Category: Safety

The management of this organization has encouraged its employees to work from home as a way of minimizing the spread of virus based on the guidance provided by the government. The firm has taken a unique approach of managing risks to those who are working from home. One of the strategies that the company uses is to maintain regular updates on ways in which these people can remain safe even when they are working from home. As the health and safety adviser in the organization, I have conducted a wide research on ways in which workers of this insurance firm can remain safe. These employees have been advised to maintain hand hygiene by regularly washing their hands or using sanitizers, especially when they have left their houses. They have been advised to reduce contacts with non-family members unless it is unavoidable. The organization also advises its employees to facemasks at all times when they are leaving their homes.

The company has also made sure that occupational health and safety standards are not ignored by its employees who work remotely from home. Before they were instructed to work from home, all employees were advised on how to set up workstations that were safe and ideal for their work. The standard arrangement of the home workstation was not only meant to improve their performance but also to ensure that they are safe, as explained in the case. The approach of using a comprehensive system of risk management has made sure that all workers of this company to not face any major risks while they are at work as demonstrated in the case.

Communicating Health and Safety

Communication is critical in enhancing health and safety of employees during this unique period of the pandemic. Based on the scenario given, it is evident that the management is using communication as a way of effectively empowering its employees. One example of how the organization is using communication to influence health and safety culture is through weekly videoconferencing meetings where the management explains milestones made in fighting the virus. Employees are encouraged to discuss challenges that they face working from home and maintaining standard practices set to help fight the virus. These consultative forums constantly reminds employees of the significance of embracing a culture that will protect their health when they resume working at the companys offices. As shown in the scenario, through videoconferencing, employees can also give their insights on how to fight the virus. It means that everyone is actively involved in developing relevant policies for managing the virus.

The case provided also shows the commitment of the management to use various forms of internal communication to influence health and safety culture as soon as employees resume working from home. An example of how this company will use communication is through the creation of health and safety noticeboards in the office, as explained in the scenario. It is meant to ensure that new standards are communicated to employees within the shortest time possible. The management is also using direct e-mails to all employees, advising and reminding them to maintain hand hygiene measures. The companys internet is another example of the platforms that the company is using to promote a health and safety culture in the organization. The management is also keen on using posters to further remind everyone on standard practices needed to fight the virus.

Benefits of Certification to an ISO Occupational Health and Safety Management System Standard to the Organization

The scenario given in the case shows that the Managing Director is keen on abandoning external audits on occupational health and safety standards within the organization as a way of cutting the overall cost of operation. However, the director needs to understand benefits that the organization will have if it maintains occupational health and safety management certification. One of the benefits that the organization will have is motivation of its workers. One of the best ways of ensuring that employees are happy in their workplace is to ensure that they are safe from any possible threats while they are undertaking their official duties.

Maintaining the current health and safety management system certification will be a reminder to them that the firm cares. They will realize that the organization is willing to pay external entities to come and inspect safety standards and procedures at the firm. Such actions creates a feeling among employees that they are important to the firm. It enhances their loyalty and commitment to the firm. Their overall performance will improve as they try to demonstrate their commitment. It is also likely that the rate of employee turnover within the company will reduce. The most talented and experienced workers of this firm will be retained, eliminating cases where the firm has to regularly spend resources to recruit and train new employees.

Maintaining the certification system will eliminate doubt and suspicion among both internal and external stakeholders. The company has protected its integrity when it comes to occupational health and safety management by maintaining the certification system for many years. When this practice is suddenly eliminated, there will be an impression that these standards have been compromised. The lack of external auditing will enhance the wrong impression that the organization has something to hide. Even if the standards have been maintained or even improved as shown in the case, many internal and external stakeholders will feel that there are some weaknesses that the organization is keen on hiding. Another major argument that will convince the director to maintain the certification system is the fact that such steps often lead to regular improvement in the firm. The work of an auditor is not to simple assess the current system and give report about it. They are also expected to identify internal weaknesses within the organization and recommend ways of managing them. It means that their report can be used to introduce regular improvements at the firm.

Maintaining the health and safety management system certification will help in protecting ISO occupational health and safety certification. This certification will only remain in force if the company maintains regular audits conducted by external firms. As shown in the scenario provided, the company has been boasting of these certification as it gives it an image as a firm that is committed to protecting its workers. Eliminating the certification system may mean the loss of ISO certification to the firm. It may negatively affect the image of the firm at a time when it is expected to achieve growth in the highly competitive industry. External audits will also convince the government that this company is following health guidelines provided to help in fighting the pandemic. It will eliminate cases where the government has to regularly disrupt the firms operation to assess health and safety standards at the firm.

Applying Further Control Measures

The organization is planning various administrative measures that would help in limiting the spread of the virus and keep all its workers safe and healthy. One of the administrative steps will be to conduct regular risk assessment within the organization to determine threats that employees face. Such assessments will help in determining possible weaknesses that the organization has in terms of the management of employees safety and steps that can be taken to address them. It is also important that the management has taken the initiative to inform its employees of the outcome of such assessment processes. It helps in determining different roles that various stakeholders have to play to maintain a healthy workplace environment.

The scenario shows that another administrative approach that the firm is using to maintain a healthy workplace environment is regular and effective communication. The management understands that the only way of limiting the spread of the virus and maintaining a healthy workplace environment is to regularly advise its employees on measures that should be observed. The management unit intends to use various communication platforms meant to empower its employees on the fight against the virus. One such platform is the e-mailing system that enables the firm to provide step-by-step measures on how to stay safe. Through these emails, the firm can explain to employees what they need to do to be safe. Hand hygiene measures are explained through this platforms. As discussed above, other platforms such as videoconferencing and posters are also critical in explaining to the employees what they need to do to remain safe.

The scenario shows that another major administrative measure that the firm will take to protect employees is the development of work instructions on social distancing measures. It is important to note that before the pandemic, it was normal and even encouraged that employees make physical contacts with their colleagues to help in addressing different tasks or developing of new policies. However, that has to change as the international community struggles to find ways of managing the pandemic. In the meantime, a new instruction on social distancing measures will have to be considered. The new procedures will focus on regular use of facemasks for all employees when they are at work, especially those who have to work in enclosed rooms. The management will have to conduct regular inspection of these workplaces to ensure that the new rules and regulations are observed by everyone.

It is also evident from the scenario that the Human Resource Manager intends to provide an update of the first aid policy at the firm. The new standards that the administration will be introducing is based on the current challenges that the organization is facing because of the pandemic. For instance, fire evacuation standards will have to change. Traditionally, people were advised to evacuate premises when there is a fire breakout and to assemble at a central location just to help determine if others are still trapped in the building. The new standard that the administration introduces emphasizes the need to keep social distancing at such fire assembly points. It may be necessary to have different assembly points based on ones department to avoid crowding that may expose many people to the virus in case there is a person who is affected.

