SAFETY

PROGRAMMING
This module on “Safety Programming”
specifically deals with the intricate
requirements on how to set up an
organization’s safety program.
It discusses the elements of a well
planned, as well as well managed
safety program and on how the
various program elements interacts to
promote safety in the workplace.
A safety program is a plan or
outline of activities to promote
consciousness among
management and workers in
workplaces in order to eliminate or
minimize accidents and/or illnesses
to the lowest reducible level.
Safety program organization is the
method employed by management
to assign responsibility for
accident prevention and to ensure
performances under that
responsibility.
Only the top management has the authority to implement control of the working
environment and of worker’s actions.
Safety & Health Payoffs
An effective safety and health program makes
all the difference in preventing injuries and
illnesses in the workplace. The result is lower
accident-related costs. Other benefits include
reduced absenteeism, lower turnover, higher
productivity, and improved employee morale.
And it's the right thing to do
 Costs of Accidents
Direct Costs- Obvious costs

Example :Workers' Compensation claims which cover

medical costs and indemnity payments for an injured or ill
worker

Indirect Costs- costs that aren't so obvious until we take

a closer look.

Example: costs to train and compensate a replacement

worker, repair damaged property, investigate the accident
and implement corrective action, and to maintain insurance
coverage? Even less apparent are the costs related to
schedule delays, added administrative time, lower morale,
increased absenteeism, and poorer customer relations
 Accidents Cost You Money…
• Direct Cost

Medical Costs Indemnity Payments

This is just the tip of the iceberg

Indirect Cost Hidden Beneath The Surface

Production Problem
• Damaged Material & Loss Time & Administrative Cost
Emotional Cost New Employee Training
Equipment Overhead Cost
Injured Worker
• Schedule Delays Fellow Workers
Legal Fees
Higher Insurance Premiums
• Cleanup Time Supervisor
• Unhappy Customers
Cost Analysis

Certified Quality Glove Generic Cheaper Glove

Cost of Gloves Medical Cost

Administration Cost
High Insurance Premium
Downtime Cost
Cost of Disposing used gloves
Studies show that the ratio of indirect costs to
direct costs varies widely, from a high of 20:1 to a
low of 1:1. OSHA's approach is shown here and
says that the lower the direct costs of an accident,
the higher the ratio of indirect to direct costs.

OSHA's Ratio of Indirect to Direct Costs

Management
System:
Safety &
Health
Integration
 What is a Safety and Health
Program and where does it fit
into my management system?
"Safety First" may sound good, but in reality,
safety should not be considered separately.
Rather, it must become a basic value of your
company. Change "Safety First" to "Safe
production is our only standard." This
emphasizes the idea that it's fine to produce as
hard and as fast as possible, as long as it can
be done safely.
 Safety
&
Health Culture
 Culture is a
combination of an
organization's:

•Attitudes,
•Behaviors,
•Beliefs,
•Values,
•Ways of doing
things, and
•Other shared
characteristics of a
particular group of
people.
Culture Can:
•Socialize newcomers.
•Define influence.
•Determine values
A strong safety and health culture is the result
of:
•Positive workplace attitudes – from the
president to the newest hire.
•Involvement and buy-in of all members of the
workforce.
•Mutual, meaningful, and measurable safety and
health improvement goals.
•Policies and procedures that serve as reference
tools, rather than obscure rules.
•Personnel training at all levels within the
organization.
•Responsibility and accountability throughout the
organization.
What are the basic elements of a safety
and health culture?
•All individuals within
the organization
believe they have a
right to a safe and
healthy workplace.

•Each person accepts

personal responsibility
for ensuring his or her
own safety and health.

•Everyone believes he
or she has a duty to
protect the safety and
health of others.
Management Leadership and
Employee Involvement
 What do you mean by management
commitment and employee involvement?

