOT Stress ?
Stress is not simply anxiety
of nervous tension.
Stress need not be always
damaging.
Stress is not always due to
overwork.
Stress cannot be avoided.
The body has a limited
capacity to respond.

15. The Stress Experience
Not all individuals
experience stress with
the same intensity.
 Some people over-
react to stressors and get
highly stressed.
 Others have the
stamina, endurance and
composure to cope with
any stressors.

16. Experiences of stress
depends on –
(i) The person’s perception
of the situation.
(ii) The person’s past
experience.
(iii)The presence or absence
of social support, and
(iv)Individual differences
with regard to stress
reactions.

17. Types of Stressors –
Individual-level
Stressors.
Group-level
Stressors.
Organizational
Stressors.
Extra organizational
Stressors.

18. Signs of Stress
Physical Emotional Mental Signs Relational Spiritual Behavioral
Signs Signs Signs Signs Signs
Appetite Bad temper Lacking humor Isolation A feeling of Pacing
changes emptiness
Headaches Anxiety Dull senses Defensive Apathy Swearing
Fatigue Nightmares Lethargy Intolerance Inability to Substance
forgive abuse
Insomnia Irritability Boredom Resentment Cynicism Nail biting
Indigestion Depression Indecisiveness Loneliness Loss of Slumped
direction posture
Cold Frustration Forgetfulness Nagging Doubt Restlessness
Weight Over Poor Lower sex Need to Risk aversion
change sensitivity concentration drive prove self
Teeth Mood swings Personality Aggression Negative Eating
grinding changes outlook disorders
Tension Fearfulness Stuck in past Abuse Gloom Headaches

19. Stress Management – This may be
categorized as
(i) Individual Strategies
(ii)Organizational Strategies

20. Alcoholism, Smoking and Drug Abuse –
Alcoholism and Smoking are
serious and widespread problems. It does
not strike any particular group – this strikes
from the janitor to the general manager.
Organizations employ 3 techniques to
tackle this problem –
First is disciplining the addicted
employee. Where disciplining fails, the
employee is discharged.
Second is in-house counseling by the
HR department, the company doctor or by
immediate supervisor.
Finally, companies use outside
agencies, psychiatrists clinics to deal with
the problem.

21. Drug abuse is a resent
phenomenon and is a serious
one. Drug abuse is more
evident among young
employees and is found across
all job levels. Employees who
are drug addicts are often
much more difficult to detect
than alcoholics.
Previous techniques are
used in this case also.

22. SAFETY
Safety refers to the absence of accidents.
Stated differently, safety refers to the
protection of workers from the danger of
accidents.
- K Aswathappa
Relative freedom from danger, risk, or
threat of harm, injury, or loss to personnel
and/or property, whether caused
deliberately or by accident.
-
www.businessdictionary.com

23. NEED FOR SAFETY
Cost saving – If the safety measures are not
applied than the accident may result into
following costs-
1) Direct cost- It may be in the form
of compensation payable to the
dependents of victim if the accident is
fatal, and medical expenses incurred in
treating the patient if the accident is non
fatal.
2) Indirect cost – It includes loss on
account of down time of operators
, slowed up production rate of other
workers, materials spoiled and labor for
cleaning, and damages to equipment.

24. Safety measures also affect in the
following ways-
Increased Productivity
Moral
Legal

25. Safety Program
Safety program deals with the prevention of
accidents and with minimizing the resulting
loss and damages to person and property. Five
basic principles must govern the safety
program of an organization these are :-
1) Industrial accidents resulting from a
multiplicity of factors must be traced to
their root causes.
2) The most important function of safety
program is to identify potential hazards,
provide effective safety facilities and
equipment and to take prompt remedial
action.

26. 3) The safety policies should be determined by top
level management and it must be continuously
involved in monitoring safety performance and
in ensuring that corrective action is taken when
necessary.
4) The management and supervision must be made
fully accountable for safety performance in the
working areas they control.
5) All employees should be given through training
in safety methods of work and they should
receive continuing education and guidance on
eliminating safety hazards and prevention of
accidents

27. A safety program generally consists
of six elements :-
Development of
Safety Policy
Organization
Strategic for Safety
Choices
Analysis of
Evaluation of Causes
Effectiveness for Accidents
Implementation of
the Program

28. Safety program can be divided
into four parts-
1. Strategic Choices
2. Safety Policy
3. Organization for Safety
4. Causes, Extent and Remedies
for Accidents

29. TYPE OF ACCIDENTS
Accident
Internal External
Major Minor
Fatal Disability
Temporary Permanent
Partial Total Partial Total

30. Extent of Accidents – It is
estimated that 1.4 Million
workers in India, five or seven
times more than in Japan,
U.K and U.S. are exposed to
accidents. The problem is
much more severe because
there are thousands of
unregistered industrial
accidents, most of them small
and tiny, which pose a major
threat to the workers and the
community.

31. Remedies - The method and devices for the
prevention of accidents are now available in
plenty.
There are certain principles which
enables the management to understand the
causes and consequences of accidents and to
introduce suitable safety devices. The
principles are –
1) The occurrence of an injury invariably results
from a complete sequence of factors, the last
one of these being accident itself.
2) The unsafe act of employees are responsible
for a majority of accidents.
3) The employee who suffers a disability/injury
caused by an unsafe act has an average of
over 300 narrow escapes from serious injury
that might have resulted from the very same
unsafe act.