Influencing Behavior to Improve Performance

The organization will be effective in positively influencing behavior change when employees eventually return to traditional procedure of working from office. It is evident from the scenario that the organization has already taken steps to introduce behavior change. The Human Resource Manager has been working closely with the Health and Safety Adviser to find ways of enhancing employee safety when they finally decide to working from offices. Procedures have been put in place to ensure that those who will be working from enclosed offices maintain physical distancing and wear their facemasks at all times. The scenario shows that one of the most important behavioral changes needed to help keep everyone safe in the workplace is to limit social gatherings, especially in enclosed spaces. The management has already taken a major initiative to avoid such gatherings as much as possible. These initiatives demonstrates the willingness and determination that the firm has to protect its employees.

It is also evident that the organization is spending on regular research on how to find the virus. Through such initiatives, new knowledge will emerge on how to manage the virus in a workplace environment. it is evident that through such initiatives, the organization will have the opportunity to advise its employees on measures that they need to take to fight the virus. The company is currently using various platforms to communicate new information about the virus and how all stakeholders can take different responsibilities to keep everyone safe. These steps will help in guiding the behavioral change at the organization. In fact, the expected change that will take place in this firm will be under the guidance of the management.

The management will be effective in positively influencing this behavior change because of its commitment to engage all the employees in policy formulation. Currently, the firm is holding a weekly videoconferencing program where employees can share their ideas with the management on how they can resume their normal work even as the virus continue to pose a major threat to lives of everyone. Through such consultative forums, the organization is creating an environment where everyone can participate in policy formulations. They will develop a new behavioral policy with ease because of the opportunity granted to them to share their ideas. Every employee will feel respected and valued when they are allowed to take part in such major policy issues within the company.

Checking Management System Effectiveness through Auditing

The Managing Director needs to understand the difference between a workplace inspection and an audit. Although the two may appear to be the same in terms of the process, they significantly differ in terms of their focus. Workplace inspection focuses on identifying various hazards in the workplace. In this case, the normal internal inspection will focus on how effectively employees can be protected from the virus when they return to work from offices. Inspection also involves providing a communication to the relevant internal authority on the identified weaknesses and steps needed to address them. Relevant internal stakeholders are expected to work on the information provided by making changes necessary and adjusting systems and structures based on the report.

An audit focuses on the process that an organization is using to address specific hazards meant to protect workers. Unlike an inspection that seeks to identify possible threats to employees, an audit seeks to determine how the organization is addressing these risks. An auditor is expected to provide a report about the strength and weaknesses of the system and processes that the organization is using to manage risks. It will explain whether the company has the capacity to protect its workers if current systems are used. It also provides a detailed report on how the system can be improved based on the national or international practices. Unlike workplace inspection report that is mainly used by internal managers, an audit report can be used by external stakeholders, such as the government, to assess compliance of the organization to standard practices.

The director should understand the fact that there are a number of benefits of using external auditors instead of internal workers to undertake health and safety audits. One of the benefits is that it will demonstrate to both the internal and external stakeholders that it has nothing to hide in its effort to create a safe workplace environment. It will demonstrate to the workers that the firm is keen on embracing national and international best practices in protecting their health. Such initiatives will make them motivated. External workers tend to be more objective than internal assessors who may desire to please the management by providing a favorable report. Their goal will be to provide an accurate report based on specific standards without fearing any reproach from the top management unit. External audits will also make it easy for the company to get national and international certifications, which will improve its image and brand strength in the market.

Identifying Data Used To Monitor Health and Safety Performance

It will be critical for the management to collect data that will be used as health and safety performance indicators. One of the health and safety indicators will be the spread of the virus among workers soon after resuming their responsibilities in their respective offices. Various measures have been taken to limit the spread of the virus among workers as discussed in the scenario. One of the best indicators of the effectiveness of this system is to conduct regular tests among the workers. The goal of such tests will not only be to separate those with the virus from the rest of the population but to also determine the rate at which it is spreading. A slow rate of virus spread will be an indicator of success of the current measures that the management is putting in place.

The management can also consider determining the level of happiness of its employees with the measures that are already in place. When the management determines that workers are pleased with measures and steps that are in place to protect them, it will be an indicator that the firm is performing well. The information about the virus spread has become common and these employees will only be happy when they are aware that their employer is doing everything possible to protect them. The audit reports can also be collected and used as health and safety performance indicators. The Managing Director can assess these reports to determine the view of other stakeholders about the performance of this firm. Internal workplace inspections should also be maintained to help determine the progress that the company is making to enhance safety of its employees as soon as they resume working in their offices.

The field of occupational health and safety is evolving very rapidly because of developments in the related fields such as human psychology. As social scientists develop new theories to explain human behavior, application disciplines such as occupational health and safety update their methods in order to concur with the latest findings.

The La_Camera restaurant, along with other businesses and companies, has legal and moral responsibilities to ensure that the workplace is safe for the workers. As a restaurant, several risks may compromise the safety of the employees working in the restaurant.

This paper examines the theories and perspectives related to occupational health and safety in the context of the La_Camera restaurant.

In discussing occupational health and safety, many scholars fall into the trap of focusing only on injury, at the expense of discussing occupational illness and disease.

This comes from the fact that it is easier to recognize injuries at the workplace such as cuts, bruises, and fractures compared to work related illnesses and diseases. Illnesses and diseases take time to develop hence it may not always be possible to tie them to the working conditions.

However, it is a fact that there are diseases such as respiratory illnesses that come about because of workplace injuries.

One of the significant developments in the study of occupational health and safety was the shift from concentrating on the measures put in place by employers to the role of the employees in the safety of their working environment.

Employee behavior does play a major role in the occurrence of occupational injury and illness. This focus led to the development of programs that concentrated on employee behavior, aimed at behavior change. Currently, there is growing realization that concentrating on employee behavior alone does not achieve the full benefits possible in occupational health and safety programs.

Current occupational health and safety programs focus not just on the individual, but also on the Occupational Health and Safety management systems and organizational culture.

In order to enforce occupational Health and Safety Standards, regulators used the classical deterrence model. It had two aspects. The first one was specific deterrence that tried to deal with specific offenders, while the other was general deterrence aimed at general offenders to discourage non-compliance.