Employers and employees

work together to make
safety and health a
priority. Employer and
employee communication
is essential.
Some ways to achieve employer commitment and employee
involvement include:

•Post the company's written safety and health policy for all
to see.
•Involve employees in policy making on safety and health
issues.
•Take an active part in safety activities.
•Hold meetings that focus on employee safety and health.
•Abide by all safety and health rules.
•Invest time, effort, and money in your safety and health
program.
Management Leadership and Employee
Involvement

Management leadership provides the motivating force and

the resources for organizing and controlling activities
within the organization. Employer involvement provides
the means through which workers express their own
commitment to safety and health, for themselves and their
fellow workers.

The four main topics that are covered in this section are:
•Management leadership
•Employee involvement
•Responsibility, authority and accountability
•Review of program operations
 Management Leadership
Visible Leadership

Successful top managers use a variety of

techniques that visibly involve them in the safety
and health protection of their workers. Managers
should look for methods that fit their style and
workplace.

Some methods include:

•Getting out where you can be seen, informally

or through formal inspections.
•Being accessible.
•being an example, by knowing and following
the rules employees are expected to follow.
•Being involved by participating on the
workplace Safety and Health Committee.
 Employee Involvement
Why should employees be involved?

Because it’s the right and smart thing to

do. Here’s why:

•Rank and file workers are the

persons most in contact with
potential safety and health hazards.
They have a vested interest in
effective protection programs.

•Group decisions have the advantage

of the group’s wider range of
experience.

•Employees are more likely to

support and use programs in which
they have input.
 Responsibility, Authority and
Accountability

When you have authority or responsibility, your

performance is not necessarily measured. But when you are
held accountable, your performance is measured in relation
to standards or goals that result in certain positive or
negative consequences.
Elements of an effective accountability system

Any accountability system should have the following

elements to be effective:

•Established standards in the form of company

policies, procedures or rules that clearly convey
standards of performance in safety and health to
employees
•Resources needed to meet the standards, such as
a safe and healthful workplace, effective training,
and adequate oversight of work operations.
•A measurement system which specifies
acceptable performance.
•Consequences, both positive and negative.
•Application at all levels
 Review of Program Operations

A comprehensive program audit is needed to evaluate the

safety and health management means, methods, and
processes, to ensure they are protecting against worksite
hazards. The audit determines whether the policies and
procedures are implemented as planned and whether they
have met the objectives set for the program. This allows
for the identification of opportunities for improvement and
can drive next year's planning process
 Worksite Analysis
A worksite analysis means that managers and
employees analyze all worksite conditions to identify
and eliminate existing or potential hazards. There
should be a comprehensive, baseline survey, with a
system in place for periodic updates.
Worksite analysis involves a variety of worksite
examinations to identify not only existing hazards,
but also conditions and operations in which
changes might create hazards. Effective
management actively analyzes the work and the
worksite, to anticipate and prevent harmful
occurrences.

Here’s a suggested plan to identify all worksite

hazards:
 Change Analysis

Change analysis helps in heading off a problem before it

develops.

You may find change analysis useful when:

•Building or leasing a new facility.

•Installing new equipment.
•Using new materials.
•Starting up new processes.
•Staffing changes occur.
 Comprehensive Surveys
For small businesses, OSHA-funded, state-run
consultation services can conduct a comprehensive
survey at no cost. Many workers’ compensation
carriers and other insurance companies offer expert
services to help their clients evaluate safety and
health hazards. Numerous private consultants
provide a variety of safety and health expert services.
Larger businesses may find the needed expertise at
the company or corporate level.

For the industrial hygiene survey, at a minimum, all

chemicals and hazardous materials in the plant
should be inventoried, the hazard communication
program should be reviewed, and air samples
analyzed. For many industries, a survey of noise
levels, a review of the respirator program, and a
review of ergonomic risk factors are needed
Hazard Analysis

Hazard analysis techniques can be quite complex.

While this is necessary in some cases, frequently
a basic, step-by-step review of the operation is
sufficient.

