Reference no: EM132809860
Electro Plus is a manufacturing company located in Cornwall, Ontario that employs 158 non-unionized employees. Électro Plus belongs to the Canadian group Millenium Appliance International.
Electro Plus seeks to improve its performance in terms of health and safety at work. It is with this in mind that the Millenium Group has assigned a full-time health and safety professional, Paul Valiquette.
Prior to Paul's appointment, health and safety management was primarily handled by team leaders and employees. All did their best to comply with health and safety laws and regulations.
In a work environment like Electro Plus's, there are many sources of hazards and risks of work-related incidents and accidents. One of the strategic objectives of the Millennium Group factories is to implement, within the next 6 months, an OSH program that aims for zero accidents. In this perspective, management, team leaders and members of the joint health, safety and well-being committee of Electro Plus wish to survey all employees during the year. The purpose of the survey will be to find out their perception of the importance given to health and safety as well as the recognition of safe behavior in their plant.
As soon as he takes office, Paul Valiquette, the new health and safety officer, writes a memo specifying that safety instructions must be followed at all times. The note reiterates the ban on the use of earphones plugged into devices such as iPhone and others in certain areas of the plant, in particular, the mechanized assembly lines number 1, 2 and 3.
During a routine inspection of the factory, two weeks after the memo was issued, Paul overhears René listening to his walkman. René Tremblay is an assembler - welder. He has a good record and his job performance is very good. He has worked at Électro Plus for 10 years. He doesn't like receiving comments about his work. Paul reminds René that it is forbidden to wear a walkman. René responds in a polite tone that he has done it every now and then since he started working for the company. René adds that he does not understand the merits of this ban on assembly lines. In a firmer and louder tone of voice, Paul once again tells René that this prohibition must be observed by all, without exception. René feels frustrated ... Under the surprised gaze of colleagues on line number 1, he begins to reply Paul Valiquette. Paul, in anger spontaneously confiscates René Tremblay's walkman ...
Paul immediately goes to the factory manager's office. He sets out the facts. Paul demands that management take immediate disciplinary action against René Tremblay.
The next day while Paul was in training outside, there was an accident. René works on the assembly line. He tries to adjust the volume of the electronic device. René does not pay attention to his movements. A sleeve of his shirt gets caught in the conveyor gear. He shouts ... Julie the worker who performs the operation following René's realizes that the parts are not coming. She activates the emergency button to stop the assembly line. Surprised, she looks further. Julie sees René lying on the ground, unconscious. His right hand got stuck in the gear. She immediately calls the company rescuers who give René first aid. René is transported to hospital a few minutes later.
All the employees are in shock ... The manager is very sad that an accident of this severity has occurred in the factory. He hires your team as a consultant. Here are the tasks assigned to you.
1- What is the legislative and regulatory framework that prevails at Électro Plus?
2- Identify the players who have not respected their roles and responsibilities as well as their health and safety obligations in this work environment. What were the unsafe behaviors?
3- Describe and justify the actions that will be taken by the actors in terms of compensation.
4- What do you recommend to management regarding the identification, assessment and control of risks at Electro Plus? What are the most important preventive and corrective actions to take?
5-Who are the physical agents and other agents who would have contributed to this serious accident?