The theory behind this model was that if there were a way to uncover offenders regularly, then it would make potential offenders less likely to break the safety codes. This model called for the use of punishment as a deterrent, with severity calculated to discourage non-offenders from becoming offenders.

The theory assumed that if the cost of violation is much higher than the cost of compliance, then the possibility that people will comply willingly increases.

Organizational structures play an indirect role in the safety of workplaces. The reason for this is that they influence the speed with which occupational safety issues receive attention.

In organizations with clear-cut structures, and clear reporting structures, safety issues receive better attention and such organizations tend to have fewer incidents of accidents and occupational safety mishaps.

However, other basic factors mediate the effectiveness of organizational structures hence they cannot guarantee high levels of workplace safety on their own. These factors include interpersonal relationships and attention to workplace safety codes.

Another theoretical framework with a strong influence on occupational health and safety is responsive regulation. Responsive regulation refers to strategies that have provisions for punishing offenders and persuades potential offenders not to violate regulatory provisions.

This theory stems from the realization that overreliance on penal enforcement only can lead to regulatory resistance from those who may have chosen to keep within the regulatory requirements.

If the only message practitioners get is that if you violate the regulatory requirements then you will receive punishment, the incentive to act willingly is lost.

At the same time, lacking a formal strategy of persuasion may lead to an informal system, which eventually will collapse due to lack of institutional based enforcement.

In the matter of accident reporting, the behavior reasoning theory holds a lot of ground. This theory postulates that people tend to act based on their reasons. This means that many of the actions that people exhibit have clear reasons behind them.

Therefore, to increase accident reporting, there is need to give the workers reason to do so. Workers may fail to report accidents for various reasons such as fear that the blame for the accident will fall on them, or that it may cost someone their job.

On the other hand, workers may choose to report accidents if there is an associated reward scheme or if it will lead to some sort of credit. According to the behavior reasoning theory, it is imperative for employees to have many more reasons to report accidents that far outweigh the reasons they might harbor not to report the accident.

Based on these theories, it is interesting to evaluate how they compare with the occupational safety and health standards at the La_Camera Restaurant. As a restaurant the most obvious risks associated with working at the La Camera is burns associated with kitchen work, and waiting on customers.

Chefs face personal accident risks when cooking on the restaurants kitchen from the hotplates and gas stoves. Waiters are mostly at risk if they fall over hot food and drinks. In addition, they are at risk of scalding from hot steam from the cooking pots. Other risks at the restaurant include fracture and dislocation from falling due to spillage on the kitchen floor and the restaurant floor.

Broken glass and cutlery also poses a risk to the staff at the La_Camera Restaurant. The restaurant frequently handles broken glass and cutlery mostly because of accidents on the restaurant floor because of customers, but occasionally, it also deals with breakages in the kitchen and backrooms during routine handling.

Most of the measures at the La_Camera only address injuries at the workplace. They do not address longer-term illnesses that can result from working there. The Restaurant has a first aid kit and protocols for responding to the common injuries at the workplace.

However, health insurance is the only measure against long-term illness. There are no comprehensive solutions to problems such as allergies to certain foods and physical complications arising from spending long periods on foot when serving at the restaurant floor.

The Restaurant recognizes the role employees play in the general safety of the working place. It emphasizes on safety, and hygiene to ensure that the staff handles all the equipment in the best way possible.

Shift supervisors check for thing like leaking gas, wet floors, the cleaning of broken glass and the disposal of waste that may result in injuries and illness. Whether these measures are part of a proactive occupational health and safety strategy or the result of looking for competitive advantage in the restaurant sector is difficult to prove.

The best illustration of the deployment of the classical deterrence model is in the requirement to report the occurrence of a spillage or breakage in the restaurant floor for immediate cleaning. The person waiting on a table is responsible for reporting the breakages and spillages that occur there. Failure to do it amounts to misconduct, and can lead to a negative reference.

The role that the organizational structure plays is that the shift supervisor is the one responsible for the most safety issues that occur at the restaurant. They take the decisions relating to the measures required to remedy the situation.

The restaurant is not very strong on responsive regulation because there are not clear rewards for reporting accidents. Instead, there is a raft of penalties for causing or failing to respond to an accident. Accident reporting is always a dicey affair.

For instance, if the breakage is the result of the employees, they face penalties. However, if the accident is the result of the actions of customers, the restaurant meets the cost. Therefore, there is a tendency to ascribe breakages and spillages to patrons.

Reference List

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Introduction

Fire and rescue authorities around the world are increasingly concerned with the enduringly grave statistics of fire-related deaths of children. The vast majority of children are aware of many dangers associated with fire; however, there are also those who consider firing a source of entertainment, which endangers peoples lives. Criminal justice practitioners recognize that juvenile firesetters have caused many injuries and financial damages across the US. A report issued by the National Fire Protection Association reveals that over the course of five years, fireplay led to 14, 500 structure fires and more than $300 million in direct damage (as cited in Ahrns-Klas, Wahl, Hemmila, & Wang, 2012). Furthermore, more than 30 percent of all children that died in home fires had set the fire that killed them (Howell-Bowling, Merrick, & Omar, 2013, p. 61). Based on these statistics, it is clear that the state of childrens fire safety has to be investigated more closely to arrive at effective solutions for the issue.

This paper aims to explore the issue of fire safety for children. The paper will focus on adolescent firesetting, children with special needs, fire safety education, and socioeconomic characteristics as determinants of fire risks.

Brainstorming

Adolescent firesetting is a major barrier to the fire safety of children in the US. It should be noted that behavior is not always associated with malicious intent; therefore, prevalence estimation hinges on the definition of firesetting. Numerous studies point to the fact that 50 percent of children have played with fire (McKay, Feldberg, Ward, & Marton, 2012).

Criminal justice professionals recognize several risk factors that play a major role in causing firesetting recidivism. Fire interest and antisociality are correlated with a high firesetting frequency among young delinquents (McKay et al., 2012). Gender also serves as a reliable predictor of fireplay. It has to do with the fact that girls are less interested in playing with fire than boys (McKay et al., 2012). Besides, boys are more likely to show interest in fire at a younger age. It has to be borne in mind that predictors of recidivism and severity of firesetting have a cumulative effect.

Children with special needs have a higher chance of suffering in fires than their counterparts. It has to do with the fact that children with special needs may have difficulty independently escaping a burning home (Lehna et al., 2014, p. 1179). It means that the childrens parents require timely and effective burn prevention education. The education should revolve around the practice of evacuation. This is especially important since many parents of children with special needs do not have exit plans. Taking into consideration the fact that more than 40 percent of children with physical limitations are not capable of exiting independently and more than 30 percent are unable to dial 911, there is an urgent need for an intervention (Lehna et al., 2014). Moreover, this population group has to be educated on the proper frequency of fire alarm testing and building evacuation.