Hazard analysis techniques include:

•Job Hazard Analysis

•WHAT-IF Checklist
•Hazard and Operability Study
•Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
•Fault Tree Analysis.
 Safety and Health Inspections

Routine site safety and health inspections are

designed to catch hazards missed at other
stages. This type of inspection should be done at
regular intervals, generally on a weekly basis. In
addition, procedures should be established that
provide a daily inspection of the work area.
You can use a checklist already developed or make
your own, based on:
•Past problems.
•Standards that apply to your industry.
•Input from everyone involved.
•Your company's safety practices or rules.
Important things to remember about inspections are:
•Inspections should cover every part of the worksite.
•They should be done at regular intervals.
•In-house inspectors should be trained to recognize
and control hazards.
•Identified hazards should be tracked to correction.
Information from inspections should be used to
improve the hazard prevention and control program.
Hazard Prevention and Control

After detection, all current and potential

hazards must be prevented, corrected or
controlled. Systems used to prevent and control
hazards include:
•Engineering Controls
•Safe Work Practices
•Administrative Controls
•Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
•Systems to Track Hazard Correction
•Preventive Maintenance Systems
•Emergency Preparation
•Medical Programs
Engineering Controls

Unlike other controls that generally

focus on the employee exposed to the
hazard. The basic concept behind
engineering controls is that, to the
extent feasible, the work environment
and the job itself should be designed to
eliminate hazards or reduce exposure
to hazards.
Engineering controls can be simple in some
cases. They are based on the following
principles:
•If feasible, design the facility, equipment,
or process to remove the hazard or
substitute something that is not
hazardous.
•If removal is not feasible, enclose the
hazard to prevent exposure in normal
operations.
•Where complete enclosure is not feasible,
establish barriers or local ventilation to
reduce exposure to the hazard in normal
operations.
Safe Work Practices

Safe work practices

include your company’s general workplace rules and other
operation-specific rules. For example, even when a hazard is
enclosed, exposure can occur when maintenance is
necessary. Through established safe work practices,
employee exposure to hazards can be further reduced.
Depending on the type of industry and the operations, work
practices for specific OSHA standards or to recognized hazards
may be required. Some of these specific areas include:

•Respiratory Protection [1910.134].

•Lockout/Tagout [1910.147].
•Confined Space Entry [1910.146].
•Hazard Communication [1910.1200, 1926.59].
•Blood borne Pathogens [1910.1030].
•Hearing Conservation [1910.95].
•Laboratory Chemical Hygiene [1910.1450].
 Administrative Controls

While safe work practices can be considered

forms of administrative controls, OSHA uses
the term administrative controls to mean other
measures aimed at reducing employee
exposure to hazards. These measures include
additional relief workers, exercise breaks and
rotation of workers. These types of controls
are normally used in conjunction with other
controls that more directly prevent or control
exposure to the hazard
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

When exposure to hazards cannot be engineered completely

out of normal operations or maintenance work, and when
safe work practices and other forms of administrative
controls cannot provide sufficient additional protection, a
supplementary method of control is the use of protective
clothing or equipment. This is collectively called personal
protective equipment, or PPE. PPE may also be appropriate
for controlling hazards while engineering and work practice
controls are being installed.
Systems to Track Hazard Correction

An essential part of any safety and health

system is the correction of hazards that occur
despite the overall prevention and control
program. For larger sites, documentation is
important so that management and
employees have a record of the correction.
Preventive Maintenance Systems

Good preventive maintenance plays a major role in ensuring

that hazard controls continue to function effectively. It also
keeps new hazards from arising due to equipment
malfunction.

The point of preventive maintenance is to get the work done

before repairs or replacement is needed.
Emergency Preparation

During emergencies, hazards appear that normally are not

found in the workplace. These may be the result of natural
causes (floods, tornadoes, etc.), events caused by humans but
beyond control (train or plane accidents, terrorist activities,
etc.), or within a firm’s own systems due to unforeseen
circumstances or events.

