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Incident Investigation

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What is an incident and why should it be investigated?

The term incident can be defined as an occurrence, condition, or situation arising in the course of work that resulted in or could have resulted in injuries, illnesses, damage to health, or fatalities.

The term “accident” is also commonly used, and can be defined as an unplanned event that interrupts the completion of an activity, and that may (or may not) include injury or property damage. Some make a distinction between accident and incident. They use the term incident to refer to an unexpected event that did not cause injury or damage that time but had the potential. “Near miss” or “dangerous occurrence” are also terms for an event that could have caused harm but did not.

Please note: The term incident is used in some situations and jurisdictions to cover both an “accident” and “incident”. It is argued that the word “accident” implies that the event was related to fate or chance. When the root cause is determined, it is usually found that many events were predictable and could have been prevented if the right actions were taken – making the event not one of fate or chance (thus, the word incident is used). For simplicity, we will now use the term incident to mean all of the above events.

The information that follows is intended to be a general guide for employers, supervisors, health and safety committee members, or members of an incident investigation team. When incidents are investigated, the emphasis should be concentrated on finding the root cause of the incident so you can prevent the event from happening again. The purpose is to find facts that can lead to corrective actions, not to find fault. Always look for deeper causes. Do not simply record the steps of the event.

Reasons to investigate a workplace incident include:

· most importantly, to find out the cause of incidents and to prevent similar incidents in the future

· to fulfill any legal requirements

· to determine the cost of an incident

· to determine compliance with applicable regulations (e.g., occupational health and safety, criminal, etc.)

· to process workers’ compensation claims

The same principles apply to an inquiry of a minor incident and to the more formal investigation of a serious event. Most importantly, these steps can be used to investigate any situation (e.g., where no incident has occurred … yet) as a way to prevent an incident.

Who should do the investigating?

Ideally, an investigation would be conducted by someone or a group of people who are:

· experienced in incident causation models,

· experienced in investigative techniques,

· knowledgeable of any legal or organizational requirements,

· knowledgeable in occupational health and safety fundamentals,

· knowledgeable in the work processes, procedures, persons, and industrial relations environment for that particular situation,

· able to use interview and other person-to-person techniques effectively (such as mediation or conflict resolution),

· knowledgeable of requirements for documents, records, and data collection; and

· able to analyze the data gathered to determine findings and reach recommendations.

Some jurisdictions provide guidance such as requiring that the incident must be conducted jointly, with both management and labour represented, or that the investigators must be knowledgeable about the work processes involved.

Members of the team can include:

· employees with knowledge of the work

· supervisor of the area or work

· safety officer

· health and safety committee

· union representative, if applicable

· employees with experience in investigations

· “outside” experts

· representative from local government or police

Note: In some cases, other authorities may have jurisdiction, such as if a serious injury or fatality occurred. Your organization should establish, implement, and maintain a procedure to coordinate managing incidents with the authority having jurisdiction (e.g., police, OH&S inspectors, etc.). This coordination may include the authority taking control of the incident scene.

Should the immediate supervisor be on the team?

The advantage is that this person is likely to know most about the work and persons involved and the current conditions. Furthermore, the supervisor can usually take immediate remedial action. The counter argument is that there may be an attempt to gloss over the supervisor’s shortcomings in the incident. This situation should not arise if the incident is investigated by a team of people, and if the worker representative(s) and the investigation team members review all incident investigation findings and recommendations thoroughly.

Why look for the root cause?

An investigator or team who believe that incidents are caused by unsafe conditions will likely try to uncover conditions as causes. On the other hand, one who believes they are caused by unsafe acts will attempt to find the human errors that are causes. Therefore, it is necessary to examine all underlying factors in a chain of events that ends in an incident.

The important point is that even in the most seemingly straightforward incidents, seldom, if ever, is there only a single cause. For example, an “investigation” which concludes that an incident was due to worker carelessness, and goes no further, fails to find answers to several important questions such as:

· Was the worker distracted? If yes, why was the worker distracted?

· Was a safe work procedure being followed? If not, why not?

· Were safety devices in order? If not, why not?

· Was the worker trained? If not, why not?

An inquiry that answers these and related questions will probably reveal conditions that are more open to correction.

What are the steps involved in investigating an incident?

First:

· Report the incident occurrence to a designated person within the organization.

· Provide first aid and medical care to injured person(s) and prevent further injuries or damage.

The incident investigation team would perform the following general steps:

· Scene management and scene assessment (secure the scene, make sure it is safe for investigators to do their job).

· Witness management (provide support, limit interaction with other witnesses, interview).

· Investigate the incident, collect data.

· Analyze the data, identify the root causes.

· Report the findings and recommendations.

The organization would then:

· Develop a plan for corrective action.

· Implement the plan.

· Evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective action.

· Make changes for continual improvement.

As little time as possible should be lost between the moment of an incident and the beginning of the investigation. In this way, one is most likely to be able to observe the conditions as they were at the time, prevent disturbance of evidence, and identify witnesses. The tools that members of the investigating team may need (pencil, paper, camera or recording device, tape measure, etc.) should be immediately available so that no time is wasted.

What should be looked at as the cause of an incident?

Causation Models

Many models of causation have been proposed, ranging from Heinrich’s domino theory to the sophisticated Management Oversight and Risk Tree (MORT).

The simple model shown in Figure 1 attempts to illustrate that the causes of any incident can be grouped into five categories – task, material, environment, personnel, and management. When this model is used, possible causes in each category should be investigated. Each category is examined more closely below. Remember that these are sample questions only: no attempt has been made to develop a comprehensive checklist.

Figure 1: Incident Categories

Task

Here the actual work procedure being used at the time of the incident is explored. Members of the investigation team will look for answers to questions such as:

· Was a safe work procedure used?

· Had conditions changed to make the normal procedure unsafe?

· Were the appropriate tools and materials available?

· Were they used?

· Were safety devices working properly?

· Was lockout used when necessary?

For most of these questions, an important follow-up question is “If not, why not?”

Material

To seek out possible causes resulting from the equipment and materials used, investigators might ask:

· Was there an equipment failure?

· What caused it to fail?

· Was the machinery poorly designed?

· Were hazardous products involved?

· Were they clearly identified?

· Was a less hazardous alternative product possible and available?

· Was the raw material substandard in some way?

· Should personal protective equipment (PPE) have been used?

· Was the PPE used?

· Were users of PPE properly educated and trained?

Again, each time the answer reveals an unsafe condition, the investigator must ask why this situation was allowed to exist.

Work Environment

The physical work environment, and especially sudden changes to that environment, are factors that need to be identified. The situation at the time of the incident is what is important, not what the “usual” conditions were. For example, investigators may want to know:

· What were the weather conditions?

· Was poor housekeeping a problem?

· Was it too hot or too cold?

· Was noise a problem?

· Was there adequate light?

· Were toxic or hazardous gases, dusts, or fumes present?

Personnel

The physical and mental condition of those individuals directly involved in the event must be explored, as well as the psychosocial environment they were working within. The purpose for investigating the incident is not to establish blame against someone but the inquiry will not be complete unless personal characteristics or psychosocial factors are considered. Some factors will remain essentially constant while others may vary from day to day:

· Did the worker follow the safe operating procedures?

· Were workers experienced in the work being done?

· Had they been adequately educated and trained?

· Can they physically do the work?

· What was the status of their health?

· Were they tired?

· Was fatigue or shiftwork an issue?

· Were they under stress (work or personal)?

· Was there pressure to complete tasks under a deadline, or to by-pass safety procedures?

Management

Management holds the legal responsibility for the safety of the workplace and therefore the role of supervisors and higher management and the role or presence of management systems must always be considered in an incident investigation. These factors may also be called organizational factors. Failures of management systems are often found to be direct or indirect causes. Ask questions such as:

· Were safety rules or safe work procedures communicated to and understood by all employees?

· Were written procedures and orientation available?

· Were the safe work procedures being enforced?

· Was there adequate supervision?

· Were workers educated and trained to do the work?

· Had hazards and risks been previously identified and assessed?

· Had procedures been developed to eliminate the hazards or control the risks?

· Were unsafe conditions corrected?

· Was regular maintenance of equipment carried out?

· Were regular safety inspections carried out?

· Had the condition or concern been reported beforehand?

· Was action taken?

This model of incident investigation provides a guide for uncovering all possible causes and reduces the likelihood of looking at facts in isolation. Some investigators may prefer to place some of the sample questions in different categories; however, the categories are not important, as long as each question is asked. Obviously there is considerable overlap between categories; this overlap reflects the situation in real life. Again it should be emphasized that the above sample questions do not make up a complete checklist, but are examples only.

How are the facts collected?

The steps in the investigation are simple: the investigators gather data, analyze it, determine their findings, and make recommendations. Although the procedures are seemingly straightforward, each step can have its pitfalls. As mentioned above, an open mind is necessary in an investigation: preconceived notions may result in some wrong paths being followed while leaving some significant facts uncovered. All possible causes should be considered. Making notes of ideas as they occur is a good practice but conclusions should not be made until all the data is gathered.

Physical Evidence

Before attempting to gather information, examine the site for a quick overview, take steps to preserve evidence, and identify all witnesses. In some jurisdictions, an incident site must not be disturbed without approval from appropriate government officials such as the coroner, inspector, or police. Physical evidence is probably the most non-controversial information available. It is also subject to rapid change or obliteration; therefore, it should be the first to be recorded. Based on your knowledge of the work process, you may want to check items such as:

· positions of injured workers

· equipment being used

· products being used

· safety devices in use

· position of appropriate guards

· position of controls of machinery

· damage to equipment

· housekeeping of area

· weather conditions

· lighting levels

· noise levels

· time of day

You may want to take photographs before anything is moved, both of the general area and specific items. A later study of the pictures may reveal conditions or observations that were missed initially. Sketches of the scene based on measurements taken may also help in later analysis and will clarify any written reports. Broken equipment, debris, and samples of materials involved may be removed for further analysis by appropriate experts. Even if photographs are taken, written notes about the location of these items at the scene should be prepared.

Witness Accounts

Although there may be occasions when you are unable to do so, every effort should be made to interview witnesses. In some situations witnesses may be your primary source of information because you may be called upon to investigate an incident without being able to examine the scene immediately after the event. Because witnesses may be under severe emotional stress or afraid to be completely open for fear of recrimination, interviewing witnesses is probably the hardest task facing an investigator.

Witnesses should be kept apart and interviewed as soon as possible after the incident. If witnesses have an opportunity to discuss the event among themselves, individual perceptions may be lost in the normal process of accepting a consensus view where doubt exists about the facts.

Witnesses should be interviewed alone, rather than in a group. You may decide to interview a witness at the scene where it is easier to establish the positions of each person involved and to obtain a description of the events. On the other hand, it may be preferable to carry out interviews in a quiet office where there will be fewer distractions. The decision may depend in part on the nature of the incident and the mental state of the witnesses.

Interviewing

The purpose of the interview is to establish an understanding with the witness and to obtain his or her own words describing the event:

DO…

· put the witness, who is probably upset, at ease

· emphasize the real reason for the investigation, to determine what happened and why

· let the witness talk, listen

· confirm that you have the statement correct

· try to sense any underlying feelings of the witness

· make short notes or ask someone else on the team to take them during the interview

· ask if it is okay to record the interview, if you are doing so

· close on a positive note

DO NOT…

· intimidate the witness

· interrupt

· prompt

· ask leading questions

· show your own emotions

· jump to conclusions

Ask open-ended questions that cannot be answered by simply “yes” or “no”. The actual questions you ask the witness will naturally vary with each incident, but there are some general questions that should be asked each time:

· Where were you at the time of the incident?

· What were you doing at the time?

· What did you see, hear?

· What were the work environment conditions (weather, light, noise, etc.) at the time?

· What was (were) the injured worker(s) doing at the time?

· In your opinion, what caused the incident?

· How might similar incidents be prevented in the future?

Asking questions is a straightforward approach to establishing what happened. But, care must be taken to assess the accuracy of any statements made in the interviews.

Another technique sometimes used to determine the sequence of events is to re-enact or replay them as they happened. Care must be taken so that further injury or damage does not occur. A witness (usually the injured worker) is asked to reenact in slow motion the actions that happened before the incident.

Other Information

Data can be found in documents such as technical data sheets, health and safety committee minutes, inspection reports, company policies, maintenance reports, past incident reports, safe-work procedures, and training reports. Any relevant information should be studied to see what might have happened, and what changes might be recommended to prevent recurrence of similar incidents.

What should I know when making the analysis and recommendations?

At this stage of the investigation most of the facts about what happened and how it happened should be known. This data gathering has taken considerable effort to accomplish but it represents only the first half of the objective. Now comes the key question – why did it happen?

Keep an open mind to all possibilities and look for all pertinent facts. There may still be gaps in your understanding of the sequence of events that resulted in the incident. You may need to re-interview some witnesses or look for other data to fill these gaps in your knowledge.

When your analysis is complete, write down a step-by-step account of what happened (the team’s conclusions) working back from the moment of the incident, listing all possible causes at each step. This is not extra work: it is a draft for part of the final report. Each conclusion should be checked to see if:

· it is supported by evidence

· the evidence is direct (physical or documentary) or based on eyewitness accounts, or

· the evidence is based on assumption.

This list serves as a final check on discrepancies that should be explained.

Why should recommendations be made?

The most important final step is to come up with a set of well-considered recommendations designed to prevent recurrences of similar incidents. Recommendations should:

· be specific

· be constructive

· identify root causes

· identify contributing factors

Resist the temptation to make only general recommendations to save time and effort.

For example, you have determined that a blind corner contributed to an incident. Rather than just recommending “eliminate blind corners” it would be better to suggest:

· install mirrors at the northwest corner of building X (specific to this incident)

· install mirrors at blind corners where required throughout the worksite (general)

Never make recommendations about disciplining a person or persons who may have been at fault. This action would not only be counter to the real purpose of the investigation, but it would jeopardize the chances for a free flow of information in future investigations.

In the unlikely event that you have not been able to determine the causes of an incident with complete certainty, you probably still have uncovered weaknesses within the process, or management system. It is appropriate that recommendations be made to correct these deficiencies.

The Written Report

The prepared draft of the sequence of events can now be used to describe what happened. Remember that readers of your report do not have the intimate knowledge of the incident that you have so include all relevant details, including photographs and diagrams. Identify clearly where evidence is based on certain facts, witness accounts, or on the team’s assumptions.

If doubt exists about any particular part of the event, say so. The reasons for your conclusions should be stated and followed by your recommendations. Do not include extra material that is not required for a full understanding of the incident and its causes such as photographs that are not relevant and parts of the investigation that led you nowhere. The measure of a good report is quality, not quantity.

Always communicate your findings and recommendations with workers, supervisors and management. Present your information ‘in context’ so everyone understands how the incident occurred and the actions needed to put in place to prevent it from happening again.

Some organizations may use pre-determined forms or checklists. However, use these documents with caution as they may be limiting in some cases. Always provide all of the information needed to help others understand the causes of the event, and why the recommendations are important.

What should be done if the investigation reveals human error?

A difficulty that has bothered many investigators is the idea that one does not want to lay blame. However, when a thorough worksite investigation reveals that some person or persons among management, supervisor, and the workers were apparently at fault, then this fact should be pointed out. The intention here is to remedy the situation, not to discipline an individual.

Failing to point out human failings that contributed to an incident will not only downgrade the quality of the investigation, it will also allow future incidents to happen from similar causes because they have not been addressed.

However never make recommendations about disciplining anyone who may be at fault. Any disciplinary steps should be done within the normal personnel procedures.

How should follow-up be done?

Management is responsible for acting on the recommendations in the investigation report. The health and safety committee or representative, if present, can monitor the progress of these actions.

Follow-up actions include:

· Respond to the recommendations in the report by explaining what can and cannot be done (and why or why not).

· Develop a timetable for corrective actions.

· Monitor that the scheduled actions have been completed.

· Check the condition of injured worker(s).

· Educate and train other workers at risk.

· Re-orient worker(s) on their return to work.

Document last updated on November 26, 2019

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Effective Workplace Inspections

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Why are workplace inspections important?

Workplace inspections help prevent incidents, injuries and illnesses. Through a critical examination of the workplace, inspections help to identify and record hazards for corrective action. Health and safety committees can help plan, conduct, report and monitor inspections. Regular workplace inspections are an important part of the overall occupational health and safety program and management system, if present.

What is the purpose of inspections?

Inspections are important as they allow you to:

· listen to the concerns of workers and supervisors

· gain further understanding of jobs and tasks

· identify existing and potential hazards

· determine underlying causes of hazards

· recommend corrective action

· monitor steps taken to eliminate hazards or control the risk (e.g., engineering controls, administrative controls, policies, procedures, personal protective equipment)

How do you plan for inspections?

Planning is essential for an effective inspection.

What to Examine

Every inspection must examine who, what, where, when and how. Pay particular attention to items that are or are most likely to develop into unsafe or unhealthy conditions because of stress, wear, impact, vibration, heat, corrosion, chemical reaction or misuse. Include areas where no work is done regularly, such as parking lots, rest areas, office storage areas and locker rooms.

Workplace Elements

Look at all workplace elements – the people, the environment, the equipment and the process. The environment includes such hazards as noise, vibration, lighting, temperature, and ventilation. Equipment includes materials, tools and apparatus for producing a product or a service. The process involves how the worker interacts with the other elements in a series of tasks or operations.

What types of hazards do we look for in a workplace?

Types of workplace hazards include:

· Safety hazards such as those caused by inadequate machine guards, unsafe workplace conditions, unsafe work practices.

· Biological hazards caused by organisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.

· Chemical hazards caused by a solid, liquid, vapour, gas, dust, fume or mist.

· Ergonomic hazards caused by physiological and psychological demands on the worker, such as repetitive and forceful movements, awkward postures arising from improper work methods, and improperly designed workstations, tools, and equipment.

· Physical hazards caused by noise, vibration, energy, weather, heat, cold, electricity, radiation and pressure.

· Psychosocial hazards that can affect mental health or well-being such as overwork, stress, bullying, or violence.

What type of information do I need to complete an inspection report?

Diagram of Area

Use drawings of the plant layout or floor plans to help you draw a diagram. Divide the workplace into areas based on the process. Visualize the activities in the workplace and identify the location of machinery, equipment and materials. Show the movement of material and workers, and the location of air ducts, aisles, stairways, alarms and fire exits. Appendix A shows a sample diagram. Use several simple diagrams if the area is large. Ask workers and supervisors for their comments on the information – they know the area better than anyone else.