A study conducted by Deave et al. (2013) reveals that less than fifty percent of parents have a bedtime safety routine. Also, 46 percent of parents report that they have burned candles at home (Deave et al., 2013). The findings of the study also show that in 19 percent of households, a child can reach matches or lighters (Deave et al., 2013). Public fire education is an effective means of reducing fire casualties among children. There are several strategies that can be adopted by fire and rescue authorities to increase the state of fire safety in their communities. However, firefighter-delivered education has been found to be the most effective educational approach (Clare, Garis, Plecas, & Jennings, 2012). By helping parents to better understand the damage and risk factors associated with fire, it is possible to substantially diminish the occurrence of thermal injuries among children.

Residential fire incidence is closely linked to the socio-economic characteristics of a population. Specifically, families from lower ends of the socioeconomic spectrum are exposed to considerable fire risks. A study conducted by Jennings (2013) suggests that social deprivation diminishes an individuals desire to invest in safety equipment. The researcher argues that families from disadvantaged neighborhoods have poor knowledge of the proper maintenance of safety equipment (Jennings, 2013). Overcrowded housing has also been found to increase fire incidence. Jennings (2013) argues that families with low socioeconomic status are more likely to smoke, which creates additional fire hazards. It follows that unfavorable social conditions can substantially diminish the fire safety of children, thereby exposing them to a wide range of thermal injuries.

Concept Map

In the course of the brainstorming, four sub-topics have emerged: adolescent firesetting, children with special needs, fire safety education, and socioeconomic characteristics of childrens families. To better understand the concept of fire safety for children, it is necessary to construct a concept map. The map will show how subtopics are organized and linked to the main topic. Figure 1 presents the concept map of fire safety for children.

Thesis Statement

The examination of the topic has allowed establishing that the current state of childrens fire safety can be markedly improved by commencing fire-prevention education programs across the country. Both the frequency and severity of residential fires can be controlled with the help of a comprehensive fire education strategy. The strategy should target juvenile firesetting behavior, thereby preventing children from inflicting severe injuries. Both parents and law enforcement authorities should be encouraged to take meaningful steps towards the detection and elimination of juvenile firesetting activities (Ahrns-Klas et al., 2012). Fire safety education is especially important when parents of children with special needs are involved.

It has been found that poverty is a strong correlate of a high fire incidence (Jennings, 2013). Disadvantaged families are more likely to engage in behaviors associated with fire risks than their affluent counterparts. It means that by improving the socio-economic conditions of the nations citizens, it is possible to substantially decrease the number of adolescent casualties.

No one would deny that the safety of children should be a top priority of every country. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a purposeful and directed intervention into the current state of fire safety. By improving reducing childrens exposure to fire risks, it is possible to secure a better future for the nation as a whole.

Conclusion

The paper has explored the topic of fire safety for children. During the course of the investigation, the following subtopics have emerged: adolescent firesetting, children with special needs, fire safety education, and socioeconomic drivers of fire incidence. It has been argued that childrens fire safety can be improved by nation-wide fire prevention education, which has to become a national priority.

References

Ahrns-Klas, K., Wahl, W., Hemmila, M., & Wang, S. (2012). Do burn centers provide juvenile firesetter intervention? Journal of Burn Care & Research, 33(1), 272-278.

Clare, J., Garis, L., Plecas, D., & Jennings, C. (2012). Reduced frequency and severity of residential fires following delivery of fire prevention education by on-duty fire fighters: Cluster randomized controlled study. Journal of Safety Research, 43(1), 123-128.

Deave, T., Goodenough, T., Stewart, J., Towner, E., Majsak-Newman, G., Hawkins, A.,& Kendrick, D. (2013). Contemporary hazards in the home: Keeping children safe from thermal injuries. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 98(1), 485-489.

Howell-Bowling, C., Merrick, J., & Omar, H. (2013). Self-reported juvenile firesetting: Results from two national survey datasets. Frontiers in Public Health, 1(1), 1-60.

Jennings, C. (2013). Social and economic characteristics as determinants of residential fire risk in urban neighborhoods: A review of the literature. Fire Safety Journal, 62(1), 13-19.

Lehna, C., Janes, E., Rengers, S., Graviss, J., Scrivener, D., Knabel, T.,& Myers, J. (2014). Community partnership to promote home fire safety in children with special needs. Journal of Burn Care & Research, 40(6), 1179-1184.

McKay, S., Feldberg, A., Ward, A., & Marton, P. (2012). Research and practice in adolescent firesetting. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 39(6), 842-864.

Introduction

Technological advances have made peoples lives much easier and more comfortable. For instance, RFID technologies have been used in supply chain management for years, and this advancement has been already introduced in the sphere of peoples personal and financial data (Saadi, Touhami, & Yagoub, 2016). The use of RFID chips in credit cards, passports, and other types of documents is still associated with a certain distrust. Many people fear that their money can be stolen easily. Various trials and experiments reveal the vulnerability of the new technology, but experts still stress that RFID technologies are safe (Poulter & Woollaston, 2014). This paper includes a brief analysis of threats associated with the technology, ways used to address them, and strategies employed to affect public opinion on the matter.

Major Concerns

One of the major concerns is related to security of data as RFID systems can be rather vulnerable due to the use of radio waves. Sharma, Agarwal, and Singh (2017) describe several types of attacks aimed at interfering with the work of RFID chips. One of the possible outcomes of such attacks is the loss of money as attackers can withdraw money from cards equipped with RFID chips. Nevertheless, this threat is quite minimal as such credit cards have certain limits for transactions (Poulter & Woollaston, 2014). Moreover, retailers and banks also pay attention to the number of transactions made and can track possible attackers (Bischoff, 2016). It is clear that financial security is properly ensured although there are chances that some frauds are possible as any system can be potentially vulnerable.

Fears Can Help Criminals

Another serious threat is associated with data security. Peris-Lopez, Hernandez-Castro, Estevez-Tapiador, and Ribagorda (2016) note that this hazard is more serious as confidentiality breach can lead to various adverse effects. Financial losses can increase exponentially if a cardholders identity (in simple words, confidential data) is stolen. Again, people fear that attackers can read the chips quite easily and use their confidential information later. However, researchers note that this criminal activity is unlikely to take place as it is associated with various inconveniences for attackers (Bischoff, 2016). A criminal should be close to the card, there should be no obstacles, and certain equipment is needed. It is much easier to steal data online when people pay from their digital wallets. Therefore, the threat is also comparatively insignificant.

