of a successful safety programconduct regular site safety and health inspections…let your team...

4of a

Successful Safety Program

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics(BLS.gov) there are approximately 3 million non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported byprivate industry employers every year. Smallbusinesses, contractors, and service companieswho make up a large part of our workforce shouldpay close attention to this statistic as their workersmake up a big part this number. Because of thisstartling fact it is increasingly important that smallbusinesses owners incorporate worker safety intoevery aspect of their business.

Safety, often thought of as a luxury for only largeconstruction firms and manufacturing plants, isneeded at every stage in the life of a servicebusiness, small manufacturer, or constructioncompany. Which means that the founder, owner,or president of that small business should beinformed and engaged in worker safety at theirlevel and set the tone for the importance ofworkplace safety for their specific business.

4 secrets of a Successful Safety Programpresented by Weeklysafety.com, LLC © 2016 all rights reserved 2

Learn about safety trends and worker injuries here.. http://www.bls.gov/iif/

Quick facts on BLS.gov

They provide annual reports on the rate and number of work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatal injuries

Information is available for the specific industry classification

Many companies are required to report details on their worker injuries directly to BLS.gov

OSHA, the Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration, charged with the development ofsafety regulations for worker safety, is oftenlooked at as solely an enforcement agency. This isonly partially true.

OSHA has what are called Compliance Safety andHealth Officers (CSHOs) whose main purpose areto actually inspect job sites and discover possiblesafety violations. However, this isn't all that OSHAdoes.

OSHA has a wealth of resources for small businessowners to help them implement great safetyprograms to reduce, eliminate, or prevent injuriesand illnesses on the job.

The purpose of this report is to guide smallbusiness owners through one of the best conceptsOSHA has developed for owners in their efforts toimprove safety at their companies.


Quick facts on OSHA

OSHA makes and enforces federal rules for the safety of workers

There are 21 states that have adopted State Specific OSHA programs and sometimes they’re even more strict

OSHA has requirements for businesses with even just one employee

Recordkeeping and reporting regulations require companies to notify OSHA online when they’ve had certain types of serious injuries happen on the job

The 4 secrets of aSuccessful Safety Program


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Management Commitment andEmployee Involvement

Worksite Analysis

Hazard Prevention and Control

Safety and Health Training


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The elements of management commitment and employee involvement are complementary and form the core of any occupational safety and

health program. - OSHA.gov

What this simple statement means is that in orderfor employees to get involved Management has toset the tone.

As a business owner or manager who has reachedany level of success, you know how to get yourteam motivated. Pay raises, good hours, greatbenefits, a friendly atmosphere, maybe a freebarbeque once a month…

The best part of a small business is getting to knowyour folks and what gets them excited about thework every day. Management Commitment toSafety should be no different.

If the owner or president cares about safety andtakes the key steps to demonstrate that to theteam then they will follow through and make ithappen in the field. Building safety into the cultureof the company is accomplished by showing thatthe owner, the managers, and the field supervisorsall take safety just as serious as the build schedule.


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Here are a few of those key steps to help developor improve Management Commitment andEmployee Involvement in your company:

State clearly a worksite policy on safe andhealthful work and working conditions. Put thisin writing, signed by the boss!

Provide visible top management involvement inimplementing the program so that all employeesunderstand that management's commitment isserious. Slogans and posters are great toreinforce the message but put your moneywhere your mouth is and that will let the teamknow you are sincere.

Hold managers, supervisors, and employeesaccountable for meeting their responsibilities sothat essential tasks will be performed. Start withthe Managers and Supervisors – if you holdthem accountable for every accident, everyinjury then they will get the message to theemployees.

Arrange for and encourage employeeinvolvement in the structure and operation of theprogram. Here's where you bring in the bootson the ground. Give the employees in the fielda voice to tell you about their safety concernsand then follow-up on them. That lets themknow that the safety program isn't just pile ofpaper sitting on the shelf collecting dust.


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sEffective management actively analyzes the work and worksite to anticipate and prevent

harmful occurrences.- OSHA.gov

As a business owner or manager, you are doingthis analysis already… it may not be specifically forsafety but I'll guarantee you're looking at your jobsite, facility, trucks, office, or customer worksiteand making sure that things are getting done.

You are involved and checking. You're not ababysitter because who has time for that. But youare looking over their shoulder, just in case. This isworksite analysis in action!

Now incorporate the Safety component. You mayneed to get a little help to know what the safetyregulations or rules are that apply to your specificbusiness. You may also need a starting point, suchas a checklist. But worksite analysis does not needto be exhaustive or complicated.


