S AFETY AND H EALTH P ROGRAM E LEMENTS

If a representative from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) visits a workplace, they will evaluate the safety program using the elements listed above. The compliance officer will review the previous items to assess the effective-ness of the safety and health program. However, you are not limited only these elements of your safety and health program. You might want to address accountability and responsibility, emergency procedures, program evaluation,firefighting, or first aid and medical care. This is your program, designed to meet your specific needs. These can be addressed in add-on sections. You willfind that your fines for OSHA violations can be reduced if you have a viable written safety and health program, which meets the minimum OSHA guidelines for safety and health programs.

FIGURE 7.1 Identifying hazards is a first step in prevention. (Courtesy of the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency.)

The composition or components of your safety and health program may vary depending on the complexity of your operations. They should at least include

. Management’s commitment to the safety and health policy

. Hazard identification and evaluation

. Hazard control and prevention

. Training

Of course, each of these may have many subparts that address the four elements in some detail. The safety and health program that you develop should be tailored to meet your specific needs. It is now up to you to develop and implement your own effective safety and health program. You can build a more comprehensive program or pare down the model to meet your specific needs.

In summary, ‘‘Management Commitment and Leadership’’ includes a policy statement that should be developed and signed by the Top official in the company.

Safety and health goals and objectives should be included to assist with establishing workplace goals and objectives that demonstrate the company’s commitment to safety. An enforcement policy is provided to outline disciplinary procedures for violations of the company’s safety and health program. This safety and health plan, as well as the enforcement policy, should be communicated to everyone on the jobsite.

Some of the key aspects found under the heading,‘‘Management Commitment and Leadership,’’ are

. Policy statement: goals established, issued, and communicated to employees

. Program revised annually

. Participation in safety meetings; inspections; safety items addressed in meetings

. Commitment of resources is adequate in the form of budgeted dollars

Individual worker’s training form^∗

Worker’s Name Soc. Sec.#

Clock Number

Subject: Date: Length of Training Instructor Worker’s

Signature

New Hire Orientation Hazard Communications Workplace Violence Security

Other

∗Keep this form in the employee’s personnel file

FIGURE 7.2 Employee training documentation form.

. Safety rules and procedures incorporated into jobsite operations

. Procedure for enforcement of the safety rules and procedures

. Statement that management is bound to adhere to safety rules

‘‘Identification and assessment of hazards’’ includes those items that can assist you with identifying workplace hazards and determining the corrective action neces-sary to control them. Actions include jobsite safety inspections, accident investi-gations, and meetings of safety and health committees and project safety meetings.

In order to accomplish the identification of hazards, the following should be reviewed using

. Periodic site safety inspections involving supervisors

. Preventative controls in place (PPE, maintenance, engineering controls)

. Actions taken to address hazards

. An established safety committee, where appropriate

. Documented technical references available

. Enforcing procedures implemented by management

The employer must carry out an initial assessment, and then reassess as often, thereafter, as necessary to ensure compliance. Worksite assessments involve a variety of worksite examinations to identify, not only existing hazards, but also conditions and operations where changes might occur and create hazards. Being aware of a hazard, which stems from failure to examine the worksite, is a sure sign that safety and health policies and practices are inadequate. Effective management actively analyzes the work and worksite, to anticipate and prevent harmful occur-rences. Worksite analysis is intended to ensure that all hazards are identified. This can be accomplished by

. Conducting comprehensive baseline worksite surveys for safety and health and periodically carrying out a comprehensive updated survey

. Analyzing planned and new facilities, processes, materials, and equipment

. Performing routine job hazard analyses

‘‘Hazard prevention and controls’’ are triggered by a determination that a hazard or potential hazard exists. Where feasible, hazards are prevented by effective design of the jobsite or job. Where it is not feasible to eliminate them, they are controlled to prevent unsafe and unhealthful exposure. Elimination of controls is to be accom-plished in a timely manner. Once a hazard or potential hazard is recognized, employers must ensure that all current and potential hazards, however detected, are corrected or controlled in a timely manner. Procedures should be established using the following measures:

. Engineering techniques where feasible and appropriate

. Procedures for safe work, which are understood and followed by all affected parties, as a result of training, positive reinforcement, correction of unsafe performance, and, if necessary, enforcement through a clearly communicated disciplinary system

. Provision of personal protective equipment

. Administrative controls, such as reducing the duration of exposure

The employer must ensure that each employee is provided‘‘information and training’’

on the safety and health program (Figure 7.3). Each employee exposed to a hazard must be provided information and training on that hazard. Note: Some OSHA standards impose additional, more specific requirements for information and training.

The employer must provide general information and training on the following subjects:

. The nature of the hazards to which the employee is exposed and how to recognize them

. What is done to control these hazards

. What protective measures the employee must follow to prevent or minimize exposure to these hazards

. The provisions of applicable standards

The employer must provide specific information and training:

. New employees must be informed and properly trained, before their initial assignment to a job involving exposure to a hazard.

. The employer is not required to provide initial information and training for employees for whom the employer can demonstrate that adequate training has already been given.

. The employer must provide periodic information and training as often as necessary to ensure that employees are adequately informed and trained;

and to be sure safety and health information and changes in workplace conditions, such as when a new or increased hazard exists, are communicated.

FIGURE 7.3 Workers cannot be expected to perform a job in a safe and healthy manner unless they have been trained how to.

Safety and health training addresses the safety and health responsibilities of all personnel concerned with the site, whether salaried or hourly. The employer must provide all employees who have program responsibilities with the information and training necessary to carry out their safety and health responsibilities.

You willfind model written safety and health programs in Industrial Safety and Health for Goods and Materials Services, Industrial Safety and Health for Infra-structure Services, and Industrial Safety and Health for Administrative Services.

These models should be taken and adapted tofit the needs of your business.

7.3 SUMMARY

The management of safety and health is well recognized as a vital component by those who have responsibility for workplace safety and health. It is not just a written proclamation or program, but a true and supported endeavor to provide a safe and healthy workplace for workers. It must be as well planned and organized as any other facet of the company’s business. Managing safety and health is critical in providing the protections that a workforce within an office building is entitled to and deserves.

This management process will probably progress much better if you have a person who by training and experience can take the responsibility for the development of the safety and health effort in your office environment. Thus, occupational safety and health management must be planned, organized, and implemented in a professional manner in order for it to be successful in ensuring that your workplace is safe, healthy, and secure.