Workplace safety and health programs benefit employees, employers

Safety and health programs provide systematic policies, procedures, and practices that are adequate to recognize and protect employees from occupational safety and health hazards. An effective safety and health program includes provisions for the systematic identification, evaluation, and prevention or control of general workplace hazards, specific job hazards, and potential hazards that may arise from foreseeable conditions. To be effective, the program must also look beyond specific OSHA regulations and seek to address hazards and prevent injuries and illnesses whether or not compliance is at issue.

What does OSHA say?

While not specifically required by federal OSHA, all employers covered by the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act could benefit from implementing a safety and health program. The program would apply to hazards covered by OSHA standards and by the General Duty Clause, or Section 5(a)(1) of the Act. Examples of the latter include hazards such as heat stress, ergonomics, and workplace violence.

Some state workplace safety or workers’ compensation agencies may be more stringent than federal OSHA and require some kind of safety and health program. Check your state workplace safety or workers’ compensation laws and regulations for requirements, if any.

Worker participation

Workers are a great resource when it comes to identifying potential job-related hazards, and they’ll likely have ideas for solutions to mitigate or eliminate these hazards. Encourage them to actively participate in safety committees and attend regular safety meetings. This provides a platform for them to voice their concerns, share ideas, and contribute to safety discussions.

Don’t forget training

Another core element of a safety and health program is training. Before training begins, be sure that your company policy clearly states its commitment to health and safety and to the training program. This commitment must include paid work time for training and training in the language that the worker understands.

Workers who know about workplace hazards and the measures in place to control them can work more safely and be more productive. Education and training mean that employers, managers, supervisors, and workers:

• Have the knowledge and skills needed to work safely and avoid creating hazards that could place themselves or others at risk.
• Demonstrate awareness and understanding of workplace hazards and how to identify, report, and control them.
• Receive specialized training when their work involves unique hazards. In addition, all workers receive specialized training when they are assigned specific roles in managing or operating the safety and health program.