Integrity is another concern people have when considering the use of RFID chips in their credit cards. The system seems vulnerable as the transmission of messages between chips and readers can be violated (Peris-Lopez et al., 2016). The abundance of items equipped with RFID chips as well as the use of several readers can lead to certain malfunctions. In simple terms, cardholders will not be able to use their cards due to certain errors. Finally, physical harm is another area related to the vulnerability of the system. Markantonakis and Mayes (2013) note that RFID chip can be harmed quite easily, which also leads to their malfunctioning.

The fears mentioned above can be used by criminals who can benefit from peoples distrust in many ways. Most importantly, the discussion of hazards associated with the RFID technology distracts peoples attention from the cybercrime that is much more serious (Sharma et al., 2017). The distraction of attention is the major benefit for cybercriminals. People can be concerned with the safety of their RFID chips rather than the safety of their confidential information.

Major Safeguards

As far as major ways to ensure safety and security of RFID chips in credit cards, several effective strategies have been introduced. It has been acknowledged that the use of foil can ensure RFID security (Sharma et al., 2017). Bischoff (2016) notes that a multi-million industry has already emerged as people are offered wallets, clothes, and other items safeguarding their valuable information. Another simple but effective way to ensure credit card safety is a regular tracking of transactions (Sharma et al., 2017). As has been mentioned above financial facilities, as well as other establishments using RFID technologies, try to track fraudulent activities, which has proved to be an effective method. A more sophisticated and costly way to improve the situation is associated with the development of more secure systems. RFID technologies have been improved significantly since the first days of their use, and this work will not be terminated. More sensitive readers and RFID chips can be developed. At the same time, it can be necessary to make chips more resistant to physical harm.

It is necessary to note that card issuers try to change peoples attitudes towards the use of RFID technologies. One of the common ways to promote the use of the system is advertising. The use of RFID technologies in the financial sphere and the sphere of ID cards has been publicized and highlighted in the media. Bank employees tell their clients about the benefits of the systems as well as safeguards that are in place (Bischoff, 2016). Many banks do not even ask their clients about their attitudes towards the use of RFID chips and provide credit cards equipped with the chips.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is necessary to note that the use of RFID technologies in peoples identity cards is associated with various fears. However, these fears are quite groundless as cybercrime is a much more serious threat. Clearly, it is essential to take quite simple precautions to make sure that the most valuable data remain safe. However, there is no need in trying to avoid the use of new technologies that can help people make their life easier.

References

Bischoff, V. (2016). Could you fall prey to a contactless conman? How thieves can take money from your card as youre walking down the street. Daily Mail. Web.

Markantonakis, K., & Mayes, K. (2013). An introduction to smart cards and RFIDs. In K. Markantonakis & K. Mayes (Eds.), Secure smart embedded devices, platforms and applications (pp. 3-26). New York, NY: Springer Science & Business Media.

Peris-Lopez, P., Hernandez-Castro, J. C., Estevez-Tapiador, J. M., & Ribagorda, A. (2016). Attacking RFID systems. In P. Kitsos (Ed.), Security in RFID and Sensor Networks (pp. 29-48). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Poulter, S., & Woollaston, V. (2014, November 3). Major flaw discovered in Visas contactless cards: Thieves could bypass £20 limit to steal up to 999,999.99  so long as its in a foreign currency. Daily Mail. Web.

Saadi, H., Touhami, R, & Yagoub, M. C. E. (2016). Automatic identification and data capture techniques by radio frequency identification RFID tags applied to reader authentication. In M. S. De Alencar (Ed.), Communication, management and information technology: International conference on communication, management and information technology (pp. 227-234). London, England: CRC Press.

Sharma, R., Agarwal, A. K., & Singh, P. K. (2017). Comparing different methodologies used to ensure the security of RFID credit card: A comparative analysis. Journal of Network Communications and Emerging Technologies, 7(1), 13-17.

Introduction

Within quite a short period, a number of cruel massacres have come to define the school shootings in the United States. 13 dead at Columbine, 26 dead at Sandy Hook, and 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, they took the lives of many victims of various age, including students, teachers, and even children. Therefore, school safety strategies should be improved urgently to prevent gun violence and provide a safe environment for a well-educated nation, which is the main objective of this proposal. This correlates to various legislative acts, school policies, and preventive measures to address the vital issue of school violence that should be examined thoroughly for successful improvement results.

Main body

The overall school safety strategies should be focused primarily on security policies. According to Crawford and Burns, the following improvements should be implicated, such as law enforcement security measures, school security measures, and school characteristics studied in terms of the relationship with violence (633). With that said, one of the most accepted improvements requires increasing the number of guardians in the form of law enforcement and security, as well as providing them with weaponry (Crawford and Burns 642).

The schools where the security possessed firearms reported lower levels of gun possession. Furthermore, the additional methods to this improvement might include teachers training by hired security personnel, a plan for shooting incidents, and the security cameras implementation, connected with increased reports of school violence (Crawford and Burns 645).

In general, the presence of security had a positive correlation with the decreased measures of violence. Another yet valuable research is presented by Chrusciel et al., who suggest the enforcement of the school resource officers (SROs) (26). The results have proved that SROs are the most effective method to maintain school safety that also correlates to law enforcement and security intervention (Chrusciel et al. 33).

The alternative methods include clear safety plans and procedures, as well as the collaboration between SROs, school faculty/staff, and the community (Chrusciel et al. 33). The collaboration may not be feasible because of the difficulties concerning personnel and students coherence in terms of the school environment due to age-related disagreements and viewpoints. It is also a complex issue to unify them all together for the common concern about school violence based on the overall attitude towards ones job or study routine, as well as the relationships between teachers and students, and particularly between the students.

Other strategies concerning physical security measures involve locked doors or restricted access, metal detectors, and cameras. Besides, enhanced education and gun violence awareness for teachers, students, and their parents, prevention training, or increased support by mental health services are as well crucial for addressing school violence. However, these alternatives might not be efficient, as they refer to the individual perception of this issue, and the results might be controversial.

Conclusion

To conclude, raising school violence awareness is of the utmost importance amongst the educational environment and the government. As it leaves a significant mark on society, this issue poses concerns on the national level. Considering the intense focus of the media on school shootings in the USA, this issue has brought school administrators, parents, and politicians, together to take action to improve school safety.

Therefore, this proposal is feasible as it suggests law enforcement and security improvement and can be implemented through the increased number of guardians, firearms provision, and school resource officers to maintain school safety. The very presence of security at school facilities might create the subconscious feeling of a safe environment for students and teachers. By focusing on these strategies and alternatives methods, it is possible to engage both teachers and students, as well as their parents, to be highly informed and prepared for school violence prevention.