Equipment Inventory

Know what type of machinery or equipment is present. Review technical data sheets, or manufacturers’ safety manuals. Read work area records to become familiar with the hazards of the equipment.

Hazardous Product or Chemical Inventory

Determine which products are used in the workplace and whether safety data sheets are available. Find out if all sources of exposure are properly controlled. Make sure that all workers have received education and training in how to safely use, handle and store the products they work with. Check that all hazardous products are labelled appropriately according to Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) requirements.

Checklists

A checklist helps to clarify inspection responsibilities, controls inspection activities and provides a report of inspection activities. Checklists help with on-the-spot recording of findings and comments but be careful. Do not allow the inspection team to become so intent on noting the details listed in the checklist that it misses other hazardous conditions. Use checklists only as a basic tool. Refer to the related documents for sample checklists that you can use as a guide to develop a checklist that is customized for your workplace.

Inspection Checklists – General Information

Inspection Checklists – Sample Checklist for Manufacturing Facilities

Inspection Checklists – Sample Checklist for Offices

Inspection Checklist – Sample Checklist for Chemical or Product Inventory

Inspection Checklist – Sample Checklist for Outdoor Areas

Reports

Keeping inspection records is important. Past inspection records show what has been previously identified. They also show what an earlier inspection team concentrated on and what areas it did not inspect. Do not simply repeat or copy previous inspection results. Use the older inspection reports to help look for issues, and then determine whether recommendations were implemented. Note if the changes have been effective.

Are there other types of inspection reports that may be useful?

The following describes three other types of inspection reports:

· Ongoing

· Pre-operation

· Periodic

Supervisors and workers continually conduct ongoing inspections as part of their job responsibilities. Such inspections identify hazardous conditions and either correct them immediately or report them for corrective action. The frequency of these inspections varies with the amount and conditions of equipment use. Daily checks by users assure that the equipment meets minimum acceptable safety requirements.

Pre-operation checks involve inspections of new or modified equipment or processes. Often these are done after workplace shutdowns.

Periodic inspections are regular, planned inspections of the critical components of equipment or systems that have a high potential for causing serious injury or illness. The inspections are often part of preventive maintenance procedures or hazard control programs. Laws and regulations may specify that qualified or competent persons must inspect certain types of equipment, such as elevators, boilers, pressure vessels, scaffolding, and fire extinguishers at determined points in the work process and at regular intervals.

Who should be on the inspection team?

Health and safety committee members are obvious choices of personnel to carry out formal inspections, especially if they have received training or certification.

Other criteria for selecting the inspection team are:

· knowledge of regulations and procedures

· knowledge of potential hazards

· experience with work procedures involved

Engineers, maintenance personnel, occupational hygienists, health and safety professionals, supervisors or managers may be a part of the inspection team or they may be called upon to help with certain aspects of the inspection, or to help explain equipment or processes.

Large workplaces may have more than one inspection team. The various teams can have separate areas to inspect.

Should supervisors be on the inspection team?

It depends. Supervisors are responsible for taking action to prevent incident, illness and injury. Supervisors have an advantage in safety inspections because of familiarity with workers, equipment and environment. This familiarity is also a disadvantage because it can interfere with a supervisor’s objectivity. If the supervisor is not on the inspection team, before inspecting a department or area, the team should contact the supervisor in charge but the supervisor should not act as a tour guide.

If the supervisor of the area does not accompany the inspection team, consult the supervisor before leaving the area. Discuss each recommendation with the supervisor. Report items that the supervisor can immediately correct. Note these on the report as corrected. This documentation keeps the records clear and serves as a reminder to check the condition during the next inspection.

Although a supervisor may interpret reporting as a criticism, inspection team cannot fail to report hazards. Aim to be objective and maintain an attitude that is firm, friendly, and fair.

How long should an inspection take to do?

It is difficult to accurately estimate how long each inspection will take. The time required depends on what is found, how many questions are asked, and how large and complex the work area is. Inspections are ineffective when the given time allows for only a quick look.

How frequent should inspections be done?

The purpose is to keep the workplace free of hazards. The schedule should state:

· when to inspect each area or item within the workplace

· who carries out the inspection

· what degree of detail to inspect each area or item

How often inspections are performed will depend on several factors:

· the frequency of planned formal inspections may be set in your legislation

· past incident records

· number and size of different work operations

· type of equipment and work processes – those that are hazardous or potentially

· number of shifts – the activity of every shift may vary

· new processes or machinery

· legislative requirements for your jurisdiction

High hazard or high risk areas should receive extra attention.

It is often recommended to conduct inspections as often as committee meetings. Do not conduct an inspection immediately before a committee meeting but try to separate inspections and meetings by at least one week. This time allows for small items to be fixed and gives the committee an opportunity to focus on issues requiring further action.

How are inspections actually done?

Discuss the planned inspection route before undertaking the inspection. Review where inspection team members are going and what they are looking for. For example, during the inspection, “huddle” before going into noisy areas. This discussion eliminates the need for arm waving, shouting and other unsatisfactory methods of communication.

For inspections, wear personal protective equipment (PPE) where required. If you do not have PPE and cannot get any, do not enter the area. List this as a deficiency during the inspection. Re-inspect the area when PPE is provided.

Observation

Look for deviations from accepted work practices. Use statements such as: “a worker was observed operating a machine without a guard.” Do not use information derived from inspections for disciplinary measures.

Some common poor work practices include:

· using machinery or tools without authority

· operating at unsafe speeds or in other violation of safe work practice

· removing guards or other safety devices, or making the devices ineffective

· using defective tools or equipment or using tools or equipment in unsafe ways

· using hands or body instead of tools or push sticks

· overloading, crowding, or failing to balance materials or handling materials in unsafe ways, including improper lifting

· repairing or adjusting equipment that is in motion, under pressure, or electrically charged

· failing to use or maintain, or improperly using, personal protective equipment or safety devices

· creating unsafe, unsanitary, or unhealthy conditions by improper personal hygiene, by using compressed air for cleaning clothes, by poor housekeeping, or by smoking in unauthorized areas

· standing or working under suspended loads, scaffolds, shafts, or open hatches

· discussion with or observation of workers who may be overloaded, fatigued, working in conflict with others, or working in isolation (working alone)

Inspection Principles

When conducting inspections, follow these basic principles:

· Draw attention to the presence of any immediate danger – other items can await the final report.

· Shut down and “lock out” any hazardous items that cannot be brought to a safe operating standard until repaired.

· Do not operate equipment. Ask the operator for a demonstration. If the operator of any piece of equipment does not know what dangers may be present, this is cause for concern. Never ignore any item because you do not have knowledge to make an accurate judgement of safety.

· Look up, down, around and inside. Be methodical and thorough. Do not spoil the inspection with a “once-over-lightly” approach.

· Clearly describe each hazard and its exact location in your rough notes. Allow “on-the-spot” recording of all findings before they are forgotten. Record what you have or have not examined in case the inspection is interrupted.

· Ask questions, but do not unnecessarily disrupt work activities. This interruption may interfere with efficient assessment of the job function and may also create a potentially hazardous situation.

· Consider the static (stop position) and dynamic (in motion) conditions of the item you are inspecting. If a machine is shut down, consider postponing the inspection until it is functioning again.

· Consider factors such as how the work is organized or the pace of work and how these factors impact safety.

· Discuss as a group, “Can any problem, hazard or accident generate from this situation when looking at the equipment, the process or the environment?” Determine what corrections or controls are appropriate.

· Do not try to detect all hazards simply by relying on your senses or by looking at them during the inspection. You may have to monitor equipment to measure the levels of exposure to chemicals, noise, radiation or biological agents.

· Take a photograph if you are unable to clearly describe or sketch a particular situation.

What should the final report have in it?

To make a report, first copy all unfinished items from the previous report on the new report. Then write down the observed unsafe condition and recommended methods of control. Enter the department or area inspected, the date and the inspection team’s names and titles on top of the page. Number each item consecutively, followed by a hazard classification of items according to the chosen scheme.

State exactly what has been detected and accurately identify its location. Instead of stating “machine unguarded,” state “guard missing on upper pulley #6 lathe in North Building.”

Assign a priority level to the hazards observed to indicate the urgency of the corrective action required. For example:

A = Major – requires immediate action
B = Serious – requires short-term action
C = Minor – requires long-term action

Report issues in a concise, factual way. Management should be able to understand and evaluate the problems, assign priorities and quickly reach decisions.

After each listed hazard, specify the recommended corrective action and establish a definite correction date if possible and appropriate. Each inspection team member should review for accuracy, clarity and thoroughness.

What should I know about follow-up and monitoring?

Review the information from regular inspections to identify where corrective action was needed. Determine if these actions have been taken. Use older reports to identify trends. Analysis of inspection reports may show the following:

· priorities for other corrective action

· need for improving safe work practices

· insight about why incidents are occurring in particular areas

· need for education and training in certain areas

· areas and equipment that require more in-depth hazard analysis

The health and safety committee can review inspections, identify trends, and monitor the progress of the recommendations. This analysis can be used as part of the continual improvement process for the occupational health and safety program or management system.

Appendix A: an example of a floor diagram

Example of Workplace Inspection Report

Inspection Location: __________________ Date of Inspection: __________________

Department/Areas Covered: __________ Time of Inspection: _____________

Observations	For Future Follow-up
Item and Location	Hazard(s) Observed	Repeat Item Y / N	Priority A/B/C	Recommended Action	Responsible Person	Action Taken	Date

Copies to: _________________ Inspected by: ___________________

Summary of Inspection Information Requirements

· Basic layout plans showing equipment and materials used

· Process flow

· Information on chemicals

· Storage areas

· Work force size, shifts and supervision

· Workplace rules and regulations

· Job procedures and safe work practices

· Manufacturer’s specifications

· Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

· Engineering controls

· Emergency procedures – fire, first aid and rescue

· Incident and investigation reports

· Worker complaint reports regarding particular hazards in the workplace, including psychosocial hazards

· Recommendations of the health and safety committee

· Previous inspections

· Maintenance reports, procedures and schedules

· Regulator inspection reports or other external audits (insurance, corporate specialist)

· Monitoring reports (levels of chemicals, physical or biological hazards)

· Reports of unusual operating conditions

· Names of inspection team members and any technical experts assisting

Document last updated on April 3, 2017

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit II

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Apply safety and health theories to construction practices.
1.1 Identify workplace hazards using job hazard analysis.
1.2 Identify types of workplace inspections.
1.3 Discuss important accident causation and investigation concepts.

6. Explore safety and health management concepts related to construction safety.
6.1 Identify the elements necessary for an effective injury and illness prevention program.

Course/Unit
Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

1.1
Unit II Lesson
Required Readings
Unit II Assessment

Unit II Lesson
Required Readings
Unit II Assessment

1.3
Unit II Lesson
Required Readings
Unit II Assessment

6.1
Unit II Lesson
Required Readings
Unit II Assessment

Reading Assignment

Occupational Safety & Health Administration. (2002). Job hazard analysis [Brochure], pp. 1-14. Retrieved
from https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3071

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2016). OSHA Publication 3885: Recommended Practices for
Safety and Health Programs. Retrieved from
https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/OSHA_SHP_Recommended_Practices

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. (2015). Effective workplace inspections. Retrieved from
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/effectiv.html

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. (2015b). Accident investigation. Retrieved from
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/investig.html

UNIT II STUDY GUIDE

Injury and Illness Prevention
Programs

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3071

https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/OSHA_SHP_Recommended_Practices

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/effectiv.html

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/investig.html

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title
Unit Lesson

Injury and Illness Prevention Programs

There is little doubt that the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has had a positive impact
on workplace safety. Since 1970, the U.S. workforce has doubled in size, yet the rate of occupational injuries
and illnesses has decreased by 66%, and the rate of workplace fatalities has been reduced by 67%
(Occupational Safety & Health Administration [OSHA], n.d.-a). While the existence and enforcement of the
OSHA standards have played a significant role in these reductions, it is not the entire story. Many
organizations have learned that an effectively managed safety and health program, combined with standards
compliance, results in the greatest reduction of injuries and illnesses. OSHA itself has published guidelines on
how to manage a safety and health program and has been considering making these guidelines mandatory.
Some states, such as California, have indeed enacted laws requiring employers to implement injury and
illness prevention programs (Division of Occupational Safety and Health [CalOSHA], 2015).

OSHA has modeled its guidelines for Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (I2P2) after the California
requirements. An I2P2, according to OSHA (2013), has six core elements:

 management leadership,

 worker participation,

 hazard identification and abatement,

 hazard prevention and control,

 education and training, and

 program evaluation and improvement.

To be effective, an I2P2 must:

 fully involve all employees, supervisors, and management;

 identify the specific workplace hazards employees are exposed to;

 correct identified hazards in an appropriate and timely manner; and

 provide effective training (CalOSHA, 2015).

In addition to federal and state guidelines for injury and illness prevention programs, there are a number of
other resources available to organizations. ANSI/AIHA Z 10-2012, the Occupational Health and Safety
Management Systems Standard, was developed in cooperation with the leading occupational safety and

(Almeida, n.d.)

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title
health organizations in the United States and incorporates many of the best practices from similar standards
throughout the world (Manuele, 2014). The core elements of Z10 are similar to the core elements of the
OSHA I2P2.

OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), while originally designed to recognize excellence in standards
compliance and injury reduction, has evolved into a safety management standard that can be used as a
benchmark for organizations. VPP has a strong focus on standards compliance, but does include many
program elements found in I2P2, Z-10, and other safety management systems (OSHA, n.d.-b).

Whichever safety management system is used by an organization, it must use proactive methods for risk
reduction to protect assets. Assets include people, materials, and anything of value to a business. In terms of
safety, people are the most valued asset. When developing a safety management system for a construction
site, reduction or elimination of risk to people should be the first step.

Hazard Identification and Control

A hazard is something that can cause harm (Oakley, 2012). Controlling hazards in the workplace reduces the
risk of harm to workers. The OSHA standards provide the starting point for identifying hazards on a
construction site. We know that it is not possible for OSHA to cover every conceivable hazard, so we need
ways to identify hazards regardless of whether or not they are covered in the standards. Job Hazard Analysis
(JHA) and worksite inspections are two important methodologies for revealing workplace hazards.

A job hazard analysis is “a technique that focuses on job tasks as a way to identify hazards before they occur”
(OSHA, 2002, p. 7). The steps in a specific task are listed and each step is examined for potential hazards.
Once hazards have been identified, control measures to reduce risk can be determined and implemented. A
strength of the JHA is that it looks at the relationships between the task, the worker, the tools, and the working
environment. The ever-changing nature of the construction environment makes the JHA a particularly
effective technique. A JHA is useful for jobs with a high injury rates, jobs with the potential for serious injuries,
and jobs that change frequently. All of these are characteristics of many construction jobs. Involving all levels
of workers in the development of JHAs is important.

Worksite inspections can serve a dual purpose: identification of potential violations of OSHA standards, and
identification of hazards not addressed in the standards. Remember that all hazards have the potential to
cause harm, not just the ones in the standards. In addition to identifying hazards, inspections also provide the
opportunity to:

 listen to the concerns of workers and supervisors,

 gain further understanding of jobs and tasks,

 determine underlying causes of hazards, and

 monitor hazard controls (personal protective equipment, engineering controls, policies, procedures)
(Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety [CCOHS]. 2015b).

As with JHAs, it is important to involve all levels of the organization in the inspection process.

Accident Investigation

JHA preparation and worksite inspection are proactive ways of identifying hazards; that is, hazards are
identified and corrected before they result in harm. We know from experience that risk in the workplace is
never zero, and despite our best efforts to prevent injuries and illnesses, accidents still do occur. An effective
accident investigation process is necessary to identify the hazards that caused or contributed to the incident.
Control of the identified hazards helps prevent the accident scenario from repeating itself. Although a reactive
(after the fact) process, accident investigation is still important for any injury and illness prevention program.
In addition to the obvious prevention of recurrence, there are additional important reasons to conduct accident
investigations (CCOHS, 2015a):

 fulfill any legal requirements,

 determine the cost of an accident,

 determine compliance with applicable safety regulations, and

 process workers’ compensation claims.

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

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Federal OSHA standards require reporting and recordkeeping for workplace injuries and illnesses, but they do
not require full accident investigations. However, if your organization experiences a fatality, you can be sure
that OSHA will conduct a very thorough investigation. Having an investigation process in place helps
demonstrate your organization’s commitment to a safe workplace. If you work in a state with an OSHA-
approved plan, like California, you may already be required to conduct investigations.

References

Almeida, A. (n.d.). “With all these lectures and safety manuals…” [Cartoon]. Retrieved from
http://www.almeidacartoons.com/Safe_toons1.html

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. (2015a) Accident investigation. Retrieved from
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/investig.html

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. (2015b) Effective workplace inspections. Retrieved
from: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/investig.html

Division of Occupational Safety and Health. 2015). What an IIPP is and how it works. Retrieved from
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/etools/09-031/what.htm

Manuele, F. A. (2014). Advanced safety management focusing on Z10 and serious injury prevention (2nd
ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Oakley, J. S. (2012). Accident investigation techniques: Basic theories, analytical methods, and applications
(2nd ed.). Des Plaines, IL: American Society of Safety Engineers.

Occupational Safety & Health Administration. (n.d.-a). Commonly used statistics. Retrieved from
https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html

Occupational Safety & Health Administration. (n.d.-b). Voluntary protection programs. Retrieved from
https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/vpp/index.html

Occupational Safety & Health Administration. (2002). OSHA publication 3071, job hazard analysis [Brochure].
Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3071

Occupational Safety & Health Administration. (2013). OSHA fact sheet: injury and illness prevention
programs [Brochure]. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3665

Suggested Reading

In order to access the following resources, click the links below.

Are you looking for more insight on the topics discussed in this unit? Access the items listed below to view
videos and additional information to gain further insight and understanding.

Learn more about evaluating the effectiveness of your accident prevention efforts in the report below.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2004). Does it really work? How to evaluate safety and health
changes in the workplace (NIOSH Publication No. 2004-135). Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-135/pdfs/2004-135

Haight, J., Yorio, P., Rost, K., & Willmer, D. (2014). Safety management systems, comparing content &
impact. Professional Safety 59(5), 44–51. Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.waldorf.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db
=bth&AN=95882619&site=ehost-live&scope=site

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-135/pdfs/2004-135

https://libraryresources.waldorf.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=95882619&site=ehost-live&scope=site

OSHA 307

2002 (Revised)

Job Hazard Analysis

U.S. Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSHA 3071
2002 (Revised)

Job Hazard Analysis

Contents

Who needs to read this booklet? ……………………………….. 1

What is a hazard? ………………………………………………….. 1

What is a job hazard analysis? …………………………………… 1

Why is job hazard analysis important? …………………………

What is the value of a job hazard analysis? …………………… 2

What jobs are appropriate for a job hazard analysis? ………

Where do I begin? …………………………………………………..

