Accident Prevention Programs

Accident Rates too high?

Are your rates climbing and you just don't know what to do to get the injuries under control?  Can't afford to hire a full time Safety Manager to reduce the injuries?  But, can't afford another OSHA Inspection because your rates are too high?

We can help!  We have proven simple safety ideas that can reduce your injuries and reduce your worker's comp costs!

Are you recording accidents that do not meet the OSHA rule for recording?  Are you being diligent by attending the doctor's appointments with injured employees?

Are you conducting a thorough accident investigation to determine the root cause and also to determine if the injury is more likely work related or not even work related?

 

 

 

Are you recording ONLY the injuries that the employer has determined actually happened or most likely happened at work?  

Or are you one of those who "assumes if the employee reported it at any time to anyone, then it must be work related"?

You may just be over reporting stuff that should not be on your OSHA Log.  Give us a call today and we can audit your logs to see if they are accurate.

 

 

Author:  Deborah Grow, Safety Specialist

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Knowledge is Power

Knowledge is Power

If you don't know what you don't know, how can you know what you know?

 

Francis Bacon

Sir Francis Bacon was the first person attributed to the phrase "Knowledge is Power'. It dates back to 1597 when he published the maxim in his book, "Meditationes Sacrae and Human Philosophy'.

 

“A lack of knowledge creates fear. Seeking knowledge creates courage." “The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about." “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

 

Without knowledge, one cannot be successful in life. To grow in one's career, gaining as much knowledge as possible is important. ... Knowledge is also very important to shape our personality and perfect our behavior and dealings with people. We need to understand ourselves, our strengths and weaknesses.

If you expect your employees to participate in safety simply because you pay them to work for you, you are going to be sadly disappointed in the results.  People don't participate in the unknown without being provided the encouragement and motivation and knowledge.

KISS is an acronym for "Keep it simple, stupid" as a design principle noted by the U.S. Navy in 1960. The KISS principle states that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complicated; therefore simplicity should be a key goal in design, and that unnecessary complexity should be avoided.
 
Safety and health program tasks are each specifically assigned to a person or position for performance or coordination.

Let's say for example that some electrical and machine guarding hazards were found during the walk through.  No one was assigned specific responsibility to inspect for electrical hazards.  Assign specific responsibility for performing inspections of electrical and machine guarding hazards, so these hazards do not continue to go undetected.  (The intent is to assign specific safety tasks to specific individuals and to hold that individual accountable.  Such as inspections for the hazards found during the walk through)


Each assignment of safety and health responsibility is clearly communicated.

Majority of employees can explain what performance is expected of them.  To ensure all employees know expectations, develop a detailed list of responsibility and accountability and have supervisors communicate that to all employees and post on safety bulletin boards


Individuals with assigned safety and health responsibilities have the necessary knowledge, skills, and timely information to perform their duties.

The individual assigned to perform weekly inspections did not have adequate knowledge of electrical or machine guarding rules.  (Intent is to determine if the individual assigned to various safety and health tasks has the knowledge and skills to perform the task)

Evaluate Your Progress!!

If you are not measuring your performance,

you can't evaluate your Progress

Using the "Systems Approach" to Safety means you develop systems, assign responsibility, measure performance, recognize achievements, and hold everyone accountable.  If you are not measuring, then how can you determine if you are achieving your Goals and Objectives?  If you are not measuring, then how do you even know if what you are doing is even working to improve your safety process?

An effective procedure for tracking hazard correction is in place.

All hazards are tracked to completion, monitored for progress and posted on safety boards for all employees to see.  OR Make a spreadsheet or database to track all identified hazards to completion.  Some items may require budgeting and must be presented to the safety team to prioritize which ones will be fixed immediately and which need to be budgeted.  Always use some form of “interim protection” until the hazard can be fully and adequately corrected.  


Workplace injury/illness data are effectively analyzed.

Data trends are fully analyzed and displayed, common causes are communicated, management ensures prevention; and employees are fully aware of trends, causes and means of prevention.  OR  Review several years of injury or illness records to identify patterns that can help you devise strategies to improve your safety and health program. Periodically review several months of experience to determine if any new patterns are developing 


Hazard incidence data are effectively analyzed.

Hazard surveys, regular inspections, and other hazard incidence data are fully tracked,  analyzed, and displayed, common causes are communicated, management ensures prevention; and employees are fully aware of trends, causes and means of prevention.  OR  Review several years of hazard survey records, self inspection records, and other hazard reported data  records to identify patterns that can help you devise strategies to reduce and/or eliminate the hazards. Periodically review several months of experience to determine if any new patterns are developing.  (Employers who post all hazards, corrections, and responsibility for the corrections find that employees know about the hazards and continue to report hazards for correction)



A safety and health goal and supporting objectives exist.

Continue to develop annual Goals and Objectives to support the goals based on the annual review with both management and employee involvement and maintain an action plan to measure progress and hold everyone accountable.  Remember that SMART safety goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Targeted! Review the Safety & Health Mgt. Recommendations included in this or previous reports to ensure they are included in your annual goals and objectives.   (I.e.-Implementation of a written housekeeping program to control potential for fugitive dust is recommended)  

An action plan designed to accomplish the organizations safety and health objectives are in place. 

Continue to develop your annual action plan which should include the specifics for your goals and objectives with assignment of responsibility and time targeted so that you can monitor progress. What get’s measured, gets done, so be sure to monitor progress throughout the year and hold everyone accountable for their part.

*A review of the overall safety and health management system is conducted at least annually.  

A comprehensive review is conducted at least annually and drives appropriate program modifications.  Continue to conduct an annual review of S/H Program to determine where you’ve been, where you are, and where you want to be.  This should include but is not limited to:  conducting a trend analysis of ALL work related injury/illness including near miss or first aid cases, identified hazards, work orders, ergonomic concerns, behavioral aspects, Current or pending regulations, the form 33, and air/noise monitoring or the need to conduct it.  (If this is effectively done, you would update your written Safety and Health Program to reflect findings and modifications)

Safety and health program tasks are each specifically assigned to a person or position for performance or coordination.

Let's say for example, some electrical and machine guarding hazards were found during the walk through.  No one was assigned specific responsibility to inspect for electrical hazards.  Assign specific responsibility for performing inspections of electrical and machine guarding hazards, so these hazards do not continue to go undetected.  (The intent is to assign specific safety tasks to specific individuals and to hold that individual accountable.  Such as inspections for the hazards found during the walk through)