BUILDING A SMALL BUSINESS OPERATIONAL SAFETY PLAN

Transcription

1 BUILDING A SMALL BUSINESS OPERATIONAL SAFETY PLAN

2 Copyright 2008 Louisiana Workers Compensation Corporation (LWCC). All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The information contained in this publication is intended for the general information of our readers. LWCC is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional services, and our readers should not utilize this publication as a substitute for such services in a specific situation.

3 Introduction Creating a safety program for a small business should not be overwhelming or complicated. In fact, the most effective safety programs are straightforward and easy to implement. A successful program should reflect the philosophy and attitude of the company or organization toward workplace safety, involve all personnel, and have clear guidelines and objectives. This booklet was created to assist you in identifying the fundamentals for creating and sustaining an effective safety program. While no single publication can answer every question you may have, the steps outlined in this booklet will provide your safety program with a firm foundation and prominent status in your workplace. If you require additional assistance with your safety program or loss prevention needs, please contact LWCC s loss prevention department at

4 1. Company policy statement Your commitment to workplace safety must be communicated to all employees. This statement must be clear and concise, and establish safety as a value for your organization. Demonstrating that you care about your employees health and well-being can actually improve morale, trust, and productivity. Example: The management of is committed to providing all personnel with a safe working environment. All members of the employee and management team are expected to participate in the organization s safety program by adhering to all established safe work practices and standards throughout the workday. Signature of Owner/CEO Establish accountability Once the policy statement is in place, accountability must be established for all personnel to follow the safety program. All employees must understand that simply getting the job accomplished is not enough. Employees must be accountable for safe production as part of their performance evaluation. The expectation of performance and accountability should be discussed during the interview process with all applicants and during new hire orientation. 4

5 2. Employee involvement Involving employees in the development of the safety program is an excellent way to encourage ownership of the program by all employees. Listen to suggestions and work to incorporate best practices into your program. Employees can assist in establishing safety procedures and controls, conducting inspections, mentoring new employees, and assisting with incident/near-miss investigations. Remember, ownership is a key component of sustaining safe production within the organization. 5

6 3. Hazard prevention/controls The following are the three major elements of hazard prevention and control: A. Identify the hazard. B. Eliminate or control the hazard. C. Follow up on the established control method to determine the effectiveness of the control. Identify the hazards Identify all hazards in your workplace. Hazards can be identified from prior incidents or near misses that have occurred within your workplace. Hazards exist in every workplace and can contribute to incidents and near misses. These must be identified and controlled by your hazard control program. EXAMPLES OF COMMON HAZARDS: 1. Personnel working with unguarded equipment 2. Personnel working from heights with improper or no fall protection system Eliminate/Control the hazard Once all hazards are identified, develop a plan to either eliminate or control each hazard in the workplace. You can eliminate a hazard by totally removing the hazard from your workplace. An example of this approach is to replace a toxic chemical with a biodegradable alternative. 6

7 Controlling a hazard occurs when you cannot eliminate a job task or product/raw material from your work environment. An example of this would be working from heights during construction of multistory buildings. To control the exposure of falls from heights, personnel should wear fall protection at all times, or barriers should be erected to reduce the potential for a person to fall from the structure. Once you identify which course of action to take for each workplace hazard, establish a plan to address each hazard. Your action plan should contain, at a minimum, the following steps: A. List each hazard. B. Determine which change or alternative control will be implemented for eliminating or controlling each hazard. C. Assign an employee responsible for implementing the change. D. Set a date for completion. E. Provide the necessary support for the change. F. Establish follow-up to ensure the identified change has been implemented and is effective in controlling or eliminating the hazard. 7

8 4. Safe work practices Once all hazards have been identified and control plans have been established, work rules should be developed, implemented, and enforced. First, establish general rules that will apply for all employees in the organization. Next, develop work rules specific for each position or role within the organization. During the development of safe work practices, include all employees who perform the job tasks. This will encourage personal ownership of the safety program. After all safe work practices are developed, review them with employees in each job function and set expectations of performance. 8

9 5. Discipline Good discipline is a key component to safe and efficient production within any organization. If personnel do not adhere to performance standards, a disciplinary process must be developed and enforced. This process should be formal and progressive. An employee s first safety violation should include a verbal warning; a second violation should include a written warning; and a third violation for the same infraction may include employment termination. The disciplinary process should be communicated to all personnel in the organization prior to implementation. Documentation should be included to assure that all employees understand the policy. 9

10 6. Training We often assume that personnel can learn to do a job by watching another employee, or the employee may think he or she can figure out the job without instruction. If you are committed to your employees performing a job properly and safely, you must provide appropriate training for the task to be completed. All new personnel should receive training on existing job hazards prior to being allowed to work. Existing personnel should receive additional training when changing jobs within the organization just as thoroughly as a new employee. Even experienced personnel hired from outside your organization should be retrained to eliminate poor work habits that could introduce hazards into your workplace. 10

11 7. Workplace inspections Conduct audits of your workplace at least quarterly (preferably monthly) to identify hazards, equipment needing repair, and how well your personnel are performing job tasks in relation to your established safety/operational plan. Once a deficiency has been identified during the inspection, steps must be taken to remedy the deficiency. First, assign an employee or supervisor responsible for correcting the deficiency. Second, set a timetable for the completion of the corrective action. Third, follow up to ensure the deficiency is corrected. Finally, monitor the change to determine its effectiveness. 11

12 8. Incident/Near-miss investigation Always investigate incidents/near misses that occur within your workplace. Incidents/near misses indicate there has been a breakdown in your operations safety procedures. If not properly controlled, these can lead to a repeat incident/near miss occurring. When conducting an investigation, at a minimum, evaluate the following: A. What was the injured person doing at the time of the accident (i.e. assigned task, maintenance, assisting a fellow employee, etc.)? B. Was the injured employee performing an unauthorized task? Was he/she in an unauthorized area? C. Was the employee qualified to perform the task? D. What were the injured employee s co-workers doing at the time of the accident? E. Was the proper equipment for the task being used? F. Was the injured person following approved procedures? 12

13 G. Was the process, equipment, operation, or task new to the employee? H. Was the injured person being supervised? I. Was the supervision adequate? J. What was the location of the accident? K. What was the general condition of the accident area? L. What actions could have prevented the accident from occurring? M. What long-term controls can be implemented to reduce or eliminate this accident from recurring? N. Have corrective measures been recommended in the past but never implemented to control this hazard? NOTE: There are many additional questions that can be asked, but the above are a general guideline to follow. 13

14 9. Record Keeping To assist you with evaluating your safety efforts and identify trends that should be corrected, keep organized records of the following: A. New hire orientation B. Employee training C. Safety meeting minutes D. Inspections/audits E. Routine maintenance F. OSHA 300 if you have more than 10 employees. This form can be found at G. First aid only incidents H. Incident/near miss investigations. 14

15 10. Manage Workplace Injuries Managing workplace injuries proactively can control claims and workers compensation insurance costs as well as reduce lost workdays incurred by injured employees. To manage your workplace injuries, establish the following procedures: A. Require immediate administration of post-accident drug testing. B. Use an OMNET provider for faster injury evaluation. (To find an OMNET provider in your area, visit C. Establish light-duty jobs to allow an employee to work within the limitations established by the treating physician. D. Stay involved with your employees and their treatment process. This involvement shows concern for their welfare and maintains the line of communication with the employee to potentially reduce future disputes. Remember to report all workplace injuries to LWCC within 24 hours by calling

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