How do I identify workplace hazards? …………………………

How do I correct or prevent any hazards? …………………..

What else do I need to know before
starting a job hazard analysis? …………………………………. 12

Why should I review my job hazard analysis? ………………

When is it appropriate to hire a professional
to conduct a job hazard analysis? ………………………………

OSHA Assistance, Services, and Programs ……………….. 1

How can OSHA help me? ……………………………………….

How does safety and health program management
assistance help employers and employees? ………………… 15

What are state plans? …………………………………………….

How can consultation assistance help employers? ………… 16

Who can get consultation
assistance and what does it cost? …………………………….. 1

Can OSHA assure privacy to an employer
who asks for consultation assistance? ………………………… 17

Can an employer be cited for violations
after receiving consultation assistance? ………………………. 1

Does OSHA provide any incentives for
seeking consultation assistance? ……………………………….

What are the Voluntary Protection Programs? …………….. 18

How does VPP work? …………………………………………… 1

How does VPP help employers and employees? ………….

How does OSHA monitor VPP sites? ………………………..

Can OSHA inspect an employer
who is participating in the VPP? ………………………………. 20

How can a partnership with OSHA
improve worker safety and health? ……………………………

What is OSHA’s Strategic Partnership
Program (OSPP)? ……………………………………………….. 21

What do OSPPs do? …………………………………………….. 21

What are the different kinds of OSPPs? …………………….

What are the benefits of participation in the OSPP? …….. 22

Does OSHA have occupational safety and
health training for employers and employees? ……………..

Does OSHA give money to organizations
for training and education? ………………………………………

Does OSHA have other assistance
materials available? ……………………………………………….

What other publications does OSHA offer? ………………… 25

What do I do in case of an emergency
or if I need to file a complaint? ………………………………… 26

iii

OSHA Regional and Area Office Directory ………………….

OSHA-Approved Safety and Health Plans ………………….

OSHA Consultation Projects ……………………………………

Appendix 1 —
Hazard Control Measures ……………………………………….

Appendix 2 —
Common Hazards and Hazard Descriptions ………………..

Appendix 3 —
Sample Job Hazard Analysis Form ……………………………. 46

Who needs to read this booklet?

This booklet is for employers, foremen, and supervisors,
but we encourage employees to use the information as
well to analyze their own jobs and recognize workplace
hazards so they can report them to you. It explains what
a job hazard analysis is and offers guidelines to help you
conduct your own step-by-step analysis.

What is a hazard?

A hazard is the potential for harm. In practical terms,
a hazard often is associated with a condition or activity that,
if left uncontrolled, can result in an injury or illness. See
Appendix 2 for a list of common hazards and descriptions.
Identifying hazards and eliminating or controlling them as
early as possible will help prevent injuries and illnesses.

What is a job hazard analysis?

A job hazard analysis is a technique that focuses on
job tasks as a way to identify hazards before they occur.
It focuses on the relationship between the worker, the task,
the tools, and the work environment. Ideally, after you
identify uncontrolled hazards, you will take steps to
eliminate or reduce them to an acceptable risk level.

Why is job hazard analysis important?

Many workers are injured and killed at the workplace
every day in the United States. Safety and health can add
value to your business, your job, and your life. You can help
prevent workplace injuries and illnesses by looking at your
workplace operations, establishing proper job procedures,
and ensuring that all employees are trained properly.

One of the best ways to determine and establish proper
work procedures is to conduct a job hazard analysis. A job
hazard analysis is one component of the larger commitment
of a safety and health management system. (See page 15
for more information on safety and health management
systems.)

What is the value of a job hazard analysis?

Supervisors can use the findings of a job hazard analysis
to eliminate and prevent hazards in their workplaces.
This is likely to result in fewer worker injuries and illnesses;
safer, more effective work methods; reduced workers’
compensation costs; and increased worker productivity.
The analysis also can be a valuable tool for training new
employees in the steps required to perform their jobs safely.

For a job hazard analysis to be effective, management
must demonstrate its commitment to safety and health and
follow through to correct any uncontrolled hazards identified.
Otherwise, management will lose credibility and employees
may hesitate to go to management when dangerous
conditions threaten them.

What jobs are appropriate
for a job hazard analysis?

A job hazard analysis can be conducted on many jobs in
your workplace. Priority should go to the following types
of jobs:

• Jobs with the highest injury or illness rates;

• Jobs with the potential to cause severe or disabling
injuries or illness, even if there is no history of previous
accidents;

• Jobs in which one simple human error could lead to a
severe accident or injury;

• Jobs that are new to your operation or have undergone
changes in processes and procedures; and

• Jobs complex enough to require written instructions.

Where do I begin?

1. Involve your employees. It is very important to
involve your employees in the hazard analysis process.
They have a unique understanding of the job, and this
knowledge is invaluable for finding hazards. Involving
employees will help minimize oversights, ensure a
quality analysis, and get workers to “buy in” to the
solutions because they will share ownership in their
safety and health program.

2. Review your accident history. Review with your
employees your worksite’s history of accidents and
occupational illnesses that needed treatment, losses
that required repair or replacement, and any “near
misses” — events in which an accident or loss did not
occur,
but could have. These events are indicators that the
existing hazard controls (if any) may not be adequate
and deserve more scrutiny.

3. Conduct a preliminary job review. Discuss with
your employees the hazards they know exist in their
current work and surroundings. Brainstorm with them
for ideas to eliminate or control those hazards.

If any hazards exist that pose an immediate danger
to an employee’s life or health, take immediate
action to protect the worker. Any problems that can
be corrected easily should be corrected as soon as
possible. Do not wait to complete your job hazard analysis.
This will demonstrate your commitment to safety and
health and enable you to focus on the hazards and
jobs that need more study because of their complexity.
For those hazards determined to present unacceptable
risks, evaluate types of hazard controls. More information
about hazard controls is found in Appendix 1.

4. List, rank, and set priorities for hazardous jobs.
List jobs with hazards that present unacceptable risks,
based on those most likely to occur and with the most
severe consequences. These jobs should be your first
priority for analysis.

5. Outline the steps or tasks. Nearly every job can be
broken down into job tasks or steps. When beginning
a job hazard analysis, watch the employee perform the
job and list each step as the worker takes it. Be sure
to record enough information to describe each job
action without getting overly detailed. Avoid making
the breakdown of steps so detailed that it becomes
unnecessarily long or so broad that it does not include
basic steps. You may find it valuable to get input from
other workers who have performed the same job.
Later, review the job steps with the employee to make
sure you have not omitted something. Point out that
you are evaluating the job itself, not the employee’s job
performance. Include the employee in all phases of
the analysis — from reviewing the job steps and
procedures to discussing uncontrolled hazards and
recommended solutions.

Sometimes, in conducting a job hazard analysis,
it may be helpful to photograph or videotape the
worker performing the job. These visual records can
be handy references when doing a more detailed
analysis of the work.

How do I identify workplace hazards?

A job hazard analysis is an exercise in detective work. Your
goal is to discover the following:

• What can go wrong?

• What are the consequences?

• How could it arise?

• What are other contributing factors?

• How likely is it that the hazard will occur?

To make your job hazard analysis useful, document
the answers to these questions in a consistent manner.
Describing a hazard in this way helps to ensure that your
efforts to eliminate the hazard and implement hazard controls
help target the most important contributors to the hazard.

Good hazard scenarios describe:

• Where it is happening (environment),

• Who or what it is happening to (exposure),

• What precipitates the hazard (trigger),

• The outcome that would occur should it happen
(consequence), and

• Any other contributing factors.

A sample form found in Appendix 3 helps you organize
your information to provide these details.

Rarely is a hazard a simple case of one singular cause
resulting in one singular effect. More frequently, many

contributing factors tend to line up in a certain way to create
the hazard. Here is an example of a hazard scenario:

In the metal shop (environment), while clearing a
snag (trigger), a worker’s hand (exposure) comes
into contact with a rotating pulley. It pulls his
hand into the machine and severs his fingers
(consequences) quickly.

To perform a job hazard analysis, you would ask:

• What can go wrong? The worker’s hand could come
into contact with a rotating object that “catches” it and
pulls it into the machine.

• What are the consequences? The worker could
receive a severe injury and lose fingers and hands.

• How could it happen? The accident could happen as
a result of the worker trying to clear a snag during
operations or as part of a maintenance activity while the
pulley is operating. Obviously, this hazard scenario
could not occur
if the pulley is not rotating.

• What are other contributing factors? This hazard
occurs very quickly. It does not give the worker much
opportunity to recover or prevent it once his hand comes
into contact with the pulley. This is an important factor,
because it helps you determine the severity and
likelihood of an accident when selecting appropriate
hazard controls. Unfortunately, experience has shown
that training is not very effective in hazard control when
triggering events happen quickly because humans can
react only so quickly.

• How likely is it that the hazard will occur? This
determination requires some judgment. If there have
been “near-misses” or actual cases, then the likelihood
of a recurrence would be considered high. If the
pulley is exposed and easily accessible, that also is a
consideration. In the example, the likelihood that the
hazard will occur is high because there is no guard
preventing contact, and the operation is performed
while the machine is running. By following the steps
in this example, you can organize your hazard
analysis activities.

The examples that follow show how a job hazard analysis
can be used to identify the existing or potential hazards for
each basic step involved in grinding iron castings.

Grinding Iron Castings: Job Steps

Step 1. Reach into metal box to right of machine,
grasp casting, and carry to wheel.

Step 2. Push casting against wheel to grind off burr.

Step 3. Place finished casting in box to left of machine.

Example Job Hazard Analysis Form

Job Location: Analyst: Date:
Metal Shop Joe Safety

Task Description: Worker reaches into metal box to the
right of the machine, grasps a 15-pound casting and
carries it to grinding wheel. Worker grinds 20 to

castings per hour.

Hazard Description: Picking up a casting, the employee
could drop it onto his foot. The casting’s weight and height
could seriously injure the worker’s foot or toes.

Hazard Controls:

1. Remove castings from the box and place them on a
table next to the grinder.

2. Wear steel-toe shoes with arch protection.

3. Change protective gloves that allow a better grip.

4. Use a device to pick up castings.

Job Location: Analyst: Date:
Metal Shop Joe Safety
Task Description: Worker reaches into metal box to the
right of the machine, grasps a 15-pound casting and
carries it to grinding wheel. Worker grinds 20 to 30
castings per hour.

Hazard Description: Castings have sharp burrs and
edges that can cause severe lacerations.

Hazard Controls:

1. Use a device such as a clamp to pick up castings.

2. Wear cut-resistant gloves that allow a good grip and fit
tightly to minimize the chance that they will get caught
in grinding wheel.

Hazard Description: Reaching, twisting, and lifting
15-pound castings from the floor could result in a muscle
strain to the lower back.

Hazard Controls:

1. Move castings from the ground and place them closer
to the work zone to minimize lifting. Ideally, place them
at waist height or on an adjustable platform or pallet.

2. Train workers not to twist while lifting and reconfigure
work stations to minimize twisting during lifts.

Repeat similar forms
for each job step.

How do I correct or prevent hazards?

After reviewing your list of hazards with the employee,
consider what control methods will eliminate or reduce them.
For more information on hazard control measures, see Appen-
dix 1. The most effective controls are engineering controls that
physically change a machine or work environment to prevent
employee exposure to the hazard. The more reliable or less
likely a hazard control can be circumvented, the better. If this
is not feasible, administrative controls may be appropriate.
This may involve changing how employees do their jobs.

Discuss your recommendations with all employees who
perform the job and consider their responses carefully.
If you plan to introduce new or modified job procedures,
be sure they understand what they are required to do
and the reasons for the changes.

What else do I need to know before
starting a job hazard analysis?

The job procedures discussed in this booklet are for
illustration only and do not necessarily include all the
steps, hazards, and protections that apply to your industry.
When conducting your own job safety analysis, be sure to
consult the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
standards for your industry. Compliance with these
standards is mandatory, and by incorporating their
requirements in your job hazard analysis, you can be
sure that your health and safety program meets federal
standards. OSHA standards, regulations, and technical
information are available online at www.osha.gov.

Twenty-four states and two territories operate their
own OSHA-approved safety and health programs and may
have standards that differ slightly from federal requirements.
Employers in those states should check with the appropriate
state agency for more information. A list of applicable states
and territories and contact information is provided on page 32.

Why should I review my job hazard analysis?

Periodically reviewing your job hazard analysis ensures
that it remains current and continues to help reduce
workplace accidents and injuries. Even if the job has not
changed, it is possible that during the review process you will
identify hazards that were not identified in the initial analysis.

It is particularly important to review your job hazard
analysis if an illness or injury occurs on a specific job.
Based on the circumstances, you may determine that you
need to change the job procedure to prevent similar incidents
in the future. If an employee’s failure to follow proper job
procedures results in a “close call,” discuss the situation
with all employees who perform the job and remind them
of proper procedures. Any time you revise a job hazard
analysis, it is important to train all employees affected by
the changes in the new job methods, procedures, or
protective measures adopted.

When is it appropriate to hire a professional
to conduct a job hazard analysis?

If your employees are involved in many different or
complex processes, you need professional help conducting
your job hazard analyses. Sources of help include your
insurance company, the local fire department, and private
consultants with safety and health expertise. In addition,
OSHA offers assistance through its regional and area offices
and consultation services. Contact numbers are listed at the
back of this publication.

Even when you receive outside help, it is important that
you and your employees remain involved in the process
of identifying and correcting hazards because you are on
the worksite every day and most likely to encounter these
hazards. New circumstances and a recombination of existing
circumstances may cause old hazards to reappear and new
hazards to appear. In addition, you and your employees
must be ready and able to implement whatever hazard
elimination or control measures a professional consultant
recommends.

OSHA Assistance, Services, and Programs

How can OSHA help me?

OSHA can provide extensive help through a variety of
programs, including assistance about safety and health
programs, state plans, workplace consultations, Voluntary
Protection Programs, strategic partnerships, training and
education, and more.

How does safety and health program
management assistance help employers
and employees?

Effective management of worker safety and health
protection is a decisive factor in reducing the extent and
severity of work-related injuries and illnesses and their
related costs. In fact, an effective safety and health program
forms the basis of good worker protection and can save time
and money — about $4 for every dollar spent — and increase
productivity.

To assist employers and employees in developing effective
safety and health systems, OSHA published recommended
Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines,
(Federal Register 54(18):3908–3916, January 26, 1989).
These voluntary guidelines can be applied to all worksites
covered by OSHA.

The guidelines identify four general elements that are
critical to the development of a successful safety and health
management program:

• Management leadership and employee involvement;

• Worksite analysis;

• Hazard prevention and control; and

• Safety and health training.

The guidelines recommend specific actions under each
of these general elements to achieve an effective safety and
health program. The Federal Register notice is available
online at www.osha.gov.

What are state plans?

State plans are OSHA-approved job safety and health
programs operated by individual states or territories instead
of Federal OSHA. The Occupational Safety and Health
Act of 1970 (OSH Act) encourages states to develop and
operate their own job safety and health plans and permits
state enforcement of OSHA standards if the state has an
approved plan. Once OSHA approves a state plan, it funds
50 percent of the program’s operating costs. State plans
must provide standards and enforcement programs, as
well as voluntary compliance activities, that are at least as
effective as those of Federal OSHA.

There are 26 state plans: 23 cover both private and
public (state and local government) employment, and
3 (Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York) cover only the
public sector. For more information on state plans, see
the listing at the end of this publication, or visit OSHA’s
website at www.osha.gov.

How can consultation
assistance help employers?

In addition to helping employers identify and correct
specific hazards, OSHA’s consultation service provides free,
onsite assistance in developing and implementing effective
workplace safety and health management systems that
emphasize the prevention of worker injuries and illnesses.

Comprehensive consultation assistance provided by
OSHA includes a hazard survey of the worksite and an
appraisal of all aspects of the employer’s existing safety and
health management system. In addition, the service offers
assistance to employers in developing and implementing an
effective safety and health management system. Employers
also may receive training and education services, as well as
limited assistance away from the worksite.

Who can get consultation
assistance and what does it cost?

Consultation assistance is available to small employers
(with fewer than 250 employees at a fixed site and no more
than 500 corporatewide) who want help in establishing and
maintaining a safe and healthful workplace.

Funded largely by OSHA, the service is provided at
no cost to the employer. Primarily developed for smaller
employers with more hazardous operations, the consultation
service is delivered by state governments employing
professional safety and health consultants. No penalties
are proposed or citations issued for hazards identified by
the consultant. The employer’s only obligation is to correct
all identified serious hazards within the agreed-upon
correction time frame.

Can OSHA assure privacy to an employer
who asks for consultation assistance?

OSHA provides consultation assistance to the employer
with the assurance that his or her name and firm and any
information about the workplace will not be routinely
reported to OSHA enforcement staff.

Can an employer be cited for violations
after receiving consultation assistance?

If an employer fails to eliminate or control a serious hazard
within the agreed-upon time frame, the Consultation Project
Manager must refer the situation to the OSHA enforcement
office for appropriate action. This is a rare occurrence, however,
since employers request the service for the expressed purpose
of identifying and fixing hazards in their workplaces.

Does OSHA provide any incentives
for seeking consultation assistance?

Yes. Under the consultation program, certain exemplary
employers may request participation in OSHA’s Safety and
Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Eligibility
for participation in SHARP includes, but is not limited to,
receiving a full-service, comprehensive consultation visit,
correcting all identified hazards, and developing an effective
safety and health management system.

Employers accepted into SHARP may receive an
exemption from programmed inspections (not complaint or
accident investigation inspections) for a period of 1 year
initially, or 2 years upon renewal.

For more information concerning consultation assistance,
see the list of consultation offices beginning on page 36,
contact your regional or area OSHA office, or visit OSHA’s
website at www.osha.gov.

What are the Voluntary Protection Programs?

Voluntary Protection Programs (VPPs) represent one
part of OSHA’s effort to extend worker protection beyond
the minimum required by OSHA standards. VPP — along
with onsite consultation services, full-service area offices,

and OSHA’s Strategic Partnership Program (OSPP) —
represents a cooperative approach which, when coupled
with an effective enforcement program, expands worker
protection to help meet the goals of the OSH Act.

How does VPP work?

There are three levels of VPP recognition: Star, Merit,
and Demonstration. All are designed to do the following:

• Recognize employers who have successfully developed
and implemented effective and comprehensive safety
and health management systems;

• Encourage these employers to continuously improve
their safety and health management systems;

• Motivate other employers to achieve excellent safety
and health results in the same outstanding way; and

• Establish a relationship between employers, employees,
and OSHA that is based on cooperation.

How does VPP help employers and employees?

VPP participation can mean the following:

• Reduced numbers of worker fatalities, injuries, and
illnesses;

• Lost-workday case rates generally 50 percent below
industry averages;

• Lower workers’ compensation and other injury- and
illness-related costs;

• Improved employee motivation to work safely, leading
to a better quality of life at work;

• Positive community recognition and interaction;

• Further improvement and revitalization of already-good
safety and health programs; and a

• Positive relationship with OSHA.

How does OSHA monitor VPP sites?

OSHA reviews an employer’s VPP application and
conducts a VPP Onsite Evaluation to verify that the safety
and health management systems described are operating
effectively at the site. OSHA conducts Onsite Evaluations
on a regular basis, annually for participants at the
Demonstration level, every 18 months for Merit, and
every 3 to 5 years for Star. Each February, all participants
must send a copy of their most recent Annual Evaluation to
their OSHA regional office. This evaluation must include the
worksite’s record of injuries and illnesses for the past year.

Can OSHA inspect an employer
who is participating in the VPP?

Sites participating in VPP are not scheduled for regular,
programmed inspections. OSHA handles any employee
complaints, serious accidents, or significant chemical releases
that may occur at VPP sites according to routine enforcement
procedures.

Additional information on VPP is available from OSHA
national, regional, and area offices, listed beginning on
page 27. Also, see Outreach at OSHA’s website
at www.osha.gov.

How can a partnership with OSHA
improve worker safety and health?

OSHA has learned firsthand that voluntary, cooperative
partnerships with employers, employees, and unions can
be a useful alternative to traditional enforcement and an
effective way to reduce worker deaths, injuries, and illnesses.
This is especially true when a partnership leads to the
development and implementation of a comprehensive
workplace safety and health management system.

What is OSHA�s Strategic
Partnership Program (OSPP)?

OSHA Strategic Partnerships are alliances among labor,
management, and government to foster improvements in
workplace safety and health. These partnerships are
voluntary, cooperative relationships between OSHA,
employers, employee representatives, and others such
as trade unions, trade and professional associations,
universities, and other government agencies. OSPPs are the
newest member of OSHA’s family of cooperative programs.

What do OSPPs do?

These partnerships encourage, assist, and recognize
the efforts of the partners to eliminate serious workplace
hazards and achieve a high level of worker safety and health.
Whereas OSHA’s Consultation Program and VPP entail
one-on-one relationships between OSHA and individual
worksites, most strategic partnerships seek to have a
broader impact by building cooperative relationships with
groups of employers and employees.

What are the different kinds of OSPPs?

There are two major types:

• Comprehensive, which focuses on establishing
comprehensive safety and health management
systems at partnering worksites; and

• Limited, which helps identify and eliminate hazards
associated with worker deaths, injuries, and illnesses,
or have goals other than establishing comprehensive
worksite safety and health programs.

OSHA is interested in creating new OSPPs at the
national, regional, and local levels. OSHA also has found
limited partnerships to be valuable. Limited partnerships
might address the elimination or control of a specific
industry hazard.

What are the benefits of
participation in the OSPP?

Like VPP, OSPP can mean the following:

• Fewer worker fatalities, injuries, and illnesses;

• Lower workers’ compensation and other injury- and
illness-related costs;

• Improved employee motivation to work safely, leading
to a better quality of life at work and enhanced
productivity;

• Positive community recognition and interaction;

• Development of or improvement in safety and health
management systems; and

• Positive interaction with OSHA.

For more information about this program, contact
your nearest OSHA office or go to the agency website
at www.osha.gov.

Does OSHA have occupational safety and
health training for employers and employees?

Yes. The OSHA Training Institute in Des Plaines, IL,
provides basic and advanced training and education in safety
and health for federal and state compliance officers, state
consultants, other federal agency personnel, and private-
sector employers, employees, and their representatives.

Institute courses cover diverse safety and health topics
including electrical hazards, machine guarding, personal
protective equipment, ventilation, and ergonomics. The facility
includes classrooms, laboratories, a library, and an audiovisual
unit. The laboratories contain various demonstrations and
equipment, such as power presses, woodworking and welding
shops, a complete industrial ventilation unit, and a sound
demonstration laboratory. More than 57 courses dealing
with subjects such as safety and health in the construction
industry and methods of compliance with OSHA standards
are available for personnel in the private sector.

In addition, OSHA’s 73 area offices are full-service
centers offering a variety of informational services such
as personnel for speaking engagements, publications,
audiovisual aids on workplace hazards, and technical advice.

Does OSHA give money to organizations
for training and education?

OSHA awards grants through its Susan Harwood Training
Grant Program to nonprofit organizations to provide safety and
health training and education to employers and workers in the
workplace. The grants focus on programs that will educate
workers and employers in small business (fewer than 250
employees), train workers and employers about new OSHA
standards or high-risk activities or hazards. Grants are awarded
for 1 year and may be renewed for an additional 12 months
depending on whether the grantee has performed satisfactorily.

OSHA expects each organization awarded a grant to
develop a training and/or education program that addresses
a safety and health topic named by OSHA, recruit workers
and employers for the training, and conduct the training.
Grantees are also expected to follow-up with people who
have been trained to find out what changes were made
to reduce the hazards in their workplaces as a result of
the training.

Each year OSHA has a national competition that is
announced in the Federal Register and on the Internet at
www.osha-slc.gov/Training/sharwood/sharwood.html.
If you do not have access to the Internet, you can contact the
OSHA Office of Training and Education, 1555 Times Drive,
Des Plaines, IL 60018, (847) 297–4810, for more
information.

Does OSHA have other
assistance materials available?

Yes. OSHA has a variety of materials and tools
available on its website at www.osha.gov. These include
eTools, Expert Advisors, Electronic Compliance Assistance
Tools (e-CATs), Technical Links, regulations, directives,
publications, videos, and other information for employers
and employees. OSHA’s software programs and compliance
assistance tools walk you through challenging safety and
health issues and common problems to find the best
solutions for your workplace. OSHA’s comprehensive
publications program includes more than 100 titles to
help you understand OSHA requirements and programs.

OSHA’s CD-ROM includes standards, interpretations,
directives, and more and can be purchased on CD-ROM
from the U.S. Government Printing Office. To order, write to
the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, DC 20402, or phone (202) 512–1800.
Specify OSHA Regulations, Documents and Technical
Information on CD-ROM (ORDT), GPO Order No. S/N
729-013-00000-5.

What other publications does OSHA offer?

OSHA offers more than 100 documents, including
brochures, fact sheets, posters, pocket cards, flyers,
technical documents, and a quarterly magazine. These
documents are available online at www.osha.gov or
by calling (202) 693–1888.

What do I do in case of an emergency
or if I need to file a complaint?

To report an emergency, file a complaint, or seek OSHA
advice, assistance, or products, call (800) 321– OSHA or
contact your nearest OSHA regional or area office listed
beginning on page 27. The teletypewriter (TTY) number
is (877) 889–5627.

You can also file a complaint online and obtain more
information on OSHA federal and state programs by
visiting OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.

For more information on grants, training, and education,
write: OSHA Training Institute, Office of Training and
Education, 1555 Times Drive, Des Plaines, IL 60018;
call (847) 297–4810; or see Outreach on OSHA’s
website at www.osha.gov.

OSHA Regional and Area Offices

Region VI
(AR, LA, NM,* OK, TX)
525 Griffin Street, Room 602
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 767–4731 or 4736 x224

Region VII
(IA,* KS, MO, NE)
City Center Square
1100 Main Street, Suite 800
Kansas City, MO 64105
(816) 426–5861

Region VIII
(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT,* WY*)
1999 Broadway, Suite 1690
Denver, CO 80202-5716
(303) 844–1600

Region IX
(American Samoa, AZ,*
CA,* HI, NV,* Northern
Mariana Islands)
71 Stevenson Street, Room 420
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 975–4310

Region X
(AK,* ID, OR,* WA*)
1111 Third Avenue, Suite 715
Seattle, WA 98101-3212
(206) 553–5930

OSHA Regional Offices
Region I
(CT,* ME, MA, NH, RI, VT*)
JFK Federal Building, Room E340
Boston, MA 02203
(617) 565–9860

Region II
(NJ,* NY,* PR,* VI*)
201 Varick Street, Room 670
New York, NY 10014
(212) 337–2378

Region III
(DE, DC, MD,* PA,* VA,* WV)
The Curtis Center
170 S. Independence Mall West
Suite 740 West
Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309
(215) 861–4900

Region IV
(AL, FL, GA, KY,* MS, NC,*
SC,* TN*)
Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsyth Street, SW, Room 6T50
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 562–2300

Region V
(IL, IN,* MI,* MN,* OH, WI)
230 South Dearborn Street
Room 32

Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 353–2220

*These states and territories operate their own OSHA-approved
job safety and health programs (Connecticut, New Jersey and
New York plans cover public employees only). States with
approved programs must have a standard that is identical to,
or at least as effective as, the federal standard.

OSHA Area Offices

Birmingham, AL
(205) 731–15

Mobile, AL
(251) 441–61

Anchorage, AK
(907) 271–5152

Little Rock, AR
(501) 324–6291(5818)

Phoenix, AZ
(602) 640–2348

San Diego, CA
(619) 557–5909

Sacramento, CA
(916) 566–7471

Denver, CO
(303) 844–5285

Greenwood Village, CO
(303) 843–4500

Bridgeport, CT
(203) 579–5581

Hartford, CT
(860) 240–3152

Wilmington, DE
(302) 573–6518

Fort Lauderdale, FL
(954) 424–02

Jacksonville, FL
(904) 232–2895

Tampa, FL
(813) 626–1177

Savannah, GA
(912) 652–4393

Smyrna, GA
(770) 984–8700

Tucker, GA
(770) 493–6644/6742/8419

Des Moines, IA
(515) 284–4794

Boise, ID
(208) 321–2960

Calumet City, IL
(708) 891–3800

Des Plaines, IL
(847) 803–4800

Fairview Heights, IL
(618) 632–8612

North Aurora, IL
(630) 896–8700

Peoria, IL
(309) 671–70

Indianapolis, IN
(317) 226–7290

Wichita, KS
(316) 269–6644

Frankfort, KY
(502) 227–7024

Baton Rouge, LA
(225) 389–0474 (0431)

Braintree, MA
(617) 565–6924

Methuen, MA
(617) 565–8110

Springfield, MA
(413) 785–0123

Linthicum, MD
(410) 865–2055/2056

Bangor, ME
(207) 941–8177

Portland, ME
(207) 780–3178

August, ME
(207) 622–8417

Lansing, MI
(517) 327–0904

Minneapolis, MN
(612) 664–5460

Kansas City, MO
(816) 483–9531

St. Louis, MO
(314) 425–4249

Jackson, MS
(601) 965–4606

Billings, MT
(406) 247–7494

Raleigh, NC
(919) 856–4770

Omaha, NE
(402) 221–3182

Bismark, ND
(701) 250–4521

Concord, NH
(603) 225–1629

Avenel, NJ
(732) 750–3270

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
(201) 288–1700

Marlton, NJ
(856) 757–5181

Parsippany, NJ
(973) 263–1003

Carson City, NV
(775) 885–6963

Albany, NY
(518) 464–4338

Bayside, NY
(718) 279–9060

Bowmansville, NY
(716) 684–3891

New York, NY
(212) 337–2636

North Syracuse, NY
(315) 451–0808

Tarrytown, NY
(914) 524–7510

Westbury, NY
(516) 334–3344

Cincinnati, OH
(513) 841–4132

Cleveland, OH
(216) 522–3818

Columbus, OH
(614) 469–5582

Toledo, OH
(419) 259–7542

Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 278–9560

Portland, OR
(503) 326–2251

Allentown, PA
(610) 776–0592

Erie, PA
(814) 833–5758

Harrisburg, PA
(717) 782–3902

Philadelphia, PA
(215) 597–4955

Pittsburgh, PA
(412) 395–4903

Wilkes–Barre, PA
(570) 826–6538

Guaynabo, PR
(787) 277–1560

Providence, RI
(401) 528–4669

Columbia, SC
(803) 765–5904

Nashville, TN
(615) 781–5423

Austin, TX
(512) 916–5783 (5788)

Corpus Christi, TX
(361) 888–3420

Dallas, TX
(214) 320–2400 (2558)

El Paso, TX
(915) 534–6251

Fort Worth, TX
(817) 428–2470 (485–7647)

Houston, TX
(281) 591–2438 (2787)

Houston, TX
(281) 286–0583/0584 (5922)

Lubbock, TX
(806) 472–7681 (7685)

Salt Lake City, UT
(801) 530–6901

Norfolk, VA
(757) 441–3820

Bellevue, WA
(206) 553–7520

Appleton, WI
(920) 734–4521

Eau Claire, WI
(715) 832–9019

Madison, WI
(608) 264–5388

Milwaukee, WI
(414) 297–3315

Charleston, WV
(304) 347–5937

OSHA-Approved
Safety and Health Plans

Alaska
Alaska Department of Labor
and Workforce Development

Commissioner
(907) 465–2700
FAX: (907) 465–2784
Program Director
(907) 269–4904
FAX: (907) 269–4915

Arizona
Industrial Commission
of Arizona

Director, ICA
(602) 542–4411
FAX: (602) 542–1614
Program Director
(602) 542–5795
FAX: (602) 542–1614

California
California Department of
Industrial Relations

Director
(415) 703–5050
FAX: (415) 703–5114
Chief
(415) 703–5100
FAX: (415) 703–5114
Manager, Cal/OSHA
Program Office
(415) 703–5177
FAX: (415) 703–5114

Connecticut
Connecticut Department
of Labor

Commissioner
(860) 566–5123
FAX: (860) 566–1520
Conn-OSHA Director
(860) 566–4550
FAX: (860) 566–6916

Hawaii
Hawaii Department of Labor
and Industrial Relations

Director
(808) 586–8844
FAX: (808) 586–9099
Administrator
(808) 586–9116
FAX: (808) 586–9104

Indiana
Indiana Department of Labor

Commissioner
(317) 232–2378
FAX: (317) 233–3790
Deputy Commissioner
(317) 232–3325
FAX: (317) 233–3790

Iowa
Iowa Division of Labor

Commissioner
(515) 281–6432
FAX: (515) 281–4698
Administrator
(515) 281–3469
FAX: (515) 281–7995

Kentucky
Kentucky Labor Cabinet
Secretary (502) 564–3070
FAX: (502) 564–5387
Federal\State Coordinator
(502) 564–3070 ext.240
FAX: (502) 564–1682

Maryland
Maryland Division of Labor
and Industry

Commissioner
(410) 767–2999
FAX: (410) 767–2300
Deputy Commissioner
(410) 767–2992
FAX: (410) 767–2003
Assistant Commissioner, MOSH
(410) 767–2215
FAX: (410) 767–2003

Michigan
Michigan Department of
Consumer and Industry Services

Director
(517) 322–1814
FAX: (517) 322–1775

Minnesota
Minnesota Department of
Labor and Industry

Commissioner
(651) 296–2342
FAX: (651) 282–5405

Assistant Commissioner
(651) 296–6529
FAX: (651) 282–5293
Administrative Director,
OSHA Management Team
(651) 282–5772
FAX: (651) 297–2527

Nevada
Nevada Division of
Industrial Relations

Administrator
(775) 687–3032
FAX: (775) 687–6305
Chief Administrative Officer
(702) 486–9044
FAX: (702) 990–0358
[Las Vegas (702) 687–5240]

New Jersey
New Jersey Department of Labor

Commissioner
(609) 292–2975
FAX: (609) 633–9271

Assistant Commissioner
(609) 292–2313
FAX: (609) 292–1314
Program Director, PEOSH
(609) 292–3923
FAX: (609) 292–4409

New Mexico
New Mexico Environment
Department

Secretary
(505) 827–2850
FAX: (505) 827–2836
Chief
(505) 827–4230
FAX: (505) 827–4422

New York
New York Department of Labor

Acting Commissioner
(518) 457–2741
FAX: (518) 457–6908
Division Director
(518) 457–3518
FAX: (518) 457–6908

North Carolina
North Carolina Department
of Labor

Commissioner
(919) 807–2900
FAX: (919) 807–2855
Deputy Commissioner,
OSH Director
(919) 807–2861
FAX: (919) 807–2855
OSH Assistant Director
(919) 807–2863
FAX: (919) 807–2856

Oregon
Oregon Occupational Safety
and Health Division

Administrator
(503) 378–3272
FAX: (503) 947–7461
Deputy Administrator for Policy
(503) 378–3272
FAX: (503) 947–7461

Deputy Administrator
for Operations
(503) 378–3272
FAX: (503) 947–7461

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Department of
Labor and Human Resources

Secretary
(787) 754–2119
FAX: (787) 753–9550
Assistant Secretary for
Occupational Safety and Health
(787) 756–1100,
1106 / 754–2171
FAX: (787) 767–6051
Deputy Director for
Occupational Safety and Health
(787) 756–1100/1106,
754–2188
FAX: (787) 767–6051

South Carolina
South Carolina Department of
Labor, Licensing, and
Regulation

Director
(803) 896–4300
FAX: (803) 896–4393

Program Director
(803) 734–9644
FAX: (803) 734–9772

Tennessee
Tennessee Department of Labor

Commissioner
(615) 741–2582
FAX: (615) 741–5078
Acting Program Director
(615) 741–2793
FAX: (615) 741–3325

Utah
Utah Labor Commission

Commissioner
(801) 530–6901
FAX: (801) 530–7906
Administrator
(801) 530–6898
FAX: (801) 530–6390

Vermont
Vermont Department of
Labor and Industry

Commissioner
(802) 828–2288
FAX: (802) 828–2748
Project Manager
(802) 828–2765
FAX: (802) 828–2195

Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Department
of Labor

Acting Commissioner
(340) 773–1990
FAX: (340) 773–1858
Program Director
(340) 772–1315
FAX: (340) 772–4323

Virginia
Virginia Department of Labor
and Industry

Commissioner
(804) 786–2377
FAX: (804) 371–6524

Director, Office of Legal Support
(804) 786–9873
FAX: (804) 786–8418

Washington
Washington Department of
Labor and Industries

Director
(360) 902–4200
FAX: (360) 902–4202
Assistant Director
(360) 902–5495
FAX: (360) 902–5529

Program Manager,
Federal–State Operations
(360) 902–5430
FAX: (360) 902–5529

Wyoming
Wyoming Department of
Employment

Safety Administrator
(307) 777–7786
FAX: (307) 777–3646

OSHA Consultation Projects

Anchorage, AK
(907) 269–4957

Tuscaloosa, AL
(205) 348–3033

Little Rock, AR
(501) 682–4522

Phoenix, AZ
(602) 542–1695

Sacramento, CA
(916) 263–2856

Fort Collins, CO
(970) 491–6151

Wethersfield, CT
(860) 566–4550

Washington, DC
(202) 541–3727

Wilmington, DE
(302) 761–8219

Tampa, FL
(813) 974–9962

Atlanta, GA
(404) 894–2643

Tiyam, GU
9–1–(671) 475–1101

Honolulu, HI
(808) 586–9100

Des Moines, IA
(515) 281–7629

Boise, ID
(208) 426–3283

Chicago, IL
(312) 814–23

Indianapolis, IN
(317) 232–2688

Topeka, KS
(785) 296–2251

Frankfort, KY
(502) 564–6895

Baton Rouge, LA
(225) 342–9601

West Newton, MA
(617) 727–3982

Laurel, MD
(410) 880–4970

Augusta, ME
(207) 624–6400

Lansing, MI
(517) 322–1809

Saint Paul, MN
(651) 284–5060

Jefferson City, MO
(573) 751–3403

Pearl, MS
(601) 939–2047

Helena, MT
(406) 444–6418

Raleigh, NC
(919) 807–2905

Bismarck, ND
(701) 328–5188

Lincoln, NE
(402) 471–4717

Concord, NH
(603) 271–2024

Trenton, NJ
(609) 292–3923

Santa Fe, NM
(505) 827–4230

Albany, NY
(518) 457–2238

Henderson, NV
(702) 486–9140

Columbus, OH
(614) 644–2631

Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 528–1500

Salem, OR
(503) 378–3272

Indiana, PA
(724) 357–2396

Hato Rey, PR
(787) 754–2171

Providence, RI
(401) 222–2438

Columbia, SC
(803) 734–9614

Brookings, SD
(605) 688–4101

Nashville, TN
(615) 741–7036

Austin, TX
(512) 804–4640

Salt Lake City, UT
(801) 530–6901

Montpelier, VT
(802) 828–2765

Richmond, VA
(804) 786–6359

Christiansted St. Croix, VI
(809) 772–1315

Olympia, WA
(360) 902–5638

Madison, WI
(608) 266–9383

Waukesha, WI
(262) 523–3044

Charleston, WV
(304) 558–7890

Cheyenne, WY
(307) 777–7786

Appendices

Appendix 1
Hazard Control Measures

Information obtained from a job hazard analysis is useless
unless hazard control measures recommended in the analysis
are incorporated into the tasks. Managers should recognize
that not all hazard controls are equal. Some are more
effective than others at reducing the risk.

The order of precedence and effectiveness of hazard
control is the following:

1. Engineering controls.

2. Administrative controls.

3. Personal protective equipment.

Engineering controls include the following:

• Elimination/minimization of the hazard — Designing the
facility, equipment, or process to remove the hazard, or
substituting processes, equipment, materials, or other
factors to lessen the hazard;

• Enclosure of the hazard using enclosed cabs, enclosures
for noisy equipment, or other means;

• Isolation of the hazard with interlocks, machine guards,
blast shields, welding curtains, or other means; and

• Removal or redirection of the hazard such as with local
and exhaust ventilation.

Administrative controls include the following:

• Written operating procedures, work permits, and
safe work practices;

• Exposure time limitations (used most commonly to
control temperature extremes and ergonomic hazards);

• Monitoring the use of highly hazardous materials;

• Alarms, signs, and warnings;

• Buddy system; and

• Training.

Personal Protective Equipment — such as respirators,
hearing protection, protective clothing, safety glasses,
and hardhats — is acceptable as a control method in the
following circumstances:

• When engineering controls are not feasible or do not
totally eliminate the hazard;

• While engineering controls are being developed;

• When safe work practices do not provide sufficient
additional protection; and

• During emergencies when engineering controls may not
be feasible.

Use of one hazard control method over another higher in
the control precedence may be appropriate for providing
interim protection until the hazard is abated permanently.
In reality, if the hazard cannot be eliminated entirely, the
adopted control measures will likely be a combination of all
three items instituted simultaneously.

Appendix 2
Common Hazards and Descriptions

Hazards Hazard Descriptions

Chemical A chemical that exposes a person by absorption
(Toxic) through the skin, inhalation, or through the blood

stream that causes illness, disease, or death.
The amount of chemical exposure is critical in
determining hazardous effects. Check Material
Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and/or OSHA
1910.1000 for chemical hazard information.

Chemical A chemical that, when exposed to a heat ignition
(Flammable) source, results in combustion. Typically, the lower a

chemical’s flash point and boiling point, the more
flammable the chemical. Check MSDS for flammability
information.

Chemical A chemical that, when it comes into contact with
(Corrosive) skin, metal, or other materials, damages the

materials. Acids and bases are examples of
corrosives.

Explosion Self explanatory.
(Chemical
Reaction)

Explosion Sudden and violent release of a large amount of
(Over gas /energy due to a significant pressure difference
Pressurization) such as rupture in a boiler or compressed gas

cylinder.

Electrical Contact with exposed conductors or a device that
(Shock/ is incorrectly or inadvertently grounded, such as
Short Circuit) when a metal ladder comes into contact with

power lines. 60Hz alternating current (common
house current) is very dangerous because it can
stop the heart.

44
Hazards Hazard Descriptions

Electrical Use of electrical power that results in electrical
(Fire) overheating or arcing to the point of combustion

or ignition of flammables, or electrical component
damage.

Electrical The moving or rubbing of wool, nylon, other
(Static/ESD) synthetic fibers, and even flowing liquids can

generate static electricity. This creates an
excess or deficiency of electrons on the surface
of material that discharges (spark) to the ground
resulting in the ignition of flammables or damage
to electronics or the body’s nervous system.

Electrical Safety-critical equipment failure as a result of
(Loss of Power) loss of power.

Ergonomics Damage of tissue due to overexertion
(Strain) (strains and sprains) or repetitive motion.

Ergonomics A system design, procedure, or equipment
(Human Error) that is error-provocative. (A switch goes up to

turn something off).

Excavation Soil collapse in a trench or excavation as a result
(Collapse) of improper or inadequate shoring. Soil type is

critical in determining the hazard likelihood.

Fall Conditions that result in falls (impacts) from
(Slip, Trip) height or traditional walking surfaces (such as

slippery floors, poor housekeeping, uneven
walking surfaces, exposed ledges, etc.)

Fire/Heat Temperatures that can cause burns to the skin
or damage to other organs. Fires require
a heat source, fuel, and oxygen.

Mechanical/ Vibration that can cause damage to nerve endings,
Vibration or material fatigue that results in a safety-critical
(Chaffing/ failure. (Examples are abraded slings and ropes,
Fatigue) weakened hoses and belts.)

Hazards Hazard Descriptions

Mechanical Self explanatory; typically occurs when devices
Failure exceed designed capacity or are inadequately

maintained.

Mechanical Skin, muscle, or body part exposed to crushing,
caught-between, cutting, tearing, shearing items
or equipment.

Noise Noise levels (>85 dBA 8 hr TWA) that result
in hearing damage or inability to communicate
safety-critical information.

Radiation Alpha, Beta, Gamma, neutral particles, and
(Ionizing) X-rays that cause injury (tissue damage) by

ionization of cellular components.

Radiation Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, and microwaves
(Non-Ionizing) that cause injury to tissue by thermal or

photochemical means.

Struck By Accelerated mass that strikes the body causing
(Mass injury or death. (Examples are falling objects and
Acceleration) projectiles.)

Struck Against Injury to a body part as a result of coming into contact
of a surface in which action was initiated by the
person. (An example is when a screwdriver slips.)

Temperature Temperatures that result in heat stress,
Extreme exhaustion, or metabolic slow down such as
(Heat/Cold) hypothermia.

Visibility Lack of lighting or obstructed vision that
results in an error or other hazard.

Weather Self explanatory.
Phenomena
(Snow/Rain/
Wind/Ice)

Appendix 3
Sample Job Hazard Analysis Form

Job Title: Job Location: Analyst Date

Task # Task Description:

Hazard Type: Hazard Description:

Consequence: Hazard Controls:

Rational or Comment:

Recommended Practices for

Safety and Health
Programs

Worker Participation

Find and Fix Hazards

Management Leadership

Occupational Safety
and Health Administration

www.osha.gov

OSHA 3885 October 2016

https://www.osha.gov

DISCLAIMER
These practices for safety and health programs are
recommendations only. Employers are not required to
have a safety and health program that complies with
them and will not be cited for failing to have a safety
and health program that complies with this document.

These recommended practices apply to employers,
except in the construction industry, for whom there
are separate Recommended Practices for Safety and
Health Programs for the Construction Industry.

FOREWORD

FOREWORD
Establishing a safety and health program in your
workplace is one of the most effective ways
of protecting your most valuable asset: your
workers. Losing workers to injury or illness, even
for a short time, can cause significant disruption
and cost—to you as well as the workers and their
families. It can also damage workplace morale,
productivity, turnover, and reputation.

Safety and health programs foster a proactive
approach to “finding and fixing” workplace
hazards before they can cause injury or illness.
Rather than reacting to an incident, management
and workers collaborate to identify and solve
issues before they occur. This collaboration builds
trust, enhances communication, and often leads
to other business improvements. Employers who
have implemented safety and health programs,
including many who are in OSHA’s Voluntary
Protection Programs (VPP) or the Safety and
Health Achievement Recognition Program
(SHARP) for small and medium-sized businesses,
have also found that managing for safety results
in higher-quality product or output and higher
profits.

Thousands of responsible employers have
used OSHA’s 1989 Safety and Health Program
Management Guidelines as a blueprint for setting
up an effective safety and health program.1

Much has changed, however, since those
guidelines were published:

• The nature of work is evolving as the
economy continues to shift from a
manufacturing to a service base, and from a
fixed to an often mobile workforce.

Resources and Tools to Support
Implementation of These
Recommended Practices

OSHA has created a dedicated Web page
to support the implementation of these
recommended practices at www.osha.gov/
safetymanagement. The page includes the
following:

• Additional resources. Articles and
information sources related to each core
element of the recommended practices,
plus other topics discussed in the
recommended practices.

• Tools. Downloadable templates,
worksheets, and reference materials you
can use as you develop your own safety
and health program.

Please visit the recommended practices
Web page and explore the resources
available. OSHA will update the Web page
and add resources and tools as they become
available.

• Automation of work activities means that
technology, computers, and robotics are
being integrated into our workplaces, often
introducing new and different hazards.

• Greater diversity in the workplace means
that people from different backgrounds and
cultures are working alongside each other,
often speaking different languages.

1 54 FR 3904–16, January 26, 1989.

iwww.osha.gov/safetymanagement RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS

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www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

FOREWORD

• An aging workforce and the rise of sedentary
work and lifestyle means that some
workers are at higher risk for work-related
musculoskeletal disorders.

• There is greater recognition that workers
in industries that some think of as safe
(such as healthcare, lodging, retail, and
transportation) face significant hazards.

• Increased temporary and contract
employment, and the rise of the “gig
economy” mean that traditional relationships
between workers and employers are shifting,
and changes in safety programs and policies
will be required to ensure the safety of all
workers at worksites characterized by these
newer and more fluid relationships.

These new recommended practices reflect these
changes. They also reflect what we have learned
from best-in-class programs and what makes
them effective. In particular, these recommended
practices place greater emphasis on involving
workers, and include a more robust program
evaluation element to help drive continuous
improvement. The recommended practices
also stress the need for communication and
coordination on worksites involving more than
one employer.

In addition, the new recommended practices
build on successful approaches and practices
that have evolved under OSHA programs such
VPP and SHARP. They also align with national
and international consensus standards.2

2 A comparison of these recommended practices, the 1989 guidelines, OSHA voluntary programs, and other consensus standards is
available on the Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs website.

ii RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

https://www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2

MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9

WORKER PARTICIPATION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT…………………………………………………………………………….15

HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROL ……………………………………………………………………………………….20

EDUCATION AND TRAINING …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 24

PROGRAM EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT …………………………………………………………………………… 27

COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION FOR HOST EMPLOYERS, CONTRACTORS,
AND STAFFING AGENCIES ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..30

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 34

GLOSSARY OF TERMS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 34

CONTENTS

1www.osha.gov/safetymanagement RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS

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INTRODUCTION

THESE RECOMMENDED PRACTICES provide
responsible employers, workers, and worker
representatives3 with a sound, flexible
framework for addressing safety and health
issues in diverse workplaces. They may be
used in any workplace, but will be particularly
helpful in small and medium-sized workplaces.
They can be applied equally well in traditional,
fixed manufacturing workplaces and in the

service sector, healthcare, retail, and even
mobile or office-based work environments.
They also include information specifically aimed
at temporary worker and multiemployer work
situations. Separate recommended practices are
available for the construction industry.

3 Worker participation is vital to the success of the program. In several places in this document, OSHA refers not just to workers but also
to their representatives, such as labor unions or religious or community groups.

Source: Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (2011), Ohio 21(d) SHARP Program Performance Assessment.

INTRODUCTION

The recommended practices emphasize a
proactive approach to managing workplace
safety and health. Traditional approaches are
often reactive—that is, actions are taken only
after a worker is injured or becomes sick, a
new standard or regulation is published, or an
outside inspection finds a problem that must
be corrected. Finding and fixing hazards before
they cause injury or illness is a far more effective
approach. Doing so avoids the direct and indirect
costs of worker injuries and illnesses, and
promotes a positive work environment.

The concept of continuous improvement is
central to the recommended practices. As with
any journey, the first step is often the most
challenging. The idea is to begin with a basic
program and grow from there. By initially
focusing on achieving modest goals, monitoring
performance, and evaluating outcomes, you can
help your workplace progress, over time, along
the path to higher levels of safety and health.

THE BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING
THESE RECOMMENDED PRACTICES
Responsible employers know that the main goal
of a safety and health program is to prevent
workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths, as well
as the suffering and financial hardship these
events can cause for workers, their families, and
their employers.

Employers may find that implementing these
recommended practices brings other benefits
as well. The renewed or enhanced commitment
to safety and health and the cooperative
atmosphere between employers and workers
have been linked to:

• Improvements in product, process, and
service quality.

• Better workplace morale.

• Improved employee recruiting and retention.

• A more favorable image and reputation
(among customers, suppliers, and the
community).

(per million
dollars of payroll)

A study of small employers in Ohio found that workers’ compensation claims fell dramatically after working
with OSHA’s SHARP program to adopt programs similar to those described in these recommended practices.

average
number of claims c o s t p e r c l a i m

claims

52%

D E C R E A S E D DECREASED

80% 88%
D E C R E A S E D

average lost time per claim

87%
D E C R E A S E D

3www.osha.gov/safetymanagement RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS

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HOW TO USE THE RECOMMENDED
PRACTICES
Each section of the recommended practices
describes a core program element (see page
7), followed by several action items. Each
action item is an example of steps that employers
and workers can take to establish, implement,
maintain, and improve your safety and health
program. You can use the self-evaluation tool
found on the recommended practices Web page
to track your progress and assess how fully you

have implemented (or will implement) each
action item.

Seven interrelated elements
The seven core elements are interrelated and
are best viewed as part of an integrated system.
Actions taken under one core element can (and
likely will) affect actions needed under one or
more other elements. For example, workers must
be trained in reporting procedures and hazard
identification techniques in order to be effective

Source: Leigh, J.P. (2011), Economic Burden of Occupational Injury and Illness in the United States. Milbank Quarterly, 89:728-772.4

4 The 2.7 multiplier for indirect costs includes some social costs, such as workers’ compensation costs not covered by insurance.

INTRODUCTION

IMPLEMENTING
a safety & health program

can help employers avoid the

that result
from

due to work
stoppages

and

investigations,

training and other
costs associated with to material,

machinery
and property.

and

such as

TIME
LOST
REPLACING

INJURED
WORKERS

LOSS OR
DAMAGE

DIRECT
COSTS

These have been estimated
to be at least

2.7
times the

INDIRECT
COSTS
DIRECT
COSTS

WORKPLACE
INCIDENTS

4 RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

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INTRODUCTION

10 EASY THINGS TO GET YOUR PROGRAM STARTED
If these recommended practices appear challenging, here are some simple steps you can
take to get started. Completing these steps will give you a solid base from which to take on
some of the more structured actions presented in the recommended practices.

1. SET SAFETY AND HEALTH AS A
TOP PRIORITY
Always set safety and health as the top priority. Tell

your workers that making sure they finish the day and

go home safely is the way you do business. Assure

them that you will work with them to find and fix any

hazards that could injure them or make them sick.

2. LEAD BY EXAMPLE
Practice safe behaviors yourself and make safety part

of your daily conversations with workers.

3. IMPLEMENT A REPORTING
SYSTEM
Develop and communicate a simple procedure for

workers to report any injuries, illnesses, incidents

(including near misses/close calls), hazards, or safety

and health concerns without fear of retaliation.

Include an option for reporting hazards or concerns

anonymously.

4. PROVIDE TRAINING
Train workers on how to identify and control hazards

using, for example, OSHA’s Hazard Identification

Training Tool.

5. CONDUCT INSPECTIONS
Inspect the workplace with workers and ask them to

identify any activity, piece of equipment, or material

that concerns them. Use checklists, such as those

included in OSHA’s Small Business Handbook, to help

identify problems.

6. COLLECT HAZARD CONTROL
IDEAS
Ask workers for ideas on improvements and follow up

on their suggestions. Provide them time during work

hours, if necessary, to research solutions.

7. IMPLEMENT HAZARD CONTROLS
Assign workers the task of choosing, implementing,

and evaluating the solutions they come up with.

8. ADDRESS EMERGENCIES
Identify foreseeable emergency scenarios and develop

instructions on what to do in each case. Meet to

discuss these procedures and post them in a visible

location in the workplace.

