Supervisor s Role and Responsibilities Best Practices Presented by: Bob Pierce Safety & Health Manager ESD 113, Workers Compensation My Partner For Learning Solutions
Objectives Identify the duties and responsibilities of effective supervisors before, during & after an injury takes place Understand why the supervisor's role is critical in achieving best practices Successful best practice programs require supervisory involvement
Three Things You Can Do To make immediate impact. Use the Near Miss Reports Effectively Use Checklists to Conduct Building Safety Walkthrough Assessments Identify Safety Hazards, Remove Hazards, Implement Awareness Training USE SAFESCHOOLS
So what should a supervisor do BEFORE an injury or illness occurs? My Partner For Learning Solutions
Create and maintain a safe work environment Ensure that all safety policies are UNDERSTOOD and procedures are being followed Identify workplace hazards and implement effective solutions Provide appropriate personal protective equipment & adequate TRAINING
Educate employees about their rights and responsibilities Provide the claim reporting policy and procedure You are self-insured ESD 113, WCT Provide RTW information Safety is everyone s responsibility it IS NOT an option
Ensure staff are prepared to safely perform their assigned duties On the job training to include physical requirements in all job descriptions Continually observe employees activities Periodically reassess employees physical ability to perform their job Make any needed changes in staffing, tools, or procedure
Develop a positive understanding with employees, creating a culture of trust Meet with employees on a periodic basis to solicit recommendations on employee safety Include employees in policy development, decision-making and implementation of safety procedures and programs Consistently convey an attitude of caring
Provide access to job-related information and training Ensure all employees understand their job duties as well as their physical requirements At orientation At annual reviews Anytime a job reassignment is made When a job is modified Furnish employees with information on any known job hazard Coordinate and monitor required safety training USE SAFESCHOOLS Continually access and identify training needs - USE SAFESCHOOLS
Establish safe work guidelines Reward safe behaviors (HOW)? Is working safely optional? Provide safety policies and procedures Begin process in a non-punitive manner but have steps in place for progressive disciplinary action if necessary Working Safely Must Be Taken Seriously.
Implement loss prevention processes to avert and reduce work injuries and illnesses Eliminate hazards or hazardous tasks Use engineering controls Physically change a machine or work environment Perform job safety analysis Break job tasks down into steps and identify where hazards are present Address, remove if possible, hazardous steps
Implement loss prevention processes to avert and reduce work injuries and illnesses Exercise administrative controls Change the way a job is done Provide personal protective equipment Participate in safety committee Analyze claim data to determine what type of injuries are occurring, and where Develop procedures/programs to address most frequent and most severe injuries Set goals for improvement Measure progress and results
Employee Incident Form Document Camera Overhead
Accident/Incident Reporting Investigate every accident report Supervisor Safety Committee Special Task Force There are a number of ways to accomplish investigating and follow up of accident reports. BUTCH SWEET
Develop a bank of modified/ transitional duty jobs After analyzing job tasks, determine how jobs can be modified Determine alternate jobs that can be created Our WCT Claims Staff can/will help with this process
Now What? Supervisor responsibilities once an injury occurs
Ensure employees receive prompt and appropriate medical care If warranted, call 911 If you have an employee health department or an on-staff nurse, accompany injured worker to be triaged by nurse and referred for care
Have injured worker complete an Employee Incident Report If immediate medical care is not necessary, provide injured worker with an Employee Incident Report and ensure completion within 24 hours If immediate medical care is required, provide employee with Employee Incident Report as soon as feasible and request back within 24 hours
Perform accident investigation Secure the accident scene Interview injured employee to determine who, what, where, when, why, how Interview any possible witnesses and obtain their written statement Uncover as many FACTS as possible
Accident Investigation Process Re-enact a timeline of the accident. Talk with Injured worker and any witnesses.
Hazard Condition - Remedy
Safety Assessments
Supervisor Follow Up Is a Must Provides an additional perspective on how the injury occurred and what can be done to prevent recurrence This is an important, almost always neglected step Follow up is a must for success
Hazard Condition - Remedy
Maintain frequent, meaningful contact with the injured worker Provide support and encouragement People need to know you care Explain the work comp process including employee responsibilities Help employee stay connected to the workplace Know what s going on in department Reduce feeling of isolation
Coordinate or implement a RTW Discuss the RTW program Informal discussions Department meetings Identify modified and transitional duty jobs Coordinate return to work process with a Workers Compensation Adjudicator
Analyze claim data to develop loss prevention strategies Identify what type of injuries are occurring Identify where injuries are occurring Identify why injuries are occurring Develop processes to eliminate or reduce likelihood of these injuries Make use of employee involvement
Ergonomic Concerns
Benefits of active supervisory involvement Identifies loss prevention opportunities Raises employee morale Increases productivity Reduction in accident frequency Reduces claim costs BE-INVOLVED
Three Things You Can Do To make immediate impact. Use the Near Miss Reports Effectively Use Checklists to Conduct Building Safety Walkthrough Assessments Identify Safety Hazards, Remove Hazards, Implement Awareness Training USE SAFESCHOOLS
Questions Take a few minutes to THINK about the presentation What are the one or two BIG Ideas to take away?
Unsafe Act? OR Unsafe Condition?
Before Accidents Happen
Slips & Falls
Hood Canal