Why is the definition of Hazard (OHSAS) focused on Humans alone ?

S

samsung

#1
Hazard, as defined by OHSAS 18001: 2007
source, situation, or act with a potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill health, or a combination of these
Even the older version of OHSAS had the same definition of Hazards.

Just curious to know why is OHSAS focused on Human beings alone whereas there are organizations whose business, in addition to human beings, may also depend on animals. e.g.; Dairies, Poultry, Police/ Crime investigation stations (employing horses, sniffer dogs) etc. ? Or let's say these animals are as critical to their business as the 'human' employees. However, a slaughter house can be well exempted from the list.

When such organizations adopt OHSAS to manage their OHS system, does it mean that any injury and/or ill health sustained to these creatures would not be considered under OHS management ? How those injuries should be accounted for ?

Awaiting your opinions please.
 
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Pancho

wikineer
Super Moderator
#2
It is the definition of "occupational health and safety" (see §3.12 of the standard) that is itself limited to humans, and not chattel.

Some countries' implementations of BS 18001 do expand on the definition OH&S hazard to include potential harm to property. For example, in Mexico's NMX-SAST-001-IMNC-2008, "OH&S" includes "the safety of ... goods and facilities of the workplace", and "hazard" includes "potential damage to... property or the workplace environment".

I personally like the definition limited to human health and safety better than a definition that includes property. IMHO, it keeps things in the proper perspective, as damage to the first hurts so much more than damage to the second.
 

SteelMaiden

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#3
I think because human lives/health are considered to be more important than animals. Animals in your example are property, and are not considered "as critical to their business as the 'human' employees."

In case of loss or injury to said animals, they would be looked at the same as losing a piece of equipment or some other property required to do business.
 
S

samsung

#4
I think because human lives/health are considered to be more important than animals. Animals in your example are property, and are not considered "as critical to their business as the 'human' employees."

In case of loss or injury to said animals, they would be looked at the same as losing a piece of equipment or some other property required to do business.
:agree1: I'm inclined to agree with you and Pancho as well, so long as the animals are considered more as 'property' rather than employees in which case OHSAS (2007, in particular) does not recognize it part of OHS management. Nonetheless I somehow believe that there's a subtle difference between the living and non-living kind of properties.

This question is raised in the context of the year 2010 being declared by UNEP as the 'International Year of Biological Diversity' recognizing the importance of 'other' living creatures on which human sustenance is so much dependent.
 

SteelMaiden

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#5
Well, I fully agree with you that I'd much rather see a ding in the fender of a pick-up than see someone kill a chicken through abuse or neglect, but when it comes right down to it we cannot call a pig an employee if we intend to use him to satisfy our breakfast desires, can we?
 

Randy

Super Moderator
#7
Have you bothered to read the entire document?...Here is one small piece not covered in Section 4...

This OHSAS Standard is applicable to any organization that wishes to:
a) establish an OH&S management system to eliminate or minimize
risks to personnel and other interested parties who could be exposed to OH&S hazards associated with its activities;


It says "PERSONNEL", not animals. e.g.; Dairies, Poultry, Police/ Crime investigation stations (employing horses, sniffer dogs) etc. ?

The focus is on people! If you wanna worry about the other you can go right ahead, it's not a problem and you can use 18001 to do it, but people come 1st.
 

Jen Kirley

Quality and Auditing Expert
Staff member
Admin
#8
The laws in OSHA are enforceable with people. Enforcing treatment/safety with animals in the U.S. is done with different laws, codes and regulations. As Pancho pointed out, this can vary among countries and locales so one must absolutely consider them as well as the standard, which by the way directs us to take into consideration our various regional requirements.
 
P

prabhatchaddha

#9
The laws in OSHA are enforceable with people. Enforcing treatment/safety with animals in the U.S. is done with different laws, codes and regulations. As Pancho pointed out, this can vary among countries and locales so one must absolutely consider them as well as the standard, which by the way directs us to take into consideration our various regional requirements.

This is rightly said but i really appreciate the concern by samsung

What I feel having so many separate standards will only make life more difficult where the things can be clubbed they must be. OSHA must extend there horizon and take any creature into consideration as its world wide recognized standard.
Example:- If a forklift hits a human or animal impact is same. Both will require treatment, both will be out of work, if a creature suffers unrecoverable injury then the replacement whether human or animal will require more or less equal effort.


Regards
 

somashekar

Staff member
Super Moderator
#10
Every act is done, undone or not done by the human (with or without the animal). Even the medical device QMS defines medical device as for human beings, which thus lets veterinary devices out of its scope.
Perhaps its all because human is the only animal which has the highest level of brain development to think, analyse and decide.
:topic:
So we have thought, analyzed and decided to keep animals out of OHSAS
 
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