9. SEEK INPUT ON WORKPLACE
CHANGES
Before making significant changes to the workplace,

work organization, equipment, or materials, consult

with workers to identify potential safety or health

issues.

10. MAKE IMPROVEMENTS
Set aside a regular time to discuss safety and health

issues, with the goal of identifying ways to improve

the program.

5www.osha.gov/safetymanagement RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS

https://www.osha.gov/hazfinder/

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/smallbusiness/small-business

www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

participants. Thus, the “Education and Training”
core element supports the “Worker Participation”
core element. Similarly, setting goals (as
described under “Management Leadership”) will
be more effective if you routinely evaluate your
progress in meeting those goals (see “Program
Evaluation and Improvement”). Progress in each
core element is important to achieve maximum
benefit from the program.

One size does not fit all
While the action items under each core element
are specific, they are not prescriptive. The
process described in these recommended
practices can, and should, be tailored to the
needs of each workplace. Likewise, your safety
and health program can and should evolve.
Experimentation, evaluation, and program
modification are all part of the process. You
may also experience setbacks from time to
time. What is important is that you learn from
setbacks, remain committed to finding out what
works best for you, and continue to try different
approaches.

Injuries and illnesses occur in all types of
workplace settings, from manufacturing sites, to
hospitals and healthcare facilities, to offices and
service industries.5 Workers can even be injured
or become ill outside physical facilities, such
as when driving a vehicle as part of a sales or
service job. The preventive approaches described
in these recommended practices work equally
well across all sectors of the economy; for all
different kinds of hazards; in both mobile and
fixed work environments; and for small, medium-
sized, and large organizations. Small employers
may find that they can best accomplish the
actions outlined in these recommended practices
using informal communications and procedures.
Larger employers, who have more complex work
processes and hazards, may require a more
formal and detailed program. They may also wish

to integrate their safety and health program with
other programs that they are using to manage
production, quality control, and environmental
protection or sustainability.

The importance of worker
participation
Throughout these recommended practices,
OSHA emphasizes the importance of worker
participation in the safety and health program.
For a program to succeed, workers (and,
if applicable, their representatives) must
participate in developing and implementing
every element of the safety and health program.
This emphasis on worker participation is
consistent with the OSH Act, OSHA standards,
and OSHA enforcement policies and procedures,
which recognize the rights and roles of workers
and their representatives in matters of workplace
safety and health. Several action items described
in these recommended practices rely on
perspectives, expertise, and input that can come
only from workers and their representatives.

When more than one employer is
involved
Host employers, contractors, staffing agencies,
and their workers should pay particular attention
to the “Communication and Coordination for
Host Employers, Contractors, and Staffing
Agencies” section. This section describes
actions that host employers and contractors,
subcontractors, and temporary staffing agencies
(and their workers) should take to ensure
protection of everyone on the worksite.

For tools and resources to help you
implement these recommended practices,
visit: www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

5 Please note: OSHA has developed a separate document of Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs for the
Construction Industry.

INTRODUCTION

6 RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

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INTRODUCTION

CORE ELEMENTS OF THE SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM
RECOMMENDED PRACTICES

MANAGEMENT
LEADERSHIP

• Top management demonstrates its commitment to continuous improvement in safety and
health, communicates that commitment to workers, and sets program expectations and
responsibilities.

• Managers at all levels make safety and health a core organizational value, establish safety and
health goals and objectives, provide adequate resources and support for the program, and set
a good example.

WORKER
PARTICIPATION

• Workers and their representatives are involved in all aspects of the program—including setting
goals, identifying and reporting hazards, investigating incidents, and tracking progress.

• All workers, including contractors and temporary workers, understand their roles and
responsibilities under the program and what they need to do to effectively carry them out.

• Workers are encouraged and have means to communicate openly with management and to
report safety and health concerns without fear of retaliation.

• Any potential barriers or obstacles to worker participation in the program (for example,
language, lack of information, or disincentives) are removed or addressed.

HAZARD
IDENTIFICATION &

ASSESSMENT

• Procedures are put in place to continually identify workplace hazards and evaluate risks.

• Safety and health hazards from routine, nonroutine, and emergency situations are identified
and assessed.

• An initial assessment of existing hazards, exposures, and control measures is followed by
periodic inspections and reassessments, to identify new hazards.

• Any incidents are investigated with the goal of identifying the root causes.

• Identified hazards are prioritized for control.

HAZARD
PREVENTION &

CONTROL

• Employers and workers cooperate to identify and select methods for eliminating, preventing,
or controlling workplace hazards.

• Controls are selected according to a hierarchy that uses engineering solutions first, followed by
safe work practices, administrative controls, and finally personal protective equipment (PPE).

• A plan is developed to ensure that controls are implemented, interim protection is provided,
progress is tracked, and the effectiveness of controls is verified.

EDUCATION &
TRAINING

• All workers are trained to understand how the program works and how to carry out the
responsibilities assigned to them under the program.

• Employers, managers, and supervisors receive training on safety concepts and their
responsibility for protecting workers’ rights and responding to workers’ reports and concerns.

• All workers are trained to recognize workplace hazards and to understand the control measures
that have been implemented.

PROGRAM
EVALUATION &
IMPROVEMENT

• Control measures are periodically evaluated for effectiveness.

• Processes are established to monitor program performance, verify program implementation,
and identify program shortcomings and opportunities for improvement.

• Necessary actions are taken to improve the program and overall safety and health performance.

COMMUNICATION AND
COORDINATION FOR

HOST EMPLOYERS,
CONTRACTORS, AND
STAFFING AGENCIES

• Host employers, contractors, and staffing agencies commit to providing the same level of
safety and health protection to all employees.

• Host employers, contractors, and staffing agencies commmunicate the hazards present at the
worksite and the hazards that work of contract workers may create on site.

• Host employers establish specifications and qualifications for contractors and staffing agencies.

• Before beginning work, host employers, contractors, and staffing agencies coordinate on work
planning and scheduling to identify and resolve any conflicts that could affect safety or health.

7www.osha.gov/safetymanagement RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS

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INTRODUCTION

FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about these recommended
practices, tools to help you implement them, and
related topics, see the recommended practices
Web page. This page includes links to many tools
and resources developed by OSHA and others
that can help employers and workers implement
these recommended practices. OSHA will
continue to update and add to this resource list.

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free
and confidential occupational safety and health
services to small and medium-sized businesses in
all states and several territories across the country,
with priority given to high-hazard worksites.

On-site Consultation Program services are separate
from enforcement and do not result in penalties
or citations. Consultants from state agencies
or universities work with employers to identify
workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance
with OSHA standards, and help them establish and
improve their safety and health programs.

For free assistance, including help
implementing your program, visit:
www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness
or call 1-800-321-6742 (OSHA)

8 RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

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MANAGEMENT
LEADERSHIP
MANAGEMENT PROVIDES the leadership,
vision, and resources needed to implement
an effective safety and health program.
Management leadership means that business
owners, managers, and supervisors:

• Make worker safety and health a core
organizational value.

• Are fully committed to eliminating hazards,
protecting workers, and continuously
improving workplace safety and health.

• Provide sufficient resources to implement
and maintain the safety and health program.

• Visibly demonstrate and communicate their
safety and health commitment to workers
and others.

• Set an example through their own actions.

Action item 1: Communicate your commitment to a safety and health program
A clear, written policy helps you communicate that safety and health is a primary organizational
value—as important as productivity, profitability, product or service quality, and customer satisfaction.

How to accomplish it
Establish a written policy signed by top
management describing the organization’s
commitment to safety and health, and pledging
to establish and maintain a safety and health
program for all workers.

• Communicate the policy to all workers and,
at appropriate times and places, to relevant
parties, including:

— Contractors, subcontractors, staffing
agencies, and temporary workers at your
worksite(s)

— Suppliers and vendors

— Other businesses in a multi-tenant
building

— Visitors

— Customers

• Reinforce management commitment by
considering safety and health in all business
decisions, including contractor and vendor
selection, purchasing, and facility design and
modification.

• Be visible in operations and set an example
by following the same safety procedures
you expect workers to follow. Begin work
meetings with a discussion or review
of safety and health indicators and any
outstanding safety items on a “to do” list.

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MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP

Action item 2: Define program goals
By establishing specific goals and objectives, management sets expectations for managers,
supervisors, and workers, and for the program overall. The goals and objectives should focus on
specific actions that will improve workplace safety and health.

How to accomplish it
• Establish realistic, measurable goals for improving

safety and health. Goals emphasizing injury
and illness prevention should be included,
rather than focusing on injury and illness rates.

• Develop plans to achieve the goals by
assigning tasks and responsibilities to
particular people, setting timeframes, and
determining resource needs.

Action item 3: Allocate resources
Management provides the resources needed to implement the safety and health program, pursue
program goals, and address program shortcomings when they are identified.

How to accomplish it
• Estimate the resources needed to establish

and implement the program.

• Allow time in workers’ schedules for them to
fully participate in the program.

• Integrate safety and health into planning and
budgeting processes, and align budgets with
program needs.

• Provide and direct resources to operate and
maintain the program, meet safety and health
commitments, and pursue program goals.

Note: Resource needs will vary depending on your organization’s size, complexity, hazard types, and program maturity and development.
Resource needs may include capital equipment and supplies, staff time, training, access to information and tools (e.g., vendor information, Safety
Data Sheets, injury/illness data, checklists, online databases) and access to safety and health experts, including OSHA’s free and confidential On-
site Consultation Program (see “For More Information” in the introduction to these recommended practices).

Action item 4: Expect performance
Management leads the program effort by establishing roles and responsibilities and providing an
open, positive environment that encourages communication about safety and health.

How to accomplish it
• Identify a frontline person or persons

who will lead the safety program effort,
make plans, coordinate activities, and
track progress. Define and regularly
communicate responsibilities and authorities
for implementing and maintaining the
program, and hold people accountable for
performance.

• Provide positive recognition for meeting or
exceeding safety and health goals aimed at
preventing injury and illness (e.g., reporting
close calls/near misses, attending training,
conducting inspections).

• Establish ways for management and all workers
to communicate freely and often about safety
and health issues, without fear of retaliation.

Note: Maintaining a positive and encouraging tone is important. Successful programs reward, rather than discipline, workers who identify problems
or concerns, much like successful quality programs. Disciplinary measures should be reserved for situations in which an individual manager or
worker is uncooperative or becomes an impediment to progress.

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WORKER
PARTICIPATION
TO BE EFFECTIVE, any safety and health
program needs the meaningful participation of
workers and their representatives. Workers have
much to gain from a successful program, and
the most to lose if the program fails. They also
often know the most about potential hazards
associated with their jobs. Successful programs
tap into this knowledge base.

Worker participation means that workers
are involved in establishing, operating,
evaluating, and improving the safety and
health program. All workers at a worksite
should participate, including those employed

by contractors, subcontractors, and temporary
staffing agencies (see “Communication and
Coordination for Host Employers, Contractors,
and Staffing Agencies”).

RETALIATION AGAINST
WORKERS IS ILLEGAL

Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health
Act of 1970 prohibits employers from retaliating
against employees for exercising a variety of rights
guaranteed under the OSH Act, such as filing a
safety and health complaint with OSHA, raising a
health and safety concern with their employers,
participating in an OSHA inspection, or reporting
a work-related injury or illness. OSHA vigorously
enforces the anti-retaliation protections provided
under 11(c) of the OSH Act and other federal statutes.
For more information, see www.whistleblowers.gov.

IN AN EFFECTIVE safety and health program, all
workers:

• Are encouraged to participate in the program
and feel comfortable providing input and
reporting safety or health concerns.

• Have access to information they need to
participate effectively in the program.

• Have opportunities to participate in
all phases of program design and
implementation.

• Do not experience retaliation when they raise
safety and health concerns; report injuries,
illnesses, and hazards; participate in the
program; or exercise safety and health rights.

Note: Where workers are represented by a union, it is important that
worker representatives also participate in the program, consistent with
the rights provided to worker representatives under the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the National Labor Relations Act.

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WORKER PARTICIPATION

Action item 1: Encourage workers to participate in the program
By encouraging workers to participate in the program, management signals that it values their input
into safety and health decisions.

How to accomplish it
• Give workers the necessary time and

resources to participate in the program.

• Acknowledge and provide positive reinforce-
ment to those who participate in the program.

• Maintain an open door policy that invites
workers to talk to managers about safety and
health and to make suggestions.

Action item 2: Encourage workers to report safety and health concerns
Workers are often best positioned to identify safety and health concerns and program shortcomings,
such as emerging workplace hazards, unsafe conditions, close calls/near misses, and actual incidents.
By encouraging reporting and following up promptly on all reports, employers can address issues
before someone gets hurt or becomes ill.

How to accomplish it
• Establish a process for workers to report injuries,

illnesses, close calls/near misses, hazards, and
other safety and health concerns, and respond
to reports promptly. Include an option for
anonymous reporting to reduce fear of reprisal.6

• Report back to workers routinely and
frequently about action taken in response to
their concerns and suggestions.

• Emphasize that management will use
reported information only to improve

workplace safety and health, and that no
worker will experience retaliation for bringing
such information to management’s attention
(see Action item 5).

• Empower all workers to initiate or request a
temporary suspension or shutdown of any
work activity or operation they believe to be
unsafe.

• Involve workers in finding solutions to
reported issues.

Action item 3: Give workers access to safety and health information
Sharing relevant safety and health information with workers fosters trust and helps organizations make
more informed safety and health decisions.

How to accomplish it
• Give workers the information they need to

understand safety and health hazards and
control measures in the workplace. Some OSHA
standards require employers to make specific
types of information available to workers, such as:

— Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)

— Injury and illness data (may need to be
redacted and aggregated to eliminate
personal identifiers)

6 Under OSHA’s injury and illness recordkeeping rule (29 CFR 1904), employers are required to establish a “reasonable” procedure for
employees to report work-related injuries and illnesses promptly and accurately. A reasonable procedure is defined as one that would
not deter or discourage a reasonable employee from accurately reporting a workplace injury or illness.

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WORKER PARTICIPATION

— Results of environmental exposure
monitoring conducted in the workplace
(prevent disclosure of sensitive and
personal information as required)

• Other useful information for workers to
review can include:

— Workplace job hazard analyses

— Chemical and equipment manufacturer
safety recommendations

— Workplace inspection reports

— Incident investigation reports (prevent
disclosure of sensitive and personal
information as required)

Action item 4: Involve workers in all aspects of the program
Including worker input at every step of program design and implementation improves your ability to identify
the presence and causes of workplace hazards, creates a sense of program ownership among workers,
enhances their understanding of how the program works, and helps sustain the program over time.

How to accomplish it
• Provide opportunities for workers to

participate in all aspects of the program,
including, but not limited to helping:

— Develop the program and set goals.

— Report hazards and develop solutions
that improve safety and health.

— Analyze hazards in each step of
routine and nonroutine jobs, tasks, and
processes.

— Define and document safe work practices.

— Conduct site inspections.

— Develop and revise safety procedures.

— Participate in incident and close call/near
miss investigations.

— Train current coworkers and new hires.

— Develop, implement, and evaluate
training programs.

— Evaluate program performance and
identify ways to improve it.

— Take part in exposure monitoring and
medical surveillance associated with
health hazards.

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WORKER PARTICIPATION

Action item 5: Remove barriers to participation
To participate meaningfully in the program, workers must feel that their input is welcome, their
voices will be heard, and they can access reporting mechanisms. Participation will be suppressed if
language, education, or skill levels in the workplace are not considered, or if workers fear retaliation
or discrimination for speaking up (for example, if investigations focus on blaming individuals rather
than the underlying conditions that led to the incident, or if reporting an incident or concern could
jeopardize the award of incentive-based prizes, rewards, or bonuses).

How to accomplish it
• Ensure that workers from all levels of the

organization can participate regardless of
their skill level, education, or language.

• Provide frequent and regular feedback to
show employees that their safety and health
concerns are being heard and addressed.

• Authorize sufficient time and resources to
facilitate worker participation; for example,
hold safety and health meetings during
regular working hours.

• Ensure that the program protects workers from
being retaliated against for reporting injuries,
illnesses, and hazards; participating in the
program; or exercising their safety and health
rights. Ensure that other policies and programs
do not discourage worker participation.

• Post the 11(c) fact sheet (found at www.
whistleblowers.gov) in the workplace or
otherwise make it available for easy access
by workers.

Note: Incentive programs (such as point systems, awards, and prizes) should be designed in a manner that does not discourage injury and
illness reporting; otherwise, hazards may remain undetected. Although sometimes required by law or insurance providers, mandatory drug
testing following injuries can also suppress reporting. Effective safety and health programs recognize positive safety and health activities, such
as reporting hazardous conditions or suggesting safer work procedures. (See OSHA’s “Employer Safety Incentive and Disincentive Policies and
Practices” memorandum, dated March 12, 2012: www.osha.gov/as/opa/whistleblowermemo.html.)

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HAZARD
IDENTIFICATION
AND ASSESSMENT
ONE OF THE “root causes” of workplace injuries,
illnesses, and incidents is the failure to identify
or recognize hazards that are present, or that
could have been anticipated. A critical element
of any effective safety and health program is
a proactive, ongoing process to identify and
assess such hazards.

TO IDENTIFY AND ASSESS hazards, employers
and workers:

• Collect and review information about the hazards
present or likely to be present in the workplace.

• Conduct initial and periodic workplace
inspections of the workplace to identify new
or recurring hazards.

• Investigate injuries, illnesses, incidents, and
close calls/near misses to determine the
underlying hazards, their causes, and safety
and health program shortcomings.

• Group similar incidents and identify trends in
injuries, illnesses, and hazards reported.

• Consider hazards associated with emergency
or nonroutine situations.

• For each hazard identified, determine the
severity and likelihood of incidents that could
result, and use this information to prioritize
corrective actions.

Some hazards, such as housekeeping and
tripping hazards, can and should be fixed as they
are found. Fixing hazards on the spot emphasizes
the importance of safety and health and takes
advantage of a safety leadership opportunity.
Fixing other hazards identified using the
processes described here will be addressed in the
next section, “Hazard Prevention and Control.”

Action item 1: Collect existing information about workplace hazards
Information on workplace hazards may already be available to employers and workers from both
internal and external sources.

How to accomplish it
• Collect, organize, and review information with

workers to determine what types of hazards
may be present and which workers may be
exposed or potentially exposed.

• Information available in the workplace may
include:

— Equipment and machinery operating
manuals.

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— SDSs provided by chemical manufacturers.

— Self-inspection reports and inspection
reports from insurance carriers,
government agencies, and consultants.

— Records of previous injuries and illnesses,
such as OSHA 300 and 301 logs and
reports of incident investigations.

— Workers’ compensation records and
reports.

— Patterns of frequently occurring injuries
and illnesses.

— Exposure monitoring results, industrial
hygiene assessments, and medical
records (appropriately redacted to ensure
patient/worker privacy).

— Existing safety and health programs
(lockout/tagout, confined spaces,
process safety management, PPE, etc.).

— Input from workers, including surveys
or minutes from safety and health
committee meetings.

— Results of job hazard analyses (JHAs, also
known as job safety analyses or JSAs).

• Information about hazards may be available
from outside sources, such as:

— OSHA, National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
websites, publications, and alerts.

— Trade associations.

— Labor unions, state and local
occupational safety and health
committees/coalitions (“COSH groups”),
and worker advocacy groups.

— Safety and health consultants.

Action item 2: Inspect the workplace for safety hazards
Hazards can be introduced over time as workstations and processes change, equipment or tools
become worn, maintenance is neglected, or housekeeping practices decline. Setting aside time
to regularly inspect the workplace for hazards can help identify shortcomings so that they can be
addressed before an incident occurs.

How to accomplish it
• Conduct regular inspections of all operations,

equipment, work areas, and facilities. Have
workers participate on the inspection team,
and talk to them about hazards that they see
or report.

• Be sure to document inspections so you can
later verify that hazardous conditions are
corrected. Take photos or video of problem
areas to facilitate later discussion and
brainstorming about how to control them,
and for use as learning aids.

• Include all areas and activities in these
inspections, such as storage and
warehousing, facility and equipment

maintenance, purchasing and office functions,
and the activities of on-site contractors,
subcontractors, and temporary employees.

• Regularly inspect both plant vehicles (e.g.,
forklifts, powered industrial trucks) and
transportation vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks).

• Use checklists that highlight things to look for.
Typical hazards fall into several major categories,
such as those listed below; each workplace will
have its own list:

— General housekeeping

— Slip, trip, and fall hazards

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— Electrical hazards

— Equipment operation

— Equipment maintenance

— Fire protection

— Work organization and process flow
(including staffing and scheduling)

— Work practices

— Workplace violence

— Ergonomic problems

— Lack of emergency procedures

• Before changing operations, workstations,
or workflow; making major organizational
changes; or introducing new equipment,
materials, or processes, seek the input of
workers and evaluate the planned changes
for potential hazards and related risks.

Note: Many hazards can be identified using common knowledge and available tools. For example, you can easily identify and correct hazards
associated with broken stair rails and frayed electrical cords. Workers can be a very useful internal resource, especially if they are trained in how to
identify and assess risks.

Action item 3: Identify health hazards
Identifying workers’ exposure to health hazards is typically more complex than identifying physical
safety hazards. For example, gases and vapors may be invisible, often have no odor, and may not
have an immediately noticeable harmful health effect. Health hazards include chemical hazards
(solvents, adhesives, paints, toxic dusts, etc.), physical hazards (noise, radiation, heat, etc.), biological
hazards (infectious diseases), and ergonomic risk factors (heavy lifting, repetitive motions, vibration).
Reviewing workers’ medical records (appropriately redacted to ensure patient/worker privacy) can be
useful in identifying health hazards associated with workplace exposures.

How to accomplish it
• Identify chemical hazards—review SDSs and

product labels to identify chemicals in your
workplace that have low exposure limits, are
highly volatile, or are used in large quantities
or in unventilated spaces. Identify activities
that may result in skin exposure to chemicals.

• Identify physical hazards—identify any
exposures to excessive noise (areas where
you must raise your voice to be heard by
others), elevated heat (indoor and outdoor),
or sources of radiation (radioactive materials,
X-rays, or radiofrequency radiation).

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• Identify biological hazards—determine
whether workers may be exposed to sources
of infectious diseases, molds, toxic or
poisonous plants, or animal materials (fur or
scat) capable of causing allergic reactions or
occupational asthma.

• Identify ergonomic risk factors—examine
work activities that require heavy lifting,

work above shoulder height, repetitive
motions, or tasks with significant vibration.

• Conduct quantitative exposure assessments,
when possible, using air sampling or direct
reading instruments.

• Review medical records to identify cases
of musculoskeletal injuries, skin irritation or
dermatitis, hearing loss, or lung disease that
may be related to workplace exposures.

Note: Identifying and assessing health hazards may require specialized knowledge. Small businesses can obtain free and confidential occupational
safety and health advice services, including help identifying and assessing workplace hazards, through OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program (see
www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/consult.html).

Action item 4: Conduct incident investigations
Workplace incidents—including injuries, illnesses, close calls/near misses, and reports of other
concerns—provide a clear indication of where hazards exist. By thoroughly investigating incidents and
reports, you will identify hazards that are likely to cause future harm. The purpose of an investigation
must always be to identify the root causes (and there is often more than one) of the incident or
concern, in order to prevent future occurrences.

How to accomplish it
• Develop a clear plan and procedure for

conducting incident investigations, so that an
investigation can begin immediately when an
incident occurs. The plan should cover items
such as:

— Who will be involved

— Lines of communication

— Materials, equipment, and supplies
needed

— Reporting forms and templates

• Train investigative teams on incident
investigation techniques, emphasizing

objectivity and open-mindedness throughout
the investigation process.

• Conduct investigations with a trained
team that includes representatives of both
management and workers.

• Investigate close calls/near misses.

• Identify and analyze root causes to address
underlying program shortcomings that
allowed the incidents to happen.

• Communicate the results of the investigation
to managers, supervisors, and workers to
prevent recurrence.

Note: OSHA has special reporting requirements for work-related incidents that lead to serious injury or a fatality (29 CFR 1904.39). OSHA must be
notified within 8 hours of a work-related fatality, and within 24 hours of an amputation, loss of an eye, or inpatient hospitalization.

Note: Effective incident investigations do not stop at identifying a single factor that triggered an incident. They ask the questions “Why?” and
“What led to the failure?” For example, if a piece of equipment fails, a good investigation asks: “Why did it fail?” “Was it maintained properly?”
“Was it beyond its service life?” and “How could this failure have been prevented?” Similarly, a good incident investigation does not stop when it
concludes that a worker made an error. It asks such questions as: “Was the worker provided with appropriate tools and time to do the work?” “Was
the worker adequately trained?” and “Was the worker properly supervised?”

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Action item 5: Identify hazards associated with emergency and nonroutine situations
Emergencies present hazards that need to be recognized and understood. Nonroutine or infrequent
tasks, including maintenance and startup/shutdown activities, also present potential hazards. Plans
and procedures need to be developed for responding appropriately and safely to hazards associated
with foreseeable emergency scenarios and nonroutine situations.

How to accomplish it
• Identify foreseeable emergency scenarios

and nonroutine tasks, taking into account the
types of material and equipment in use and
the location within the facility. Scenarios such
as the following may be foreseeable:

— Fires and explosions

— Chemical releases

— Hazardous material spills

— Startups after planned or unplanned
equipment shutdowns

— Nonroutine tasks, such as infrequently
performed maintenance activities

— Structural collapse

— Disease outbreaks

— Weather emergencies and natural
disasters

— Medical emergencies

— Workplace violence

Action item 6: Characterize the nature of identified hazards, identify interim
control measures, and prioritize the hazards for control
The next step is to assess and understand the hazards identified and the types of incidents that
could result from worker exposure to those hazards. This information can be used to develop interim
controls and to prioritize hazards for permanent control (see “Hazard Prevention and Control”).

How to accomplish it
• Evaluate each hazard by considering the

severity of potential outcomes, the likelihood
that an event or exposure will occur, and the
number of workers who might be exposed.

• Use interim control measures to protect
workers until more permanent solutions can
be implemented.

• Prioritize the hazards so that those
presenting the greatest risk are addressed
first. Note, however, that employers have
an ongoing obligation to control all serious
recognized hazards and to protect workers.

Note: “Risk” is the product of hazard and exposure. Thus, risk can be reduced by controlling or eliminating the hazard, or by reducing workers’
exposure to hazards. An assessment of risk helps employers understand hazards in the context of their own workplace, and prioritize hazards for
permanent control.

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HAZARD
PREVENTION AND
CONTROL
EFFECTIVE CONTROLS protect workers from
workplace hazards; help avoid injuries, illnesses,
and incidents; minimize or eliminate safety
and health risks; and help employers provide
workers with safe and healthful working
conditions. The processes described in this
section will help employers prevent and control
hazards identified in the previous section.

TO EFFECTIVELY CONTROL and prevent
hazards, employers should:

• Involve workers, who often have the best
understanding of the conditions that create
hazards and insights into how they can be
controlled.

• Identify and evaluate options for controlling
hazards, using a “hierarchy of controls.”

• Use a hazard control plan to guide the
selection and implementation of controls,

and implement controls according to the
plan.

• Develop plans with measures to protect
workers during emergencies and nonroutine
activities.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of existing controls
to determine whether they continue to
provide protection, or whether different
controls may be more effective. Review new
technologies for their potential to be more
protective, more reliable, or less costly.

Action item 1: Identify control options
A wealth of information exists to help employers investigate options for controlling identified hazards.
Before selecting any control options, it is essential to solicit workers’ input on their feasibility and
effectiveness.

How to accomplish it
• Review sources such as OSHA standards and

guidance, industry consensus standards, NIOSH
publications, manufacturers’ literature, and
engineering reports to identify potential control
measures. Keep current on relevant information
from trade or professional associations.

• Investigate control measures used in other
workplaces and determine whether they
would be effective at your workplace.

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• Get input from workers who may be able
to suggest and evaluate solutions based on
their knowledge of the facility, equipment,
and work processes.

• For complex hazards, consult with safety
and health experts, including OSHA’s On-site
Consultation Program.

Action item 2: Select controls
Employers should select the controls that are the
most feasible, effective, and permanent.

How to accomplish it
• Eliminate or control all serious hazards

(hazards that are causing or are likely to
cause death or serious physical harm)
immediately.

• Use interim controls while you develop and
implement longer-term solutions.

• Select controls according to a hierarchy that
emphasizes engineering solutions (including
elimination or substitution) first, followed by
safe work practices, administrative controls,
and finally PPE.

• Avoid selecting controls that may directly or
indirectly introduce new hazards. Examples
include exhausting contaminated air into
occupied work spaces or using hearing

protection that makes it difficult to hear
backup alarms.

• Review and discuss control options with
workers to ensure that controls are feasible
and effective.

• Use a combination of control options when
no single method fully protects workers.

Note: Whenever possible, select equipment, machinery, and materials that are inherently safer based on the application of “Prevention through
Design” (PtD) principles. Apply PtD when making your own facility, equipment, or product design decisions. For more information, see the link to
the NIOSH PtD initiative on the recommended practices Web page.

Action item 3: Develop and update a hazard control plan
A hazard control plan describes how the selected controls will be implemented. An effective plan
will address serious hazards first. Interim controls may be necessary, but the overall goal is to ensure
effective long-term control of hazards. It is important to track progress toward completing the control
plan, and periodically (at least annually and when conditions, processes, or equipment change) verify
that controls remain effective.

How to accomplish it
• List the hazards needing controls in order of

priority.
• Assign responsibility for installing or

implementing the controls to a specific
person or persons with the power or ability
to implement the controls.

Hierarchy of ControlsMost
effective

Change the way
people work

Least
effective

Physically remove
the hazard

Replace
the hazard

Isolate people
from the hazard

Protect the worker with
Personal Protective Equipment

Administrative
Controls

PPE

Engineering
Controls

Substitution

Elimination

Source: NIOSH

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• Establish a target completion date.

• Plan how you will track progress toward
completion.

• Plan how you will verify the effectiveness
of controls after they are installed or
implemented.

Action item 4: Select controls to protect workers during nonroutine operations
and emergencies
The hazard control plan should include provisions to protect workers during nonroutine operations
and foreseeable emergencies. Depending on the workplace, these could include fires, explosions,
chemical releases, hazardous material spills, unplanned equipment shutdowns, infrequent maintenance
activities, natural and weather disasters, workplace violence, terrorist or criminal attacks, disease
outbreaks (e.g., pandemic influenza), or medical emergencies. Nonroutine tasks, or tasks workers
don’t normally do, should be approached with particular caution. Prior to initiating such work, review
JSAs/JHAs with any workers involved and notify others about the nature of the work, work schedule,
and any necessary precautions.

How to accomplish it
• Develop procedures to control hazards that

may arise during nonroutine operations
(e.g., removing machine guarding during
maintenance and repair).

• Develop or modify plans to control hazards
that may arise in emergency situations.

• Procure any equipment needed to control
emergency-related hazards.

• Assign responsibilities for implementing the
emergency plan.

• Conduct emergency drills to ensure that
procedures and equipment provide adequate
protection during emergency situations.

Note: Depending on your location, type of business, and materials stored or used on site, authorities including local fire and emergency response
departments, state agencies, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and OSHA may have additional
requirements for emergency plans. Ensure that your procedures comply with these requirements.

Action item 5: Implement selected controls in the workplace
Once hazard prevention and control measures have been identified, they should be implemented
according to the hazard control plan.

How to accomplish it
• Implement hazard control measures

according to the priorities established in the
hazard control plan.

• When resources are limited, implement
measures on a “worst-first” basis, according
to the hazard ranking priorities (risk)
established during hazard identification
and assessment. (Note, however, that
regardless of limited resources, employers

have an obligation to protect workers from
recognized, serious hazards.)

• Promptly implement any measures that
are easy and inexpensive—such as general
housekeeping, removal of obvious tripping
hazards such as electrical cords, and basic
lighting—regardless of the level of hazard
they involve.

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Action item 6: Follow up to confirm that controls are effective
To ensure that control measures are and remain effective, employers should track progress in
implementing controls, inspect and evaluate controls once they are installed, and follow routine
preventive maintenance practices.

How to accomplish it
• Track progress and verify implementation by

asking the following questions:

— Have all control measures been
implemented according to the hazard
control plan?

— Have engineering controls been properly
installed and tested?

— Have workers been appropriately trained
so that they understand the controls,
including how to operate engineering
controls, safe work practices, and PPE
use requirements?

— Are controls being used correctly and
consistently?

• Conduct regular inspections (and industrial
hygiene monitoring, if indicated) to confirm
that engineering controls are operating as
designed.

• Evaluate control measures to determine if
they are effective or need to be modified.
Involve workers in the evaluation of the
controls. If controls are not effective,
identify, select, and implement further
control measures that will provide adequate
protection.

• Confirm that work practices, administrative
controls, and PPE use policies are being
followed.

• Conduct routine preventive maintenance of
equipment, facilities, and controls to help
prevent incidents due to equipment failure.

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EDUCATION AND
TRAINING
EDUCATION AND TRAINING are important
tools for informing workers and managers
about workplace hazards and controls so they
can work more safely and be more productive.
Another role of education and training, however,
is to provide workers and managers with a
greater understanding of the safety and health
program itself, so that they can contribute to its
development and implementation.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING provides employers,
managers, supervisors, and workers with:

• Knowledge and skills needed to do their
work safely and avoid creating hazards that
could place themselves or others at risk.

• Awareness and understanding of workplace
hazards and how to identify, report, and
control them.

• Specialized training, when their work involves
unique hazards.

Additional training may be needed depending on
the roles assigned in the program. For example,

employers, managers, and supervisors may need
specific training to ensure that they can fulfill
their roles in providing leadership, direction, and
resources for the safety and health program.
Workers assigned specific roles in the program
(e.g., incident investigation team members) may
need training to ensure their full participation in
those functions.

Effective training and education can be provided
outside a formal classroom setting. Peer-to-
peer training, on-the-job training, and worksite
demonstrations can be effective in conveying safety
concepts, ensuring understanding of hazards and
their controls, and promoting good work practices.

Action item 1: Provide program awareness training
Managers, supervisors, and workers all need to understand the program’s structure, plans, and
procedures. Having this knowledge ensures that everyone can fully participate in developing,
implementing, and improving the program.

How to accomplish it
• Provide training to all managers; supervisors;

workers; and contractor, subcontractor, and
temporary agency workers on:

— Safety and health policies, goals, and
procedures

— Functions of the safety and health
program

— Whom to contact with questions or
concerns about the program (including
contact information)

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— How to report hazards, injuries, illnesses,
and close calls/near misses

— What to do in an emergency

— The employer’s responsibilities under the
program

— Workers’ rights under the OSH Act

• Provide information on the safety and health
hazards of the workplace and the controls for
those hazards.

• Ensure that training is provided in the
language(s) and at a literacy level that all
workers can understand.

• Emphasize that the program can only
work when everyone is involved and feels
comfortable discussing concerns; making
suggestions; and reporting injuries, incidents,
and hazards.

• Confirm, as part of the training, that all workers
have the right to report injuries, incidents,
hazards, and concerns and to fully participate
in the program without fear of retaliation.

Action item 2: Train employers, managers, and supervisors on their roles in the
program
Employers, managers, and supervisors are responsible for workers’ safety, yet sometimes have little
training on safety-related concepts and techniques. They might benefit from specific training that
allows them to fulfill their leadership roles in the program.

How to accomplish it
• Reinforce employers, managers,

and supervisors’ knowledge of their
responsibilities under the OSH Act and the
workers’ rights guaranteed by the Act.

• Train employers, managers, and supervisors
on procedures for responding to workers’
reports of injuries, illnesses, and incidents,
including ways to avoid discouraging
reporting.

• Instruct employers, managers, and
supervisors on fundamental concepts and
techniques for recognizing hazards and
methods of controlling them, including the
hierarchy of controls (see “Hazard Prevention
and Control”).

• Instruct employers, managers, and
supervisors on incident investigation
techniques, including root cause analysis.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

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Action item 3: Train workers on their specific roles in the safety and health program
Additional training may be needed to ensure that workers can incorporate any assigned safety and
health responsibilities into their daily routines and activities.

How to accomplish it
• Instruct workers on how to report injuries,

illnesses, incidents, and concerns. If a
computerized reporting system is used,
ensure that all employees have the basic
computer skills and computer access
sufficient to submit an effective report.

• Instruct workers assigned specific roles within
the safety and health program on how they
should carry out those responsibilities, including:

— Hazard recognition and controls (see
Action item 4)

— Participation in incident investigations

— Program evaluation and improvement

• Provide opportunities for workers to ask
questions and provide feedback during and
after the training.

