Chapter 57 - Audits; Inspections and Investigations.docxVIP专享VIP免费原创优质

Chapter57-Audits;InspectionsandInvestigationsSAFETYAUDITSANDMANAGEMENTAUDITSJohanVandeKerckhoveDuringthe1990s,theorganizationalfactorsinsafetypolicyarebecomingincreasinglyimportant.Atthesametime,theviewsoforganizationsregardingsafetyhavedramaticallychanged.Safetyexperts,mostofwhomhaveatechnicaltrainingbackground,arethusconfrontedwithadualtask.Ontheonehand,theyhavetolearntounderstandtheorganizationalaspectsandtakethemintoaccountinconstructingsafetyprogrammes.Ontheotherhand,itisimportantthattheybeawareofthefactthattheviewoforganizationsismovingfurtherandfurtherawayfromthemachineconceptandplacingaclearemphasisonlesstangibleandmeasurablefactorssuchasorganizationalculture,behaviourmodification,responsibility-raisingorcommitment.Thefirstpartofthisarticlebrieflycoversdevelopmentsinopinionsrelatingtoorganizations,management,qualityandsafety.Thesecondpartofthearticledefinestheimplicationsofthesedevelopmentsforauditsystems.ThisisthenverybrieflyplacedinatangiblecontextusingtheexampleofanactualsafetyauditsystembasedontheInternationalOrganizationforStandardization(ISO)9001standards.NewOpinionsConcerningOrganizationandSafetyChangesinsocial-economiccircumstancesTheeconomiccrisisthatstartedtoimpactupontheWesternworldin1973hashadasignificantinfluenceonthoughtandactioninthefieldofmanagement,qualityandworksafety.Inthepast,theaccentineconomicdevelopmentwasplacedonexpansionofthemarket,increasingexportsandimprovingproductivity.However,theemphasisgraduallyshiftedtothereductionoflossesandtheimprovementofquality.Inordertoretainandacquirecustomers,amoredirectresponsewasprovidedtotheirrequirementsandexpectations.Thisresultedinaneedforgreaterproductdifferentiation,withthedirectconsequenceofgreaterflexibilitywithinorganizationsinordertoalwaysbeabletorespondtomarketfluctuationsona“justintime”basis.Emphasiswasplacedonthecommitmentandcreativityofemployeesasthemajorcompetitiveadvantageintheeconomiccompetitivestruggle.Besidesincreasingquality,limitingloss-makingactivitiesbecameanimportantmeansofimprovingoperatingresults.Safetyexpertsenlistedinthisstrategybydevelopingandinstituting“totallosscontrol”programmes.Notonlyarethedirectcostsofaccidentsortheincreasedinsurancepremiumssignificantintheseprogrammes,butsoalsoarealldirectorindirectunnecessarycostsandlosses.Astudyofhowmuchproductionshouldbeincreasedinrealtermstocompensatefortheselossesimmediatelyrevealsthatreducingcostsistodayoftenmoreefficientandprofitablethanincreasingproduction.Inthiscontextofimprovedproductivity,referencewasrecentlymadetothemajorbenefitsofreducingabsenteeismduetosicknessandstimulatingemployeemotivation.Againstthebackgroundofthesedevelopments,safetypolicyisincreasinglyandclearlytakingonanewformwithdifferentaccents.Inthepast,mostcorporateleadersconsideredworksafetyasmerelyalegalobligation,asaburdentheywouldquicklydelegatetotechnicalspecialists.Today,safetypolicyismoreandmoredistinctlybeingviewedasawayofachievingthetwoaimsofreducinglossesandoptimizingcorporatepolicy.Safetypolicyisthereforeincreasinglyevolvingintoareliablebarometerofthesoundnessofthecorporation’ssuccesswithrespecttotheseaims.Inordertomeasureprogress,increasedattentionisbeingdevotedtomanagementandsafetyaudits.OrganizationalTheoryItisnotonlyeconomiccircumstancesthathavegivencompanyheadsnewinsights.Newvisionsrelatingtomanagement,organizationaltheory,totalqualitycarean...