General Safety and Health Programs

Do you have an active safety and health program in operation that deals with general safety and health program elements as well as the management of hazards specific to your worksite ... 

Requirements for pollution prevention generally involve the integration of P2 into planning, execution, and evaluation of site activities. Chemical users participation in pollution prevention arises from their use of chemicals, and from the site s procurement, distribution, storage and disposal of chemicals. Safety and health program and environmental pollution prevention program protections are usually mutually beneficial, and their requirements frequently mutually inclusive. 

The purpose of the OSHA Proposed Safety and Health Program Rule (see website http //www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/safetyhetilth/nshp.html) is to reduce the number of job-related fatalities, illnesses, and injuries by requiring employers to establish a workplace safety and health program to ensure compliance with OSHA sttmdards and the General Duty Clause of the OSHAct. All employers covered... 

These are similar to the elements in the proposed safety and health program rule. The proposed ergonomics standard covers workers in general industry, though construction, maritime, and agriculture operations may be covered in future rulemaking. TTie proposal specifically covers manufacturing... 

Although OSH A does not cite employees for violations of their responsibilities, each employee shall comply with all occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders issued under the Act that are applicable. Employee responsibilities and rights in states with their own occupational safety and health programs are generally the same as for workers in states covered by Federal OSHA. An employee should do the following ... 

Although offshore wind farms under California OSHA or Washington State OSHA jurisdiction could be covered by their safety and health program rules in addition to their construction and general industry rules, federal OSHA, with coordination from USCG, will likely assert jurisdiction over offshore wind farms in all state waters, at least during the initial phases. ... 

Johnson, who had recently retired as general manager of the National Safety Council, advanced the idea that the application of controls and resources by the management of occupational safety and health programs could be categorized into five basic levels ... 

General. ( ) Employers shall develop and implement a written safety and health program for their employees involved In hazardous waste operations. The program shall be designed to identify, evaluate, and control safety and health hazards, and provide for emergency response for hazardous waste operations. 

Program elements in the PEP correspond generally to the major elements of the Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines entered into the Federal Register on January 26, 1989 (Vol. No. 16, pp. 3904-3916). 

To deal with this increased scrutiny, employers must first of all comply with the applicable OSHA regulations. OSHA s 29 CFR 1910 general industry regulations and 29 CFR 1926 construction regulations are the backbone of every safety and health program. 

Neither federal nor state safety and health regulations require companies to form safety committees. However, they are widely recognized as an effective tool in generating employee involvement, raising employee awareness, and strengthening a company s overall safety and health program. One source that covers safety and health committees is contained in 29 CFR 1960, Federal Employee Safety and Health, Subpart F-Occupational Safety and Health Committees. Listed below are general provisions from safety and health committees required for Federal employees ... 

The employer must ensure that each employee is provided information and training on the safety and health program. Each employee exposed to a hazard must be provided information and training in that hazard. Note Some OSHA standards impose additional, more specific requirements for information and training. The employer must provide general information and training on the following subjects ... 

The basic premise of this book is that all employers horrid establish a workplace safety and health program to assist them in compliance with OSHA standards and the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) (Section 5(a)(1)). Each employer should set up a safety and health program to manage workplace safety and health to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities 1 a systerrtalic approach to safety and health. The program should be appropriate to conditions in the workplace, such as the hazards to which employees are exposed and the number of employees there. The primary guideline for employers to develop... 

This notice establishes policies and procedures for the Program Evaluation Profile (PEP), Form OSHA-195, which is to be used in assessing employer safety and health programs in general industry workplaces. 

The PEP shall be eompleted for general industry inspections and compliance-related activities that include an evaluation of an employer s workplace safety and health programs. 

In assessing the effectiveness of a safety and health program that is not in written form, compliance officers should follow the general principles laid out in OSHA Instruction CPE 2.111. Citation Policy for Paperwork and Written Program Requirement Violations. That is ... 

Control means to reduce exposure to hazards in accordance with the General Duty Clause or OSHA standards, including providing appropriate supplemental and/or interim protection, as necessary, to exposed employees. Prevention and elimination are the best forms of control. Contract employer is an employer who performs work for a host employer at the host employer s workplace. A contract employer does not include an employer who provides incidental services that do not influence the workplace safety and health program, whose employees are only incidentally exposed to hazards at the host employer s workplace (e.g., food and drink services, delivery services, or other supply services). Employee means all persons who are considered employees under the OSH Act, including temporary, seasonal, and leased employees. Employer means all persons who are considered employers under the OSH Act. 

As part of their safety and health program most companies have a program to prevent employees and contract workers from using alcohol or drugs (both illegal and prescription) while at work. These programs will often provide free, anonymous treatment for those employees who request assistance. However, employees who fail a test, either one conducted at random or after an accident, are generally subject to strict disciplinary measures. 

The guidelines recommend specific actions under each of these general elements to achieve an effective safety and health program. The Federal Register notice is available online at www.osha.gov. 

Required General Industry OSHA Training At-A-Glance I OSHA Form 33 - Safety and Health Program Assessment Worksheet... 

---