Works Cited

Chrusciel, Margaret M. et al. Law Enforcement Executive and Principal Perspectives on School Safety Measures. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 38, no. 1, 2015, pp. 24-39.

Crawford, Charles, and Ronald Burns. Preventing School Violence: Assessing Armed Guardians, School Policy, and Context. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 38, no. 4, 2015, pp. 631-647.

Community resources are assets that are accessible to all community members which help them meet their particular needs. The resources can be funded or run by the government, individuals, or non-profit groups, and they serve a community in different ways. People, community services, or structures such as clinics and safe houses are examples of community resources. In Marion County, Florida, there are several public resources, such as Marion Oaks Assisted Living, Village Veranda, that offer memory care and assisted living services, and Marion Senior Services among others. The paper focuses on Marion Senior Services, a community resource in Florida, and the impact it has had on the lives of older adults.

Marion Senior Services is a charitable and non-profit social organization that provides support and care to the disadvantaged, disabled, and elderly people of Marion County Florida. The Services offered by the agency include In-Home Support, provision of meals, and transit to clients. The In-Home Support services assist eligible clients who are elderly people and functionally impaired to live dignified lives in their homes or residence of their caregivers. The organization does so by providing different community-based services, such as case management, personal care, companionship, chores, shopping assistance, and managing medication through the volunteer Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN).

Marion Senior Services delivers meals to the home-bound elderly who cannot drive and might need a meal because they are on medication. Lastly, Marion Transit offers efficient and safe Para-transit transportation service to the disadvantaged and elderly who have no access to facilities such as medical and recreational centers because they lack a means of transport. It is clear that the services are inclusive of older adults, and Marion Senior Services has been helping them maintain their independent living status as long as possible.

For a client to connect to the services offered by Marion Seniors, the caregivers or the client can directly liaise with service coordinators and consultants. There is a contact available on the website of the organization and one can speak to the intake coordinator who will note the basic information. Having done that, a visit is scheduled to complete the application. The community resource is convenient to the surrounding area and easy to access by all residents because it is within Florida. This Support Service provides outreach to victims of elder abuse or exploitation of any kind. Abuse can vary from emotional to verbal, financial, sexual, and neglect abuse (Pillemer et al., 2016). Neglect abuse happens when people who take care of the elderly start lacking interest in their well-being and show no affection to them, thus, leading to psychological distress and pain (Pillemer et al., 2016). The Marion Senior Services comes in with their outreach In-Home Support services to show compassion and care to the elderly who have been abused by being neglected.

In conclusion, the organization understands that it is important to protect the privacy of an individual, which includes health information. Therefore, the agency ensures that a clients records are well kept, particularly basic health information, and can only be accessible by the staff or an authorized individual with consent from the client. The Licensed Practical Nurses can provide information about this service to the client when there is a need for In-Home Support services to an elderly or any disabled person. Indeed, Marion Senior Services has over the years been of positive impact on the residents, particularly the elderly of Marion County in Florida.

Reference

Pillemer, K., Burnes, D., Riffin, C., & Lachs, M. S. (2016). Elder abuse: Global situation, risk factors, and prevention strategies. The Gerontologist, 56(Suppl_2), S194-S205. Web.

Summary

Employee engagement at the workplace is an integral part of enhancing the chances of success because it provides a platform for the employees to build on the relevant changes at the workplace. Employee engagement entails the involvement of the employees in decision-making, which gives them the feeling of ownership to the changes that take place at the workplace (Raines, 2011). Naturally, people develop a high level of satisfaction when they are involved in the making of important organizational decisions. Additionally, since the employees are directly affected by the changes, engaging them in the decision-making process provides a clear picture of the desired changes.

One of the advantages of employee involvement and engagement in enhancing safety in the workplace is that they report injuries and their causes, which helps in developing the relevant interventions. If changes are implemented in the workplace without involving the employees, the changes might increase safety risks rather than reducing them. It is imperative to involve the employees in safety committees because they have a clearer picture of the safety risks associated with every area of the workplace (Raines, 2011).

Furthermore, the engagement of employees in the enhancement of safety gives the notion that the organization takes safety seriously, and this is likely to compel the employees to observe safety in their daily activities.

It is apparent that safety policies in a given organization compel the employees to assume specific behaviors that might not be desirable. This leads to the development of resistance to the policies, and a low level of satisfaction on the part of the employees because they feel insignificant for not being involved in designing the changes. The management function is prone to missing out on some of the safety concerns at the workplace, but the engagement of the employees results in a comprehensive coverage of safety concerns. Raines (2011) wrote the article with the intent of providing managers and leaders with sufficient information on enhancing safety through the involvement of employees in developing ideas to enhance safety at the workplace.

Strengthening employee engagement saves money for the company because the company is liable to claims by injured employees. Employee involvement and engagement can be attained by ensuring that safety meetings have representatives from the human asset base. The management should also always consider the safety concerns highlighted by the employees (Raines, 2011). This implies that there should be a good communication platform between the management and the employees, as well as a positive feedback system that reveals the respect that the company has for the ideas pitched by concerned employees.

Raines (2011) could add on the main points of the article by reviewing some of the limitations associated with involvement and engagement of the employees. For instance, employees might take advantage of the opportunity to raise false safety concerns to achieve personal interests, rather than to benefit the overall safety level of the workplace.

Application

The article is relevant to this course because it highlights the development of a good relationship between the employees and the employer. Involvement and engagement makes it easy for the employees to develop the appropriate level of commitment to the employer. The article relates to the course text with respect to the role of the management function in ensuring that the employees are motivated to enhance their commitment to the employer.

The article reveals some of the ideas that can help the management and leadership functions to enhance their performance in the retention of human assets, as well as reducing the financial liabilities associated with injuries on human assets. The text also addresses the issue of change management, whereby the author suggests that involving the employees in designing the changes fosters a higher level of commitment to embracing the changes.

Reference

Raines, M. S. (2011). Engaging employees: Another step in improving safety. Professional Safety, 56(4), 36-43.

Introduction

The main aim of this report is to find out the number of accidents that occurred in the year 2010 in the recreational boating services in US. The accidents has been grouped into various categories which includes; collision with recreational vessels, collision with fixed objects, flooding /swamping, capsizing and skier mishap and their contributing factors such as; operator inattention, improper look out, operator inexperience, excessive speed, alcohol use, force of waves, machine failure, weather conditions, rules of the road and hazardous water. The number of deaths resulting from the accidents will be analyzed and proper conclusion and recommendation will be made.