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sHere are a few tips to get started with a WorksiteAnalysis program at your business:

Leverage existing information available to yourindustry on OSHA websites or through localWorkers Compensation programs for Smallbusinesses.

Conduct baseline worksite survey for safety andhealth… Do this as part of a normal job sitevisit. Build it into a normal site visit to start outand observe the safety of your team in thefield.

Conduct regular site safety and healthinspections… Let your team know that you'll belooking for good safety behavior with everyvisit by you, your management team, andsupervisors. Use a checklist, if possible, witheach of the visits and discuss the findings withboth management and employee teams.

Investigate accidents and "near miss" incidentsso that their causes and means of prevention canbe identified. Accident investigation should bepart of your regular business duties and acritical component to keep up with OSHArequired recordkeeping rules too!


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Employers should establish procedures to correct or control present or potential

hazards in a timely manner.- OSHA.gov

The truth is that this is much more than a "should"statement. Safety really does come as part of theresponsibilities of owning and running a business.

OSHA reminds us of this in what is called theirGeneral Duty Clause which states – each employershall furnish to each of their employees employmentand a place of employment which are free fromrecognized hazards that are causing or are likely tocause death or serious physical harm to theiremployees…

In other words, it is your job and duty to provide asafe place to work. As if small business owners andmanagers don’t already have their hands full!

The good news is that you are not alone! There area ton of low-cost and sometimes free solutionsthat you can use to help you get your safetyprogram started. And if you have a program inplace they have great resources to help youimprove on your existing safety program.


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Here are some critical aspects to consider whendeveloping your company’s Hazard Prevention andControl system:

Use engineering techniques where feasible andappropriate. Build safety into your processes. Ifyou can avoid creating a hazard then you canavoid having a lot of headaches. Not tomention you can avoid the cost associated withdealing with the hazard.

Maintain the facility and equipment to preventequipment breakdowns. Whether it ismaintaining your fleet, heavy equipment,hand-tools, or extension cords - maintainingthem in good condition is cheaper and saferthan having an incident.

Establish a medical program that includes firstaid onsite… There are some specific OSHAstandards that require a trained first aidprovider. However, consider having at least oneperson trained in First Aid/CPR for every siteand on every crew. Catching a minor first aidinjury in time and treating it correctly canprevent an OSHA visit, insurance claim, andloss of production.

Provide personal protective equipment whenengineering controls are infeasible. In mostcircumstances, owners are required to pay forand provide PPE for employees. Even whenyou don't have to, it may be better to pay for itthan leave it up to the worker to pay forthemselves. OSHA rules make it clear that theowner is still responsible even if the workeruses their own safety equipment and tools.


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gEmployee training programs should be designed to ensure that all employees understand and are aware of the hazard to which they may

be exposed and the proper methods for avoiding such hazards.

- OSHA.gov

Here’s the truth that business owners andmanagers need to know - construction rules don’tmake this an option… See for yourself below:

29Code of Federal Regulations 1926.21(b)(2)

The employer shall instruct each employee in therecognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions andthe regulations applicable to his work environment tocontrol or eliminate any hazards or other exposure toillness or injury.

Workers need to have a chance to really beexposed to right and wrong examples of safetypractices. Train them in the classroom or at atailgate meeting and model the right behavior inthe field. Workers need to see and hear from theirforeman, supervisor, and owner how good safetymeans good business. Training doesn’t have to beexpensive – reach out to free resources locally butalways remember that every dollar invested insafety in an investment in your business.


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gHere are a some important issues to keep in mindas you implement or improve your Safety andHealth Training program:

Employee training programs should be designedto ensure that all employees understand and areaware of the hazards to which they may beexposed… Training has to be relevant to thework, timely for the tasks being performed,and targeted for the right employees. Usepictures of the types of hazards the workerscould be exposed to in the field.

Training should be timely and frequent.Tailgate meetings, toolbox talks, and weeklysafety meetings are foundational to greatsafety programs.

Employee training programs must ensure thatthey address the proper methods for avoidingsuch hazards. It isn't enough to talk about whatnot to do, training has to provide tips andrecommendations on how to do it right. Usepictures of the workers performing work in thecorrect way.

The OSHA rules are an important and even amissed component of the safety trainingprogram. Workers need to know the "why"behind the training presented. Showing themthe actual written rules and OSHA laws is agreat technique to answer the "why" question.


NEVER SEARCH FOR SAFETY MEETING TOPICS AGAIN.

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To learn more, visit us at

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