Creating an Effective Safety Program

Evidence shows the number of deaths and injuries – as well as the suffering and financial hardship these events cause for workers and their families – can be significantly reduced when companies adopt safety and health programs. According to federal OSHA, employers also see other benefits, including dramatically reduced workers’ compensation claims and costs, improvements in production and quality, better employee morale, improved employee recruiting and retention and a more favorable image and reputation among customers, suppliers and the community.

The tips below can help members of management and crew members work together to develop effective health and safety programs.

Checklist for Supervisors

• Know what a written safety and health program is. It is a document that clearly describes all of a company’s safety activities, goals, rules, processes and procedures.


• Work with your employees. For a safety and health program to succeed, workers must participate in developing and implementing every element of it. Several action items in federal OSHA’s recommended practices for developing health and safety programs rely on perspectives, expertise and input that can come only from workers.


• Use federal OSHA’s safety and health program management guidelines as a resource. In 2016, federal OSHA updated its safety and health program management guidelines for the first time in nearly three decades. OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs is an excellent resource for companies developing or revising written health and safety programs. For the first time, OSHA created a separate set of guidelines for a particular industry – construction – because of its unique challenges. In many cases, the Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs in Construction will be more applicable to the landscape industry than the general guidelines meant for all other industries.


• Be sure your program includes core elements (outlined below) recommended by federal OSHA. The descriptions below are from the Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs in Construction.


• Be sure tools are equipped with necessary safety guards and switches. - MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP – Top management demonstrates its commitment to eliminating hazards and to continuously improving workplace safety and health, communicates that commitment to workers and sets program expectations and responsibilities. Managers at all levels make safety and health a core organizational value, establish safety and health goals and objectives, provide adequate resources and support for the program and set a good example.
  
  - WORKER PARTICIPATION – Workers and their representatives are involved in all aspects of the program, including setting goals, identifying and reporting hazards, investigating incidents and tracking progress. All workers, including contractors and temporary workers, understand their roles and responsibilities under the program and what they need to do to effectively carry them out. Workers are encouraged and have means to communicate openly with management and to report safety and health concerns or suggest improvements, without fear of retaliation. Any potential barriers or obstacles to worker participation in the program (for example, language, lack of information or disincentives) are removed or addressed.
  
  - HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT – Procedures are put in place to continually identify workplace hazards and evaluate risks. Safety and health hazards from routine, non- routine and emergency situations are identified and assessed. An initial assessment of existing hazards, exposures and control measures is followed by periodic inspections and reassessments to identify new hazards. Any incidents are investigated with the goal of identifying the root causes. Identified hazards are prioritized for control.
  
  - HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROL – Employers and workers cooperate to identify and select methods for eliminating, preventing or controlling workplace hazards. Controls are selected according to a hierarchy that uses engineering solutions first, followed by safe work practices, administrative controls and finally personal protective equipment (PPE). A plan is developed that ensures controls are implemented, interim protection is provided, progress is tracked and the effectiveness of controls is verified.
  
  - EDUCATION AND TRAINING – All workers are trained to understand how the program works and how to carry out the responsibilities assigned to them under the program. Employers, managers and supervisors receive training on safety concepts and their responsibility for protecting workers’ rights and responding to workers’ reports and concerns. All workers are trained to recognize workplace hazards and to understand the control measures that have been implemented.
  
  - PROGRAM EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT – Control measures are periodically evaluated for effectiveness. Processes are established to monitor program performance, verify program implementation and identify program shortcomings and opportunities for improvement. Necessary actions are taken to improve the program and overall safety and health performance.
  - COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION FOR EMPLOYERS ON MULTIEMPLOYER WORKSITES – General contractors, contractors and staffing agencies commit to providing the same level of safety and health protection to all employees. General contractors, contractors, subcontractors and staffing agencies communicate the hazards present at the worksite and the hazards that work of contract workers may create on site. General contractors establish specifications and qualifications for contractors and staffing agencies. Prior to beginning work, general contractors, contractors and staffing agencies coordinate on work planning and scheduling to identify and resolve any conflicts that could impact safety or health.
  
  


• Know and follow state and local requirements for safety and health programs. See links to state requirements here.


• Be aware landscape-industry safety and health program templates are available. You can customize a template such as the Safe Company Program Manual offered through NALP when developing your firm’s safety and health program.


• Share the written program with employees. Post your safety and health program for all workers to see, and give each employee a copy.


• Follow all aspects of your written program. The written document means practically nothing if your company does not adhere to it.

Employee Dos and Don’ts

Do:

• Know why a health and safety program is needed. Parts of your job, such as working with tools and machinery, from heights and around electricity, are inherently dangerous, but an effective safety and health program can greatly minimize risks.


• