Safety Ambassador Program

What is a Safety Ambassador Program?

Implementing a Safety Ambassador Program will provide our company with a systematic approach to employee involvement in all of our safety activities.

PROGRAM PURPOSE:

The purpose of the Safety Ambassador Program is to facilitate employee involvement in the company's overall Safety System (Safety Management System).  The company recognizes that employee involvement is the key to a strong Safety System.  The company will designate certain employees as Safety Ambassadors who will provide assistance by identifying and eliminating hazards in the work area and to assist in the accident prevention program as part of the *Company* Safety System.

PROCEDURE:

1)      General

a)      Safety information will be supplied on a regular basis.

b)      Safety problems and suggestions should normally be directed to the supervisor.  However, those items which need further consideration may be directed to the Safety Ambassador.

c)       The Safety Ambassador will conduct an Inspection/Observation weekly to identify hazards, with special emphasis on housekeeping and behavioral aspects.  Corrective action will be taken during the I/O.  Supervisors must be notified of findings and sign forms.  Forms must be submitted to the Safety Committee at the monthly committee meetings.

d)      Supervisors are responsible for selection of their Safety Ambassador.  Selection is with the concurrence of the Safety Director.

e)      Safety Ambassadors will serve on a rotation, to allow all employees the opportunity to become involved in our overall Safety Management Process.

2)      Duties and Qualifications of Safety Ambassadors

·         The Supervisors will be responsible for conducting training for the Safety Ambassadors.  This will include compliance issues, inspections/observations, problem solving, ergonomics, maintenance procedures, and behavioral risks. 

·         Safety/Health meetings will be held every month. 

·         The meetings will be held at company on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 12:00- 1:00 pm.

·      The purpose of the safety meetings will be to discuss Safety Goals/Objectives, Inspection/Observation findings, specific safety issues, to analyze accidents and near misses to determine root cause and corrective actions, to discuss safety training schedules and training needs, to discuss pending OSHA regulations/requirements.

·         The objective of a Safety Ambassador is to help identify & eliminate safety issues in the work area.  Ambassador’s activities will focus on housekeeping, employee behavioral aspects, physical conditions, monthly inspections/observations, and departmental safety meetings

·         Must set a high standard of safety by his/her work habits and practices

·         Must be acquainted with personnel and facilities in the areas he/she works

·         Must be physically capable, with a positive attitude to perform required skills

·         Must be alert, dependable and willing to help others

·         Will regularly attend scheduled Safety Ambassador meetings and/or Safety Committee Meetings

·         May bring to the meeting questions, problems, suggestions, new safety ideas/suggestions, etc. that may need the attention of, or will benefit, the entire group

·         Will assist supervisors in detecting unsafe conditions and actions at all times, not just when conducting the weekly I/O and will suggest needed safety improvements

Author:  Deborah Grow, Safety Specialist

 

Why a Gap Analysis?

Why conduct a "Gap Analysis"?

If you don't, then you will have no idea if what you have been doing has been effective. You need to know what is working well and what is not working in order to adjust your plan!

 

What Gets Measured Gets Done

AND

What Gets Celebrated Gets Done Well

Measure what you ask the employees TO DO… that will help you eliminate the hazards and create a safe workplace. Remember that SMART safety goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Targeted!

 

 

 

 

Author: Deborah Grow, Compliance Specialist

Private Safety Consultant, Assistant Damon Fall Protection and Coordinator EHS Network ~ Kansas.

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People Don't Do What You Expect

People just don't do what you expect, but they do what you inspect

Inspections to find and fix hazards should be a cornerstone of your safety program.  Then, base your safety training on the hazards you are finding.  The more you train your employees about the hazards, the more you involve your employees in the inspections and the training, the more the employees will understand what the hazards are and help the employer to eliminate hazards in the workplace.

Nobody goes to work today thinking, "wow wouldn't it be great to get hurt and put my family through all that trauma and drama?"  The employees want to do their jobs and do them efficiently.  But, your employees will do whatever it takes to get the job done.  If you don't provide your employees with the right tools and training, they will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Involve your employees in inspections and training and you will be amazed at the results!!