32. 4) The method most valued in accident prevention
are analogous to the methods required for the
control of quality, cost and quantity of
production.
5) The supervisor is the key person in industrial
accident prevention.
6) Safety should be driven internally, not
externally.
7) Do not count on common sense for safety
improvement.
8) Safety incentive programs should focus on
process rather than outcomes .
9) When people feel empowered, their safe behavior
spreads to other situations.

33. Training is Safety –
•Systematic training of industrial
employees is necessary if they are
to do their jobs efficiently and
safely.
•Training practice will be found
to vary widely from company to
company and the difference will
be influenced by the size of
company, the types of jobs
performed, and awareness of the
management regarding the
importance of training.

34. Implementing the Policy – For
implementing the policy the programme
must cover –
•Procedures for reporting accidents,
hazards, fire precautions, first aid.
•Arrangements for instructing workers
about safe working methods and for
training employees in safety matters.
•Special rules for work done at a height,
in confined spaces, on certain electrical
equipment or unguarded machinery.

35. Implementing the Policy (cont…)–
•The maintenance of equipment and the provision
of proper inspection and testing arrangements.
•General rules on safe working habits.
•Special rules for internal transport drivers.
•Arrangement for checking new machinery and
materials.
•Safety inspection.
•The provision of personal protective
equipment, and rules as to its use.
•Suggestions on safety matters.

36. Conclusion
 Industrial relations is an outcome of
employer-employee relationship in an
organization which facilitates harmonious
relationships in an organization by setting a
framework for the management and the
employees.
 It is based on mutual compromise and
adjustment, for the benefit of both the
parties involved.

37. References
Human Resource Management – K
Aswathappa
Managing Human Resource-Wayne F.
Cascio
Human Resource Management-Gary
Dessler and Biju Varkkey
www.businessdictionary.com

39. (ii)Organizational
Strategies – Organizations
have been developing and
implementing stress-reduction
strategies.
 Organizational strategies often
include -
Improvement in the physical work
environment.
Job redesign to eliminate stressors.
Changes in workloads and deadlines.
Changes in work schedules, more
flexible working hours.
Various fitness programs are
adopted.

40. (i) Individual
Strategies – The first
step in managing stress is to
understand that the individual
is exposed to stressors. We
cannot manage stress unless
we know what causes stress
and how these causes are
affecting us.
Individual strategies to cope up with stress
includes -
Muscle Relaxation
Biofeedback
Meditation
Cognitive Restructuring
Time Management

41. 1) Strategic Choices – Some of the strategic choices
are :-
1.1 Managers must determine the level of
protection the organization will provide for
employees.
1.2 Managers can decide whether a safety program
will be formal or informal.
1.3 Managers can also be proactive or reactive in
developing procedures or plans with respect to
employee safety.
1.4 Managers can decide to use the safety of
workers as a marketing tool for the organization.

42. 2) Safety Policy – Safety
policy specifies the firm’s
goals and designations the
responsibilities and
authority for their
achievement.
Specifically, a safety policy
must contain a declaration
of the organizations intent
and the means by which
the intent is to be realized.

43. 3) Organization for Safety – Companies
constitute safety committees which are,
composed of employees from across the
organization. Typically, safety committees
serve in advisory capacities and are
responsible for such tasks as reviewing
safety procedures, making
recommendations for eliminating specific
safety and health hazards, investigating
accidents, fielding safety- related
complaints from employees and
monitoring statutory compliances.

44. 4. Causes, Extent and Remedies for Accidents –
Causes - Causes are of two types.
Unsafe Acts of Persons Unsafe Mechanical or Physical Condition
1. Operating without clearance, failure to 1. Inadequately guarded, guards of improper
heed warning. height, strength, mesh, etc
2. Operating or Working at an unsafe speed 2. Unguarded, absence of required guards.
3. Making safety device inoperative. 3. Defective, rough, sharp, slippery, decayed,
cracked, etc
4.Using equipments unsafely. 4. Unsafely designed machines, tools, etc..
5. Unsafe loading, placing, mixing, 5. Unsafely arranged, poor housekeeping,
combining, etc. congestion, blocked exits, etc
6. Taking an unsafe position or posture. 6. Inadequately lighted, sources of glare, etc
7. Working on moving or dangerous 7. Inadequately ventilated, impure oil
equipment. source, etc
8. Distracting, teasing, abusing, etc 8. Unsafely clothed, no goggles, glares or
masks, high heels etc
9. Failure to use attire or personal 9. Unsafe process, mechanical, chemical,
protective devices. electrical, nuclear, etc

45. Increased Productivity- Safety
promotes productivity because
employee in safe plants can
devote more time on improving
the quality and quantity of their
output and spend less time
worrying about their safety and
well being.

46. Moral – Safety is important on
human grounds too. Managers must
undertake accident prevention
measures to minimize the pain and
suffering the injured worker and
his/her family is often exposed to as a
result of the accident.

47. Legal – There are legal reasons too for undertaking
safety measures. There are laws covering occupational
health and safety, and penalties for non compliance
have become quite severe. The responsibility extends
to the safety and health of surrounding community,
too. The supreme court held :
“ An enterprise which is engaged in a
hazardous or inherently dangerous industry which
poses a potential threat to the health and safety of the
persons working in the factory and industry in the
surrounding areas, owes an absolute and non-
degradable duty to the community to ensure that no
harm results to anyone on account of the hazardous
or inherently dangerous nature.”