About the Skill Here are several steps we recommend for developing an organization’s safety and health program. Whether or not such programs are chiefly the responsibility of one individual, every supervisor must work to ensure that the work environment is safe for all employees.
Involve management and employees in developing a safety and health plan. If neither group can see the usefulness and the benefit of such a plan, even the best plan will fail. Hold someone accountable for implementing the plan. Plans do not work by themselves. They need someone to champion the cause. This person must have the resources to put the plan in place and also must be accountable for what it’s intended to accomplish.
3. Determine the safety and health requirements for your work site. Just as each individual is different, so is each workplace. Understanding the specific needs of the facility will aid in determining what safety and health requirement will be necessary.
4. Assess workplace hazards in the facility. Identify potential health and safety problems on the job. Understanding what exists helps you determine preventive measures.
5. Correct hazards that exist. Fix or eliminate hazards identified in the investigation. This may mean decreasing the effect of the hazard or controlling it through other means (for example, protective clothing).
6. Train employees in safety and health techniques. Make safety and health training mandatory for all employees. Employees should be instructed in how to do their jobs in the safest manner and understand that any protective equipment provided must be used.
7. Develop the employee mindset that the organization is to be kept hazard-free. Often employees are the first to witness problems. Establish a means for them to report their findings, including having emergency procedures in place, if necessary. Ensuring that preventive maintenance of equipment follows a recommended schedule can also prevent breakdown of equipment from becoming a hazard.
8. Continuously update and refine the safety and health program. Once the program has been implemented, it must continuously be evaluated and necessary changes made. Documenting program progress is necessary for this analysis.
