Question

Houghton Refrigeration Company builds refrigerators for large appliance companies. It employs about 300 people, mostly assembly -line workers, and is located in a small rural town in Ohio. The company typically builds, on a contract basis, chest freezers and small bar refrigerators. On occasion, however, it also builds standard size refrigerators. The president of the company is a former engineer, as are most of the other executives. These individuals are very knowledgeable about engineering but have received little training in the basic principles of management.

During the summer months, volume at the factory increases significantly, and the company needs to hire about 40 new employees to handle the heavy workload. Most of these new employees are college students who attend a small private college located about 15 minutes from the plant. Some high school students are hired as well.

When a new employee is hired, the company asks him or her to complete an application blank and then to show up at the plant gate ready for work. Employees receive no orientation. The worker is shown to a work station and, after a minimum amount of on-the-job training, the new employee is expected to start performing a job. Most of the jobs are quite simple; hence, the training is typically completed within 10 minutes. The first-line supervisor usually shows the employee how to do a job once, then watches while the employee does the job once, leaves, and comes back about 20 minutes later to see how the employee is progressing. Typical jobs at the plant include screwing 14 screws into the sides of a freezer, placing a piece of insulation into the freezer lid, and handing out supplies from the tool room.

The company has had excellent experience with college students over the years. Muchof the success can be attributed to the older workers coming to the aid of the new employees when difficulties arise. Most new employees are able to perform their jobs reasonably well after their on-the-job training is completed. However, when unexpected difficulties arise, they are usually not prepared for them and need assistance from others.

The older workers have been especially helpful to students working in the "press room." However, Joe Gleason, the first-line supervisor there, finds it amusing to belittle the college students whenever they make any mistakes. He relishes showing a student once how to use a press to bend a small piece of metal, then exclaims, "You're a hot-shot college student; now let's see you do it." He then watches impatiently while the student invariably makes a mistake and then jokingly announces for all to hear, "That's wrong! How did you ever get into college anyway? Try it again, dummy."

One summer, the company experienced a rash of injuries to its employees. Although most of the injuries were minor, the company felt it imperative to conduct a series of short training programs on safe material-handling techniques. The company president was at a loss as to who should conduct the training. The human resource director was a 64-year-old former engineer who was about to retire and was a poor speaker. The only other employee in the human resource department was a new 19-year-old secretary who knew nothing about proper handling techniques. Out of desperation, the president finally decided to ask Bill Young, the first-line supervisor of the "lid-line," to conduct the training. Bill recently attended a training program himself on safety and was active in the Red Cross. Bill reluctantly agreed to conduct the training. It was to be done on a departmental basis with small groups of 10 to 15 employees attending each session.

At the first of these training sessions, Bill Young nervously stood up in front of 14 employees, many of whom were college students, and read his presentation in a monotone voice. His entire speech lasted about one minute and consisted of the following text:

Statistics show that an average of 30 persons injure their backs on the job each day in this state. None of us wants to become a statistic.

The first thing that should be done before lifting an object is to look it over and decide whether you can handle it alone or if help is needed. Get help if there's any doubt as to whether the load is safely within your capacity.

Next, look over the area where you're going to be carrying the object. Make sure it's clear of obstacles. You may have to do a little housekeeping before moving your load. After you have checked out the load and route you're going to travel, the following steps should be taken for your safety in lifting:

- get a good footing close to the load

- place feet 8-12 inches apart

-bend your knees to grasp the load

- bend your knees outward, straddling the load.

-get a firm grip

-keep the load close to your body

-lift gradually

Once you've lifted the load, you'll eventually have to set it down - so bend your legs again- andfollowtheliftingproceduresinreverse.Makesurethatyourfingersclearthepinch points. And, finally, it's a good idea to set one corner down first.

After Bill's speech ended, the employees immediately returned to work. By the end of the day, however, everyone in the plant had heard about the training fiasco, and all, except the president, were laughing about it.

1. Evaluate the company's on-the-job training program. Should it be changed?
2. Should the company install an employee orientation program for new factory workers, or is one not necessary?

3. What changes should be made in the company's safety training program?

4. What other ways might a firm emphasize safety and curtail accidents, other than training?

(answers do not need to be very long)

Answer 1

1.. Houghton Refrigeration Company security preparing program is ineffectively sorted out. I can't help contradicting their present procedure of contracting and preparing new workers. Houghton Refrigeration ought not to anticipate that recently enlisted representatives should get familiar with an occupation inside ten minutes and play out the activity effectively with no earlier information on the item they are going to take a shot at. Right now, Houghton doesn't offer directions. Houghton should offer recently procured workers a direction where they are given a concise history of the organization and the items it offers clients. Houghton should likewise offer instructional meetings during the primary seven day stretch of work so representatives can gain proficiency with the organization's procedures. When the representatives appear for the first day they ought to be doled out to an accomplished worker for at any rate two days to show and screen the new representative's work and help if necessary. The accomplished worker could give the new contract supportive data or procedures concerning how to finish the activity viably and without mishaps.

2.. Houghton Refrigeration ought to introduce a worker direction for every single new representative. Houghton should set aside the effort to manufacture a total direction or onboarding process with the goal that every new representative will get the best possible preparing to finish their occupations viably. The new onboarding procedure will begin with building a far-reaching agenda of all assignments that must be finished before the new worker begins work and during their initial ninety days of business. The agenda is imperative to guarantee that every single new representative gets the vital data to change into their new positions The utilization is to help new representatives will help prepare and coordinate them into the organization. A coach will help train and answer addresses that the new representative may have. These surveys will occur at the thirty and multi-day interims with the new representative and the guides. The surveys will assist with guaranteeing the new representative is fitting into the organization and all security conventions are being followed. By directing the audit with both the coach and the new worker, the board will get a total comprehension of the onboarding procedure and how powerful or ineffectual it has been for every representative.

3.. I figure the organization should refresh its approach to incorporate security strategies. Also, yearly security preparing ought to be led to guarantee adherence to and understanding of the approach. Every representative ought to be required to finish the paperwork for the preparation. I think documentation is basic to guarantee as far as possible it obligation. While labourer's remuneration gives some degree of protection, organization's who have no strategy are defenceless against prosecution.

4.. Different approaches to accentuate security and ingrain it as a major aspect of the association's way of life is building up an arrangement of motivating forces. For instance, workers who report potential perils might be remunerated with a money reward. Another approach to accentuate wellbeing would be rivalries inside divisions or group and individual yearly security grants.

if you are satisfied with this answer, please give a positive rating.