• As the program evolves, institute a more
formal process for determining the training
needs of workers responsible for developing,
implementing, and maintaining the program.

Action item 4: Train workers on hazard identification and controls
Providing workers with an understanding of hazard recognition and control, and actively involving
them in the process, can help to eliminate hazards before an incident occurs.

How to accomplish it
• Train workers on techniques for identifying

hazards, such as job hazard analysis (see
OSHA Publication 3071).

• Train workers so they understand and can
recognize the hazards they may encounter in
their own jobs, as well as more general work-
related hazards.

• Instruct workers on concepts and techniques
for controlling hazards, including the
hierarchy of controls and its importance.

• Train workers on the proper use of work
practice and administrative controls.

• Train workers on when and how to wear
required PPE.

• Provide additional training, as necessary,
when a change in facilities, equipment,
processes, materials, or work organization

could increase hazards, and whenever a
worker is assigned a new task.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

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PROGRAM
EVALUATION AND
IMPROVEMENT
ONCE A SAFETY and health program is
established, it should be evaluated initially
to verify that it is being implemented as
intended. After that, employers should
periodically, and at least annually, step back
and assess what is working and what is not,
and whether the program is on track to
achieve its goals. Whenever these assessments
identify opportunities to improve the program,
employers, managers, and supervisors—in
coordination with workers—should make
adjustments and monitor how well the program

performs as a result. Sharing the results of
monitoring and evaluation within the workplace,
and celebrating successes, will help drive
further improvement.

PROGRAM EVALUATION and improvement
includes:

• Establishing, reporting, and tracking goals
and targets that indicate whether the
program is making progress.

• Evaluating the program initially, and
periodically thereafter, to identify shortcomings
and opportunities for improvement.

• Providing ways for workers to participate in
program evaluation and improvement.

Action item 1: Monitor performance and progress
The first step in monitoring is to define indicators that will help track performance and progress. Next,
employers, managers, supervisors, and workers need to establish and follow procedures to collect,
analyze, and review performance data.

Both lagging and leading indicators should be used. Lagging indicators generally track worker exposures
and injuries that have already occurred. Leading indicators track how well various aspects of the program
have been implemented and reflect steps taken to prevent injuries or illnesses before they occur.

How to accomplish it
• Develop and track indicators of progress

toward established safety and health goals.

— Track lagging indicators, such as:

� Number and severity of injuries and
illnesses

� Results of worker exposure
monitoring that show that exposures
are hazardous

� Workers’ compensation data,
including claim counts, rates, and cost

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— Track leading indicators, such as:

� Level of worker participation in
program activities

� Number of employee safety
suggestions

� Number of hazards, near misses, and
first aid cases reported

� Amount of time taken to respond to
reports

� Number and frequency of
management walkthroughs

� Number and severity of hazards
identified during inspections

� Number of workers who have
completed required safety and health
training

� Timely completion of corrective
actions after a workplace hazard is
identified or an incident occurs

� Timely completion of planned
preventive maintenance activities

� Worker opinions about program
effectiveness obtained from a safety
climate or safety opinion survey

• Analyze performance indicators and evaluate
progress over time.

• Share results with workers and invite
their input on how to further improve
performance.

• When opportunities arise, share your
experience and compare your results to
similar facilities within your organization,
with other employers you know, or through
business or trade associations.

Note: Indicators can be either quantitative or qualitative. Whenever possible, select indicators that are measurable (quantitative) and that will help
you determine whether you have achieved your program goals. The number of reported hazards and near misses would be a quantitative indicator.
A single worker expressing a favorable opinion about program participation would be a qualitative indicator.

Action item 2: Verify that the program is implemented and is operating
Initially and at least annually, employers need to evaluate the program to ensure that it is operating
as intended, is effective in controlling identified hazards, and is making progress toward established
safety and health goals and objectives. The scope and frequency of program evaluations will vary
depending on changes in OSHA standards; the scope, complexity, and maturity of the program; and
the types of hazards it must control.

How to accomplish it
• Verify that the core elements of the program

have been fully implemented.

• Involve workers in all aspects of program
evaluation, including reviewing information
(such as incident reports and exposure
monitoring results); establishing and tracking
performance indicators; and identifying
opportunities to improve the program.

• Verify that the following key processes are in
place and operating as intended:

— Reporting injuries, illnesses, incidents,
hazards, and concerns

— Conducting workplace inspections and
incident investigations

— Tracking progress in controlling identified
hazards and ensuring that hazard control
measures remain effective

— Collecting and reporting any data needed
to monitor progress and performance

PROGRAM EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT

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• Review the results of any compliance audits
to confirm that any program shortcomings

are being identified. Verify that actions are
being taken that will prevent recurrence.

Action item 3: Correct program shortcomings and identify opportunities to
improve
Whenever a problem is identified in any part of the safety and health program, employers—in
coordination with supervisors, managers, and workers—should take prompt action to correct the
problem and prevent its recurrence.

How to accomplish it
• If you discover program shortcomings, take

actions needed to correct them.

• Proactively seek input from managers,
workers, supervisors, and other stakeholders
on how you can improve the program.

• Determine whether changes in equipment,
facilities, materials, key personnel, or work

practices trigger any need for changes in the
program.

• Determine whether your performance
indicators and goals are still relevant and,
if not, how you could change them to more
effectively drive improvements in workplace
safety and health.

Note: The scope and frequency of program evaluations will depend on the scope, complexity, and maturity of the program and on the types of
hazards it must control. Program evaluations should be conducted periodically (and at least annually) but might also be triggered by a change in
process or equipment, or an incident such as a serious injury, significant property damage, or an increase in safety-related complaints.

PROGRAM EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT

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COMMUNICATION AND
COORDINATION FOR
HOST EMPLOYERS,
CONTRACTORS, AND
STAFFING AGENCIES

IN TODAY’S ECONOMY, an increasing number
of workers are assigned by staffing agencies
to work at specific “host” worksites under the
direction and control of the host employer.
Examples include seasonal workers, such as
delivery drivers and warehouse workers, who
help fill a temporary staffing need, as well as
office and production workers who may be
placed in both short- and long-term assignments.
In these situations, it is important for the staffing
agency and the host employer to communicate
and coordinate to provide and maintain a safe
work environment for their workers.

In other situations, some workers are employed
by a host employer and others by a contractor
or subcontractor. Examples include electrical
or mechanical contractors working in a facility,
a vendor installing or maintaining equipment,
or long-term contractors providing building
cleaning and maintenance. OSHA refers to
these as “multiemployer” worksites. In these
circumstances, it is important that each employer
and contractor consider how its work and safety
activities can affect the safety of other employers
and workers at the site.

IN BOTH TEMPORARY WORKER and
multiemployer situations, safety is enhanced if
employers establish mechanisms to coordinate
their efforts and communicate effectively to
afford all workers equal protection against
hazards. These mechanisms include measures
to ensure that all workers on site (and their
representatives) can participate in preventing
injuries and illnesses. Failure to take these steps

may undermine safety programs. For example, if
the different employers have inconsistent policies
for when and where to wear PPE, workers
may mistakenly believe that the equipment
is not needed, leading to injury. Inconsistent
safety policies may also cause workers to
question the credibility of safety and health
programs, resulting in less meaningful employee
engagement and participation.

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Effective communication and coordination
among such employers means that:

• Before coming on site, contractors and staffing
agencies and their workers are aware of:

— The types of hazards that may be
present.

— The procedures or measures they need to
use to avoid or control their exposure to
these hazards.

— How to contact the host employer to
report an injury, illness, or incident or if
they have a safety concern.

• Host employers and their workers are aware
of:

— The types of hazards that may arise from
the work being done on site by workers
employed by contractors or staffing
agencies.

— The procedures or measures needed
to avoid or control exposure to these
hazards.

— How to contact the contract or staffing
firm if they have a safety concern.

— What to do in case of an emergency.

Definitions

Host employer: An employer who has
general supervisory authority over the
worksite, including controlling the means and
manner of work performed and having the
power to correct safety and health hazards or
require others to correct them.

Contractor: An individual or firm that agrees
to furnish materials or perform services at
a specified price, and controls the details
of how the work will be performed and
completed.

Staffing agency: A firm that provides
temporary workers to host employers. A
staffing agency hires its own employees
and assigns them to support or supplement
a client’s workforce in situations involving
employee absences, temporary skill
shortages, seasonal workloads, and special
projects.

Temporary workers: Workers hired and paid
by a staffing agency and assigned to work
for a host employer, whether or not the job is
actually temporary.

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Action item 1: Establish effective communication
Each host employer establishes and implements a procedure to ensure the exchange of information
about hazards present on site and the hazard control measures in place. Thus, all workers on the site
are aware of worksite hazards, and the methods and procedures needed to control exposures to them.

How to accomplish it
• The host employer communicates with

contractors and staffing agencies to
determine which among them will implement
and maintain the various parts of the safety
and health program, to ensure protection of
all on-site workers before work begins. These
determinations can be included in contract
documents that define the relationships
between the parties.

• The host employer establishes and
implements procedures to exchange
information with contractors and staffing
agencies about hazards present in the
workplace and the measures that have been
implemented to prevent or control such
hazards.

• The host employer gathers and disseminates
information sufficient to enable each
employer to assess hazards encountered by
its workers and to avoid creating hazards that
affect workers on the site.

• Contractors and staffing agencies regularly
give the host employer any information
about injuries, illnesses, hazards, or concerns
reported by their workers and the results of
any tracking or trend analysis they perform.

• Each contractor establishes and implements
a procedure for providing the host employer
with information about the hazards and
control measures associated with the
work being done by its workers, and the
procedures it will use to protect workers on
the site.

• The host employer gives contract employers
and staffing agencies the right to conduct
site visits and inspections and to access
injury and illness records and other safety
and health information.

• The host employer communicates with
contractors and staffing agencies and their
workers about nonroutine and emergency
hazards and emergency procedures.

• Information is communicated before on-site
work starts and, as needed, if conditions
change.

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Action item 2: Establish effective coordination
Host employers, contractors, and staffing agencies coordinate on work planning, scheduling, and
resolving program differences to identify and work out any concerns or conflicts that could impact
safety or health.

How to accomplish it
• Host employers:

— Include in contracts and bid documents
any safety-related specifications and
qualifications and ensure that contractors
and staffing agencies selected for the
work meet those requirements.

— Identify issues that may arise during
on-site work and include procedures
to be used by the host employer and
contractors and/or staffing agencies for
resolving any conflicts before work starts.

• Host employers coordinate with contractors
and staffing agencies to:

— Ensure that work is planned and
scheduled to minimize impacts on safety.

— Ensure that staffing agency workers are
adequately trained and equipped before
arriving on the worksite.

— Harmonize their safety and health policies
and procedures to resolve important
differences, so that all workers at the site
have the same protection and receive
consistent safety information.

• Host employers and staffing agencies:

— Work together to deal with unexpected
staffing needs by ensuring that enough
trained and equipped workers are

available or that adequate lead time is
provided to train and equip workers.

— Make sure that managers with decision-
making authority are available and
prepared to deal with day-to-day
coordination issues.

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration

PPE personal protective equipment

PtD Prevention through Design

SDS Safety Data Sheet

SHARP Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program

VPP Voluntary Protection Programs

GLOSSARY OF TERMS
close call/near miss: An incident that could have, but did not, result in death, injury,

or illness. They signal that hazards are not being adequately
controlled or that new hazards have arisen.

contractor: An individual or firm that agrees to furnish materials or perform
services at a specified price.

elimination: A change in process or workplace condition that removes the
hazard or ensures that no worker can be exposed to a hazard
under any foreseeable circumstances.

hierarchy of controls: A system for selecting and implementing the most effective
control solutions for workplace hazards that includes:

• Elimination.

• Substitution.

• Engineering controls.

• Administrative controls.

• Personal protective equipment.

This is known as the “hierarchy of controls” because they should
be considered in the order presented. Controls at the top of the
hierarchy are potentially more effective and more protective
than those lower in the hierarchy.

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host employer: An employer who has general supervisory authority over the
worksite, including controlling the means and manner of work
performed and having the power to correct safety and health
hazards or require others to correct them.

industrial hygiene: The science of protecting and enhancing the health and safety
of people at work and in their communities.

job hazard analysis: A technique that focuses on job tasks as a way to identify
hazards before they occur. It focuses on the relationships among
the worker, the task, the tools, and the work environment.

joint-employed worker: A worker hired and paid by a staffing agency and assigned to work
for a host employer, whether or not the job is actually temporary.

lagging indicators: Measures of the occurrence and frequency of events in the past
such as the number or rate of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

leading indicators: Measures intended to predict the occurrence of events in the
future. Leading indicators are proactive, preventative, and
predictive measures that provide information about the effective
performance of safety and health program activities that can
drive the control of workplace hazards.

metrics: Measures of performance.

multiemployer worksite: Any worksite where two or more employers are present. See
OSHA’s Multiemployer Citation Policy.

nonroutine operations: Operations that do not occur frequently or that occur as a result
of an emergency.

peer-to-peer training: A type of on-the-job training where workers exchange information
about hazards, controls, reporting procedures, and work
procedures that are relevant to the safety and health program.

Prevention through Design: A NIOSH national initiative to prevent or reduce occupational
injuries, illnesses, and fatalities through the inclusion of
prevention considerations in all designs that impact workers.
PtD encompasses all of the efforts to anticipate and design out
hazards to workers in facilities, work methods and operations,
processes, equipment, tools, products, new technologies, and
the organization of work.

quantitative exposure assessment: Techniques used to quantitatively measure workers’ exposure
to hazards, particularly health hazards, such as sampling for
chemicals, dusts, biological organisms, noise, radiation, or other
assessments. The purpose of such assessments is to quantify
the level of workers’ exposure to a hazard. Also known as
exposure monitoring.

root cause analysis: A collective term that describes a wide range of approaches,
tools, and techniques used to uncover causes of problems.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

35www.osha.gov/safetymanagement RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=2024

www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

Safety and Health Achievement An OSHA program that recognizes small business employers
Recognition Program: who have used OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program services
and operate an exemplary injury and illness prevention program.

safety data sheet: Written or printed material used to communicate the
hazards of substances and chemical products to employees
prepared in accordance with paragraph (g) of OSHA’s Hazard
Communication standard.

serious hazards: Hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious
physical harm. See OSHA’s Field Operations Manual, Chapter 4.

shortcoming: A fault, deficiency, or gap that results in a failure to meet
program design criteria.

staffing agency: A firm that provides temporary workers to host employers.
A staffing agency hires its own employees and assigns them
to support or supplement a client’s workforce in situations
involving employee absences, temporary skill shortages,
seasonal workloads, and special projects.

substitution: The replacement of toxic or hazardous materials (or the
equipment or processes used with them) with ones that are less
harmful.

Voluntary Protection Programs: An OSHA initiative that recognizes employers and workers in the
private industry and federal agencies who have implemented
effective safety and health management systems and maintain
injury and illness rates below the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
averages for their respective industries.

work practices: A set of procedures for performing a specific work assignment
safely.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

36 RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/consult.html

https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/standards.html

https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/Directive_pdf/CPL_02-00-159

www.osha.gov/safetymanagement

Foreword
Table of Contents

Introduction
Management Leadership
Worker Participation
Hazard Identification and Assessment
Hazard Prevention and Control
Education and Training
Program Evaluation and Improvement
Communication and Coordination on Joint Employer and Multiemployer Worksites

List of Abbreviations
Glossary of Terms

Board Question

Discuss the challenges of implementing an injury and illness prevention program (I2P2) on a large construction site. What are the best practices? What does not work?

Do you feel that compliance with OSHA standards is all that is necessary? Why or why not?

Unit Assessment

QUESTION 1

Which of the following lists contains four of the six core injury/illness program elements?

Worksite analysis, safety committees, program evaluation, management leadership

Hazard prevention and control, management leadership, worker participation, education and training

Worksite analysis, safety manager, program evaluation, hazard prevention and control

Hazard identification, management leadership, program evaluation, safety manager

QUESTION 2

Which of the following is an example of an open-ended question used to interview witnesses during an accident investigation?

What was the injured employee doing right before the accident happened?

Was the injured employee wearing the correct PPE for the job?

Did you see the accident happen?

Was the injured employee following the job procedures?

QUESTION 3

A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) focuses on the relationship between:

the worker, the supervisor, the tools, and the environment.

the tools, the task, the environment, and the worker.

the supervisor, the task, the worker, and the tools.

the task, the environment, the worker, and the supervisor.

QUESTION 4

According to OSHA, what do most corporate financial decision makers regard as a top benefit of effective injury/illness prevention programs?

Greater retention of employees

Better employee morale

Reduced costs

Increased productivity

QUESTION 5

Which of the following statements is true?

OSHA requires an annual inspection of all worksites.

OSHA standards do not include any inspection requirements.

OSHA requires inspections for respiratory protection.

OSHA requires inspections only for cranes and man lifts.

QUESTION 6

How often should a construction worksite be inspected? Provide the rationale for your recommendation.
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.

QUESTION 7
Think of a job common to construction worksites (for example, hanging drywall). List the steps for the job. For one of the steps, describe the potential hazards and suggest some possible control measures.
Your response should be at least 200 words in length.

QUESTION 8
What is the relationship between employee factors and management factors in accident causation? Why do you think many accidents result in “employee error” as the major cause?
Your response should be at least 200 words in length.

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We Analyze Your Problem and Offer Customized Writing

We understand your guidelines first before delivering any writing service. You can discuss your writing needs and we will have them evaluated by our dedicated team.

Clear elicitation of your requirements.
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We Mirror Your Guidelines to Deliver Quality Services

We write your papers in a standardized way. We complete your work in such a way that it turns out to be a perfect description of your guidelines.

Proactive analysis of your writing.
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We Handle Your Writing Tasks to Ensure Excellent Grades

We promise you excellent grades and academic excellence that you always longed for. Our writers stay in touch with you via email.

Thorough research and analysis for every order.
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Areas of Expertise

Essay

Thesis

Presentation

Dissertation

Term Paper

Research Paper

Book Review

Assignment

Report

Case Study

Letter

Article

Coursework

Speech

Q & A

Critical Thinking

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Delegate Your Challenging Writing Tasks to Experienced Professionals

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It May Not Be Much, but It’s Honest Work!

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Customer Satisfaction Rate

Process as Fine as Brewed Coffee

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See How We Helped 9000+ Students Achieve Success

We Analyze Your Problem and Offer Customized Writing

We Mirror Your Guidelines to Deliver Quality Services

We Handle Your Writing Tasks to Ensure Excellent Grades