You must become aware of possible emergencies and plan the

best way to control or prevent the hazards they present. Some
of the steps in emergency planning include:

•Survey of possible emergencies;

•Planning actions to reduce impact on the
workplace;
•Employee information and training;
•Emergency drills as needed.
Medical Programs

A company’s medical program is an important part of the

safety and health system. It can deliver services that prevent
hazards that can cause illness and injury, recognize and treat
illness and injury, and limit the severity of work-related injury
and illness. The size and complexity of a medical program will
depend on many factors, including the:

•Type of processes and materials and

• the related hazards,
•Type of facilities,
•Number of workers,
•Characteristics of the workforce, and
•Location of each operation and its proximity to a
health care facility.
Does everyone in the
workplace know:

•When and where PPE is

required?
•The types of chemicals
used in the workplace?
•The workplace plan in
case of a fire or other
emergency?
•The precautions when
handling them?
OSHA considers safety and health training
vital to every workplace.

The five principles of teaching and learning should

be followed to maximize program effectiveness.
They are:
•Trainees should understand the purpose of the
training.
•Information should be organized to maximize
effectiveness.
•People learn best when they can immediately
practice and apply newly acquired knowledge
and skills.
•As trainees practice, they should get feedback.
•People learn in different ways, so an effective
program will incorporate a variety of training
methods.
Some Types of Safety and Health Training
Needed:

•Orientation training for site workers and

contracts
•JSAs, SOPs, and other hazard recognition
training
•Training required by OSHA standards,
including the Process Safety Management
standard
•Training for emergency response people
•Accident investigation training
•Emergency drills
Who Needs Training?

Training should target :

•new hires
•contract workers
•employees who wear
personal protective
equipment
•workers in high risk
areas
•Managers and
supervisors
Training for managers should emphasize the
importance of their role in visibly supporting the
safety and health program and setting a good
example. Supervisors should receive training in
company policies and procedures, as well as hazard
detection and control, accident investigation,
handling of emergencies, and how to train and
reinforce training.

The long-term worker whose job changes as a result

of new processes or materials should not be
overlooked. And the entire workforce needs periodic
refresher training in responding to emergencies.
Conducting a Safety & Health Checkup
Now that you've reviewed the components of a safety and
health system, you can assess your company’s safety and
health system. The evaluation is divided into four sections: If
you want to find out how your safety and health program
measures up, take a few minutes to complete the following
survey. For each section, there is a set of questions.

There are no right or wrong answers. This check-up will help

identify areas where improvements can be made

1. Management Leadership/Employee
Involvement

2. Worksite Analysis

3. Hazard Prevention and Control

4. Safety and Health Training

 Obstacles to a
Successful Safety and
Health Program
 Supervisor Identified Obstacles

To make a positive change in our organization, I must Therefore:

be willing to help eliminate the following obstacles:

Fear of losing my job Trust in the system, do the right things and
maintain integrity

No money for needed changes Management must support

Risk in spending money for safety I must trust & must support management

"What's in it for me" attitude I must take personal responsibility

Many people want change but are afraid to take I must stop worrying, trust and risk
responsibility for it
No support from upper management Management must support

No time or follow-through from upper management Management must support & provide time &
resources
Make it work or "can do attitude" I must take personal responsibility & operate within
guidelines

Competing priorities - production is number one Management must balance

Work orders not completed even when signed off Management must provide resources then hold
people accountable

Overwhelmed with workload Management must provide resources and balance

competing pressures

Turnover too high Trust that it will decrease as culture and work
atmosphere improves

Double standards Everyone must play by same rules

Lack of trust - poor ethics within organization I must take personal responsibility, stop worrying,
trust and risk