Data sources

The data used in this case has been obtained from US department of homeland security. The data relates to recreational boats accidents. This data is shown in the table below

Primary accident types

Contributing factors of accidents

Analysis

Operator inattention contributed to the large number of accidents, which claimed 49 lives. However, alcohol use contributed to a larger number of deaths. The graph below shows the number of deaths that occurred due to various contributing factors.

From the graph above most deaths occurred in alcohol use, followed by hazardous water, then operator inattention and then operator inexperience. Weather conditions also played a significant role in the accidents that took place in the boating services. For instance, 41% of the deaths are attributed to it. Alcohol use contributed to 30% of all deaths that occurred during the year. Factors linked to the operator include; operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed, alcohol use, contributed to almost 60% of all deaths. These rates are having been shown in the table below.

Human contributing factor death rate = 243/415

=58.55%

The largest number of injuries sustained, is mostly due to human error which would have been controlled and thus prevent death and injuries. Over 60% of all injuries were contributed by the operator actions or situations by being inattentive, inexperienced, over speeding, using alcohol and having improper lookout. In total, there were 1605 injuries sustained due to these human errors. Machine failure and hazardous water are considered among the factors beyond human control, though they contributed to less than 33% of all injuries. The table below shows the injuries sustained due to the contribution of the operator:

The rate of injuries sustained due to operator contributions = 1605/2392 =67.1%

The pie chart below shows the contributing factors and the number of injuries sustained.

Discussion

Carelessness among individuals with responsibility in an organization usually results to Accidents. This happens in a scenario where an individual not having the concern of what a certain action s/he might end up resulting to. For example, assumptions of simple guidance in the operation or capacity of something, negligence of an individual under an affected area, Engineering or other technological mishaps, majorly in building sites, Ones behavior, say, lack of self control and ill willing, is also a precursor of failure thus causing death or injurious cases. Such cases may include the explosion of electrical connections and switches, abandoning doors and/or windows to restricted areas and so on.

In this case, it appears that operator inattention caused serious accident but their collision was not very severe to cause more deaths as in the case of alcohol abuse and hazardous water. In the case of alcohol use the operator losses focus, he can over speed, loss attention as well as have improper lookout that is why the impact of the accident is very high in terms of the number of deaths and injuries sustained. This means that the operator losses focus and makes errors in judgment. Assumptions of simple guidance in the operation or capacity of something is an event where Instructions based on capacity and procedural once looked down upon might result into alarming situations. Like in our case, the impact of collision relating to operator contributing factors appears to have a higher impact because more people are killed while others sustain serious injuries. This occurs due to the strain or pressure and a system or site undergoes due to being run in a manner its instructions go against it.

Engineering or other technological mishaps, majorly of boats are another event. The structure gives way after being under pressure in various ways such as inadequate material. Accidents of this nature are usually unexpected and sudden, causing death, and loss of property. However, like in this case, accidents caused by factors that are beyond human control are unpredictable and their impact is minimal unless it is in hazardous water. In this case, the owners of the vessels are required to advice the operator not to venture into such waters, which include acidic waters. Support is usually a key aspect in the event of making something be fulfilled, especially from a resourceful partner. In the case of a deficiency of this, a system has a high likelihood of failing because for anything to happen to its optimal expectation and resources are usually needed. Monetary matters can also be a good insight of judging about an impending failure. Poor budgetary of a certain activity, on issues that call for the expenditure is a sign of an impending failure. The shifting of objectives of a former original objective in a project or activity is also a tip-off of impending failure.

Unrealistic deadlines are another early recognizable sign that can warn of failure. Having the deadline of the completion being set too soon can cause inadequate focus on minute details of certain aspects.

Limitations

The data relied upon can be insufficient because some people may have not reported some minor accidents due to fear of prosecution.

The government relied on the reported cases only, which may not give a proper picture for recommendation.

In the analysis of this case, generalization has been made to all cases.

There was little time to curry out adequate secondary research to make an informed decision related to the data corrected.

Assumptions

It is assumed that all accident cases were reported with their respective causes and data correctly recorded.

The reported cases are assumed to cover the whole nations boating services.

Conclusion and recommendation

Negligence of an individual under an affected area is a major event that might end up leading to an Accident. This usually starts with very minute and avoidable issues, whereby one will assume a small error or a temporal failure of a certain system. Such minute errors might significantly magnify to produce a life and property losing Accidents (Rivkind, 1).

Operator conditions before and during driving is very important strict rules should be put be in place to ensure that the operator is not under the influence of alcohol before driving the boat. The state of health of the operator especially fatigue should be considered before he is given a boat to drive tourist. This is because most accidents have occurred because of the operators errors in judgment. The operator can over speed, have casual lookout, be not attentive because of fatigue. A safety manual should be given to each operator to guide him during the course of his work. These manuals contain a list of common accidents in that specific environment and the means and methods to avoid these accidents. In some work place environments, the manuals are printed in booklet form and it is mandatory for every worker to keep that booklet at their person (Tomczuk and Maxim, 2).

Regular drills should be conducted in order to familiarize their operators with the safety procedures. Drills also prepare them on how to react in case of an emergency and how to conduct their affair from thereafter. Regular Checks should be conducted to ensure that the operators are following the safety procedures mentioned.

Works Cited

Cook, Kevin. Recreational boating statistics 2010. US department of homeland security office of auxiliary and boating safety. 2011. Web.

Rivkind, Brett. Recreational Boating Statistics of 2010 Reveal 4,604 Accidents and 672 Deaths. The law of the sea. 2011. Web.

Tomczuk, Susan, and Maxim, Daniel. Recreational Boating Accident Statistics and Trends. Proceedings. 2011. Web.

Safety is defined as a state in which a person protects himself from any arm that can arise. Safety has become a key concern for many people in the world today. It is clearly understood that where there is no safety, there are more chances of harm or even death. The study done so far proves that if it were not for the safety we have, the chances of death could be rising at an alarming rate. Safety has also brought about freedom to people and enabled them to work on their daily duties without fear. (Gordon 31)

Many people think that safety can only be brought about by things like buying a gun. Although this may seem right, there are so many things that help in safety. In buying a gun, it may seem that one is fully protected but there are a number of things that should be considered in enabling complete safety in every area. First, living in an area where there is sufficient security will participate a lot in guaranteeing ones safety. People who consider safety will not risk living in an area where there is no security.

