What are the elements that make up an effective basic safety management plan?
Management/Policy
Recordkeeping
Loss Analysis
Safety & Health Education/Training
Safety & Health Inspections/Surveys
Accident/Incident Reporting & Investigations
Plan & Programs Review
The employer has the responsibility of providing a workplace free of any recognized hazards
A successful safety management plan must rest on a solid foundation of management commitment and support
Is there a difference between commitment and support?
Commitment
-To pledge or assign to some particular course or use
Support
-To provide resources
-Uphold, advocate, champion
Management must thoughtfully and thoroughly develop a safety and health policy that can be understood, believed and sets the tone for action.
Does management understand what the policy means?
The policy should be short, sweet, and to the point. Preferably approximately a half page.
To be effective, management must establish challenging (realistic) goals for that particular organization/industry.
Must assign responsibility (with authority) and hold accountable personnel for implementing the plan
Must participate in safety forums, meetings, educational processes
Management must "walk the talk"
RECORDKEEPING
What records should be retained and why?
Occupational Safety & Health
Administration (OSHA) requires that employers with more than ten (10) employees maintain records.
If the employer has ten (10) or less employees, they must maintain records if they have been requested to participate with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in their annual survey of occupational illness and injuries.
Records serve as a source of support for managing the safety management plan. May be beneficial in strengthening other safety management programs. Loss/trend analysis
Records can serve as support during legal or other evidentiary proceedings.
Management should determine what records should be retained and for what period of time. For example:
OSHA requires OSHA 300 Logs be retained for a period of five (5) years, plus current year. Management should designate a person(s) to maintain what records and where.
Records kept should be
-OSHA 300, Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
-OSHA 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
Accident/incident reports & investigations (OSHA 301, Injury and Illness Incident Report)
State reports
First Aid
Property damage/losses
Liability losses
Motor vehicle liability/damage/losses/ maintenance
Security losses
Inspections/surveys
Safety meetings or other related meetings
Education/training records
Equipment inspection/maintenance
What retention period for each would be sufficient?
What other records should be retained?
LOSS ANALYSIS
What is loss analysis?
The means of studying statistical data (favorable and/or unfavorable) to determine trends or identify problem areas
Why do loss analysis?
Mistakes or errors result in damaged products, production delays, or employee accidents/incidents that effect profit