Lack of open communication and listening I must be vulnerable and trusting

 Employee Identified Obstacles
To make a positive change in our organization I must
be willing to help eliminate the following obstacles:
Fear and lack of trust
Supervisor not willing to listen and support
Communication is one way (top-down)
Organization is not alignment on safety – production is
number one at the line level
Supervisors not willing to hear problems and receive
feedback
Intimidation tactics
People not willing to take personal responsibility - too easy
to shift blame
Production is number one
Lack of consistency & follow through - past efforts fade
away
Them vs. Us attitude - Win-Lose
Therefore:
Trust in the system and do the right things and
maintain integrity
Supervisors must support and be open while I must
stop worrying, trust and risk
Supervisors must risk being vulnerable and open up
while I must not wait to take personal responsibility for
my actions
Management must support & provide time & resources
Supervisors must risk being vulnerable and open up
while I must not wait to take personal responsibility for
my actions
If pressures are balanced and I stop worrying, trust
and risk, my supervisor will respond
I must take personal responsibility and operate within
guidelines, and must also hold my supervisor and peers
accountable
Management must support and provide time and
resources
Management must realize and commit that this is a
long term effort. Excellence is a never ending journey. I
must always be willing to examine myself, receive
feedback, and be willing to improve through change
Take responsibility for myself, operate from win-win.
Strategic Map for Change and Continuous Improvement
for Safety and Health

The following strategic map describes major processes and

milestones that need to be implemented to successfully
implement a change process for safety and health. This strategy
is intended to help you focus on the process rather than on
individual tasks. It is common for most sites to have a tendency
to focus on the accomplishment of tasks, i.e., to train everyone
on a particular concern or topic or implement a new procedure
for incident investigations. Sites that maintain their focus on the
larger process are far more successful. They can see the "forest"
from the "trees" and thus can make mid-course adjustments as
needed. They never lose sight of their intended goals, and tend
not to get distracted or allow obstacles to interfere with their
mission. The process itself will take care of the task
implementation and ensure that the appropriate resources are
provided and priorities are set.
Process Implementation Strategy:

1.Obtain Top Management "Buy-in"

2.Continue Building "Buy-in"
3.Build Trust
4.Conduct Self Assessments/Bench Marking
5.Initial Training
6.Establish a Steering Committee
7.Develop Site Safety Vision
8.Align the Organization
9.Define Specific Roles
10.Develop a System of Accountability
11.Develop Measures
12.Develop Policies for Recognition
13.Awareness Training and Kick-off
14.Implement Process Changes
15.Continually Measure performance, Communicate Results
and Celebrate Successes
16.On-going Support
Management Processes Typically
Ripe for Improvement

•Define safety responsibilities for all levels of the organization, e.g.,

safety is a line management function.

•Develop upstream measures, e.g., number of reports of

hazards/suggestions, number of committee projects/successes, etc.

•Align management and supervisors by establishing a shared vision

of safety and health goals and objectives vs. production.

•Implement a process that holds managers and supervisors

accountable for visibly being involved, setting the proper example,
and leading a positive change for safety and health.
•Evaluate and rebuild any incentives and disciplinary systems for
safety and health, as necessary.

•Ensure the safety committee is functioning appropriately, e.g.,

membership, responsibilities/functions, authority, meeting
management skills.
•Provide multiple paths for employees to bring forward
suggestions, concerns, or problems. One mechanism should use
the chain of command and ensure no repercussions. Hold
supervisors and middle managers accountable for being
responsive.

•Develop a system that tracks and ensures timeliness in hazard

correction. Many sites have been successful in building this in with
an already existing work order system.

•Ensure reporting of injuries, first aid cases, and the near misses.
Educate employees about the accident pyramid and importance of
reporting minor incidents. Prepare management for an initial
increase in incidents and a rise in rates. This will occur if
underreporting exists in the organization. It will level off, then
decline as the system changes take hold.

•Evaluate and rebuild the incident investigation system as

necessary to ensure that investigations are timely, complete, and
effective. They should get to the root causes and avoid blaming
workers.