The government should also participate in ensuring security. By so doing, enough security should be put in place to ensure that people live without fear. Security should be enforced in every corner so that people will not run the risk of being robbed, killed among other issues. (Boy Scouts of America 29)

Also, the government should ensure that proper teaching is ensured on how to handle ones safety. People should be told how it would be risky to involve in some issues like careless driving. They should be taught much on how to drive carefully, thus ensuring safety on the roads. The government should put awareness in too much alcohol drinking. This has participated a lot in endangering peoples safety. The government should also put stern measures in ensuring that safety is maintained in every corner.

Walking in integrity will participate a lot in safety. People who walk in integrity will not be involved in cases that might endanger their safety. Since these are people who walk in honesty, there will be low chances of tempering with safety hence increasing a persons safety. All these among others have participated in ensuring peoples security. (Gordon 31)

Although guns are recognized fully in maintaining peoples safety, they have brought much harm to society. So far, many cases that have been reported are brought about by incidents related to guns. Studies carried by many researchers show that those people owning guns commit suicide either due to extreme anger or criticism from society. Most daily reports we get of deaths are related to guns. This proves that guns are not the only equipment that can increase a persons safety. (Boy Scouts of America 30)

Conclusion

Safety has played a great role in ensuring that people enjoy their stay in this world. Safety can only remain firm if the areas that bring it about are looked at. Some factors like government participation, walking in integrity, and living in secure places are some of the issues that have made safety to stand firm. Although it is believed that a gun can increase safety, the opposite has been proved to be true. It is believed that many deaths we experience today are caused by the gun. It is important for the government to remain committed to ensuring g that peoples safety is guaranteed.

Works Cited

Boy Scouts of America. Safety, ed.Boy Scouts of America, 1971. 23-48. Print.

Gordon, Mike.safety, ed.Crabtree Publishing Company, 2008. 23-32. Print.

Safety Climate and Firefighting

This literary work makes a significant contribution to research on the topic of public safety related to fire services. Therefore, the need for changes in the approach of security organizations in this field of activity of the general public is emphasized (DeJoy et al., 2017). This item should be a priority when ensuring the safety the health of firefighters. A profound contribution of the research is also due to the fact that despite the sharpness of the topic, a small number of scientific papers exist on this topic.

The authors used focus groups to obtain data. The main goal was to identify potentially important aspects of the safety climate in relation to firefighting services (DeJoy et al., 2017). The results showed that this area is currently undergoing transition processes related to personnel and organizations approaches to safety and risks in the workplace. Thus, this work provides insight into how changes can be stimulated to ensure the safety of fire service workers and may be valuable for further research.

The Effects of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder on Operational Fire Service Personnel

The following scientific paper by the authors Khan et al. may become especially important for conducting research as it shows how traumatic stress disorders can affect the activities of firefighters. The researchers involved in scientific work were almost one and a half thousand employees of the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) (Khan et al., 2018). Most of the students were engaged in activities related to extinguishing the duty system and providing prevention, protection, and emergency response. The source bases its data on the results of an epidemiological study that assessed the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among LFRS staff. The main findings of the authors were that thirty percent of the examined workers had the characteristics of a disorder. The value of this work is that it provides recommendations for reducing the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and notes the importance of the psychological stability of personnel to ensure public safety.

Multi-Level Safety Climate Associations with Safety Behaviors in the Fire Service

This research paper also highlights the fact that, at the moment, there is an unlimited number of sources on the topic of the safety to the fire service. Thus, the authors of the study aimed to expand knowledge on this topic and determine an effective and reliable measure of the security climate. This aspect concerns not only employees and working groups but also all organizations providing fire extinguishing services. A survey of employees in two large fire departments was chosen as the primary research method. Moreover, such methods as psychometry, factor analysis, and general perception analysis were used in the literary work. The results of the research work showed a positive correlation between the organizational atmosphere of security and the behavior of workers and managers in this area. The contribution of this work is the provision of soil and means for assessing the safety climate in the fire services (Smith et al., 2019). In addition, the authors provide the necessary recommendations for future research in this area.

Relationships between Work Stress, Work-Family Conflict, Burnout and Firefighter Safety Behavior Outcomes

Like the first literary source mentioned in this paper, the study by Smith et al. examines peoples psychological aspect, which directly impacts their safety behavior. Emotional burnout is particularly highlighted in this case, leading to cynicism, depersonalization, and other harmful consequences for employees. This study pays attention to the relationship between stress at work, the conflict between work and family, emotional burnout, and the results of firefighters behavior in the field of safety (Smith et al., 2018). The necessary data were collected by modeling regression relationships. Thus, the authors of the study obtained the results that stress at work and in a close environment predicted burnout. This phenomenon, in turn, had a negative impact on productivity and compliance with measures of public safety of firefighters.

Development and Validation of the Fire Service Safety Climate Scale

The purpose of the research work by Taylor et al. became a consideration of the issue of the climate of safety in fire services. The authors emphasize that understanding this concept is the main initiative of the US Fire Service. The driving force of this process is the reduction of the occurrence of harmful consequences such as injuries, mortality, and toxic effects associated with occupational diseases (Taylor et al., 2019). As a result of the researchers work, the fire service safety scale was derived.

The method that was used to achieve the goal set by scientists was to conduct a survey and use other mixed methods. There are interviews, focus groups, and quantitative methods among them. All these measures were applied to study the psychometric properties of the survey. The study developed a multilevel fire service safety indicator of fourteen points based on the data obtained. The main factors were the commitment and support of the management. Moreover, it has been deduced that fire service safety indicators are primarily related to safety-related outcomes.

References

DeJoy, D. M., Smith, T. D., & Dyal, M. A. (2017). Safety climate and firefighting: focus group results. Journal of Safety Research, 62, 107-116. Web.

Khan, K., Charters, J., Graham, T. L., Nasriani, H. R., Ndlovu, S., & Mai, J. (2018). A case study of the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder on operational fire service personnel within the Lancashire fire and rescue service. Safety and Health at Work, 9(3), 277-289. Web.

Smith, T. D., DeJoy, D. M., Dyal, M. A., Pu, Y., & Dickinson, S. (2019). Multi-level safety climate associations with safety behaviors in the fire service. Journal of Safety Research, 69, 53-60. Web.

Smith, T. D., Hughes, K., DeJoy, D. M., & Dyal, M. A. (2018). Assessment of relationships between work stress, work-family conflict, burnout and firefighter safety behavior outcomes. Safety Science, 103, 287-292. Web.

Taylor, J. A., Davis, A. L., Shepler, L. J., Lee, J., Cannuscio, C., Zohar, D., & Resick, C. (2019). Development and validation of the fire service safety climate scale. Safety Science, 118, 126-144. Web.