Safety Inspection Programs

The objective of a self-inspection program is to identify hazardous conditions and employee behavior and determine what actions are required to reduce or eliminate accident potential. Additionally, inspections can help determine the extent to which employees adhere to the company's safety program, operating procedures, rules and regulations.

 

Developing a self-inspection program and associated checklists can help to protect company assets from fire, employee injury and injury to the public. Their development will require the attention of someone who has a sound knowledge of the company's operations and as well as knowledge of relevant safety standards and local codes. The self-inspection program should be a process of fact finding with an emphasis on identifying potential hazards and developing the necessary corrective actions necessary to eliminate them.

 

Responsibility For Self-Inspection

Everyone in an organization has a role to play in recognizing and identifying those conditions that can lead to accidents or property destruction. But in a self-inspection program, there should be a clear assignment of inspection duties made to various members of the management and supervisory team.

It may be a responsibility of the safety committee to perform monthly safety inspections and to record their results. The maintenance department or others having responsibility for correction should take immediate action to eliminate the deficiencies observed and ensure proper follow through to completion of necessary action. A work order system can be a useful method to start the process of correction. Safety issues and their abatement should be given top priority by all employees.

Supervisors should inspect their department on a daily basis to ensure work areas are maintained in a safe condition. Workers should inspect their workplace daily to ensure tools and personal protective equipment are in safe condition.

 

When developing any self-inspection program, six questions should always be answered:

· What areas and/or operations need to be inspected?

· What aspects of each need to be examined?

· What conditions or actions should to be inspected?

· How often must each area/operation be inspected?

· Who will conduct the inspections?

· What records or reports are needed?

 

 

Author: Deborah Grow, Safety Compliance Specialist

Private Safety Consultant, Sales-Marketing Director Damon Fall Protection and Coordinator EHS Network ~ Kansas.

 

Follow me on:

Google-Plus, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Chek-Safety, EHS-Network

OSHA Violations

Types of Violations — There are six types of OSHA violations:

De Minimis, Non-Serious, Serious, Willful, Repeat and Criminal. Each is defined as follows:

• De Minimis Violation — A De Minimis Violation is one in which there is no direct or immediate relationship to safety or health (i.e., an employer complies with the clear intent of the standard, but deviates from its particular requirements in a manner that has no direct relationship to safety or health).

• Non-Serious Violation — A Non-Serious Violation is more severe than a De Minimis Violation, but less severe than a Serious Violation. There must be a direct and immediate relationship between the violation and safety or health, but no substantial risk of death or serious injury.

• Serious Violation — A Serious Violation occurs when there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result (probability refers to the degree of injury, not the likelihood that the event should occur). The accident need only be possible, and not a probable consequence of the violation.

• Willful Violation — If an employer has intentionally disregarded or is plainly indifferent to the Act’s requirements (virtually any time a violation is not negligent or accidental), a Willful Violation has occurred.

• Repeat Violation — A Repeat Violation has occurred when a substantially similar violation has previously occurred (usually within the three years prior to the current violation) at the facility or establishment. A Repeat Violation differs from a Willful Violation in that it may result from an inadvertent, accidental or negligent act.

• Criminal Violation — Willful Violations resulting in a death and/or knowingly making false statements, representations or certifications are all Criminal Violations. There is also the Failure to Abate Violation, which is a violation where an employer failed to correct a hazard that was recognized in a previous inspection.

Contesting a Citation Penalty — To contest a citation, a written Notice of Intention to Contest must be filed with the OSHA area director within 15 days of receipt. Unless a citation is properly contested, it will become final within 15working days after receipt.

In virtually all cases where a citation has been issued, whether or not a facility has decided to contest it, it will probably be appropriate to hold an informal conference with OSHA’s assistant regional director to discuss the matter.

This conference should be requested and conducted prior to expiration of the 15-day period. Even if the assistant regional director determines that a violation occurred, the class of violation and/or the penalty may be reduced as a result of the conference. If the assistant regional director agrees to a violation/penalty reduction or any change to the citation, a settlement agreement will be forwarded for completion.