How to Develop a Safety Program From the Ground Up
Workplace hazards are a reality in most industries. And although the severity of such hazards differs, the one thing every industry has in common is the need for companies to develop formal safety programs. Every company in a given industry should have one.
Safety program development can be both challenging and time consuming. It can tax a company’s resources. We encourage any organization struggling with safety to work with a consulting firm like Compliance Consultants to build a new program from the ground up.
A Safety Program Starts With Buy-In
Safety in the workplace is not improved by accident. Likewise, haphazardly throwing together a safety program isn’t going to yield the best results. Doing things right means starting with the right foundation. That foundation is buy-in.
Buy-in begins with management. It is imperative that leadership actively supports and prioritizes safety. It is imperative that they put their full weight behind safety program development by setting clear expectations and then allocating the necessary resources to ensure safety initiatives are implemented.
Employee buy-in is just as critical. A good way to achieve buy-in is to engage with employees during the development and implementation stages. Employees are the ones who are at the highest risk day-to-day. Encouraging them to participate in safety program development gives them a sense of ownership. Their compliance should be better as a result.
Know The Key Elements of a Safety Program
Once buy-in is secured among all stakeholders, it is time to develop a safety program that is both feasible and able to be implemented in a timely manner.
Bear in mind that effective safety program development is built on some key elements:
- Accurate Assessments – Safety depends heavily on regular and accurate assessments of all workplace risks and potential hazards. Everything from equipment to processes and storage procedures should be reviewed regularly.
- Hazard Prevention – A safety program should include measures to prevent incidents through elimination or control of identified hazards. Effective hazard management uses a variety of controls, ranging from substitution to administrative to equipment controls.
- Communication – Maintaining open lines of communication is crucial. It’s not only important to safety program development but also to ongoing safety once the program is implemented.
- Written Records – Everything about a safety program should be written down. Keeping records of policies, procedures, emergency plans, and even incident responses make tracking a company’s safety record possible.
Every element on this list is buttressed by accountability. Bull stakeholders should thoroughly understand expectations. Procedures for holding employees and management accountable should be implemented from day one.
A Few Best Practices
Safety program development and implementation tends to run more smoothly when companies follow a few best practices. The first is to familiarize decision makers with OSHA and industry-specific safety standards. As previously mentioned, another best practice is engaging with employees.
We recommend using a variety of training methods after policies and procedures have been developed. Combining visual demonstrations with hands-on exercises and written documents can enhance retention significantly.
One last best practice to consider is drilling for emergencies. Employees should know how to respond in the case of a threatening incident. The best way to ensure they do so without hesitation is to drill. How often you drill depends on the nature of your industry and the severity of potential incidents.
Get Started Today with a Free Safety Inspection
Not sure how to proceed? Get started by getting a FREE Safety Inspection and learning where you have gaps in safety compliance and vulnerabilities in your safety program.
Compliance Consultants, Inc. has years of experience assisting clients with developing safety programs from the ground up.
