Occupational accidents and diseases remain the most appalling human tragedy of modern industry and one of its most serious forms of economic waste. An accident is a phenomenon of diverse and multiple etiology. An accident often is the result of an occurrence, or series of occurrences, chronologically remote from the accident itself. These characteristics make the search for time causative factors of accidents costly, difficult, and time consuming. In some highly industrialised countries industrial accidents are responsible for the loss of four or five times as many working days as industrial disputes.
Originally, the main thrust of preventive action was to improve the unhealthy working conditions. The first international standards were designed either to do away with the more flagrant abuses impairing health, such as the employment of very young children, long hours of work, the absence of any type of maternity protection, and night work by women and children and to combat the risks of occupational diseases. Higher health safety standards are a primary responsibility of enlightened social policy and efficient management.
A major thrust of this book has been to provide an authoritative, up-to-date guide in the areas of industrial health and safety. The book is intended for students, practitioners, and all others who are responsible in one way or another for workers` health and safety. I am very happy to place the book before the readers and I do hope that it will measure up to their expectation. |
