| As a Safety Professional, I have two major | | | | part of the written safety manual. |
| objectives in mind; injury prevention and | | | | 3. Develop and document a safety vision and |
| compliance. It's possible to have few injuries and | | | | establish attainable goals. These steps should |
| poor compliance or a lot of injuries and excellent | | | | involve all stake-holders in the safety process, |
| compliance. It takes a concerted effort to have | | | | including upper and lower level manager and |
| both. This is an area where a lot of companies | | | | supervisor representatives. The vision will provide |
| have difficulty. A company, no matter how large | | | | the direction for the safety program and provide |
| or small, must have an effective workplace | | | | corporate level support for the changes that may |
| safety program with a vision of greatness, | | | | occur in the implementation stage of the program. |
| commitment and involvement by all to achieve a | | | | Including managers, supervisors and employee |
| high level of injury prevention and compliance with | | | | representatives at all levels will help ensure buy in |
| federal and state laws and company policy. From | | | | by all employees when the program is |
| a management perspective, which one is more | | | | implemented and changes are made in the |
| important? | | | | workplace. |
| From a personal perspective, injury prevention is | | | | 4. Write a site specific safety manual. The manual |
| more important. A good injury prevention | | | | should define the safety program and the policies |
| program reduces absenteeism, improves | | | | and procedures that will be implemented in the |
| employee morale and ultimately increases the | | | | workplace. If there are multiple locations, write a |
| bottom line by increasing production and reducing | | | | core manual with attachments that define site |
| costs. Employees are the most valuable resource | | | | specific requirements for each location. |
| any company has. If an employee gets hurt, it | | | | 5. Conduct a peer review of the manual, with |
| takes valuable time to take care of the injured | | | | managers and employee representatives. |
| person, do investigations and complete the | | | | Incorporating recommended changes that make |
| paperwork. Production always slows because | | | | sense will help ensure that the program is |
| people come to look or help. If the injured person | | | | implemented with as little resistance to change as |
| is disabled, there are workers' compensation costs | | | | possible. The finished manual should be a fluid |
| and reduced production that has a negative | | | | document that responds to changes as new |
| impact on profitability. | | | | products and procedures are introduced in the |
| So, the question is; how do you get a good injury | | | | workplace. |
| reduction and compliance safety program? | | | | 6. Implement the safety program. Provide and |
| There's a lot of help available from OSHA, state | | | | document training for all employees on the new |
| governments, and most insurance companies that | | | | policies and procedures. Make sure the employees |
| is free or low cost. A lot of consultants are | | | | are aware of the need for changes as well as |
| available and companies like JJ Keller and BLR | | | | what the changes in policies and procedures are. |
| offer assistance in developing a safety program. | | | | 7. Provide follow-up activities to ensure that the |
| Few offer help in implementation and follow-up | | | | new safety program is implemented as intended. |
| though. The following steps are things I consider | | | | Use a 90-day evaluation period to make sure that |
| to be essential in the building an effective | | | | documentation is being provided to the safety |
| program: | | | | department or human resources. After six |
| 1. Do an evaluation of the company processes, | | | | months, evaluate the safety program to make |
| procedures and products to determine which | | | | sure it is in alignment with the vision and that the |
| safety standards apply. There is a guide to OSHA | | | | goals are being reached. Make any adjustments |
| requirements at ehso.com/safety.php. It's a free | | | | necessary to the program. |
| site and easy to use. | | | | A successful safety and health program will |
| 2. Conduct a fact finding tour. An audit must be | | | | include the steps listed above. It must have the |
| completed, either by a third party or in-house | | | | commitment and support of corporate |
| (using a good audit checklist), to determine where | | | | management and should be directed by a person |
| you're at. This audit must identify and record | | | | with vision, enthusiasm and a passion for safety. |
| hazards and unsafe conditions and practices that | | | | Buy in at all levels is necessary to ensure that |
| lead to injuries and non-compliance situations. The | | | | behavioral changes are made in the workforce. |
| auditor should make recommendations for | | | | Employees will "own" the program, work toward |
| eliminating hazards and correcting non-compliance | | | | the established goals and the business will have |
| issues. It must also include federal and state | | | | fewer injuries, reduced workers compensation |
| record keeping requirements. This audit will help in | | | | costs and enjoy a corresponding increase in |
| identifying policies and procedures that can be | | | | production and profitability. |