Tips for improving safety and management system

Management Commitment and Employee Involvement 

Evaluate your communication efforts surrounding safety. Ensure messages are not conflicting with messages about productivity. Consider adding leading indicators (number of workers trained or orientated, results from safety inspections, etc.) to your communications about safety. Use participatory approaches across all levels of your company to provide workers and middle managers a voice in the processes surrounding safety as well as other organizational goals. Review policies and practices to ensure workers and managers have authority to identify, report, and resolve safety issues as well as exercise the right to refuse unsafe working conditions.  Evaluate and review your practices surrounding the purchase, use, and training of tools and equipment that are safer and provide the necessary tools and resources necessary for your employees to do the work safely. Establish, report, and track goals and targets that indicate whether the program is making progress. Evaluate the program initially and periodically thereafter to identify shortcomings and opportunities for improvement.  Provide ways for workers to participate in program evaluation and improvement.

For more information about participation, see:

https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/worker-participation.html or https://www.cpwr.com/sites/default/files/Recognize-Workers-OSHA.pdf

For more information about Management Commitment, see:

https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/management-leadership.html

https://www.cpwr.com/safety-culture/strengthening-jobsite-safety-climate

https://www.cpwr.com/foundations-safety-leadership-fsl

Hazard Identification and Assessment.

Evaluate your hazard identification procedures. This includes reviewing your inspection procedures as well as your pre-task planning and other job hazard analyses protocols.  Again, involve workers and managers in the process. Review your procedures surrounding evaluating and maintaining equipment and tools. Put mechanisms in place for workers to report hazards.

For more information on hazard identification, assessment, and prevention, see:

https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/hazard-prevention.html

https://www.cpwr.com/training/hazard-communication https://www.cpwr.com/training/hazardous-waste-training

Special Programs 

Consider policies and practices that help keep workers on the job following injury or recovery from illness or trauma.

Emergency Preparedness

Create an emergency action plan that includes having all personnel know how to use emergency equipment.

For more information on emergency situations, see:

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evacuation/eap.html

https://www.cpwr.com/training/disaster-response

Information & Training

Evaluate the safety knowledge of new workers, including temporary workers. Ensure all foremen, workers, and office staff have adequate safety training (e.g., OSHA-10 certification). Provide materials, training, and support in languages other than English. Provide leadership training for foremen. For more information about training, see: https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/education-training.html https://www.cpwr.com/foundations-safety-leadership-fsl Evaluation & Surveillance Tips for improving in this component:  Analyze injury data and use for future injury prevention within safety and health programs. Share that injury information with workers.

For more information about program evaluation, see:

https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/program-evaluation.html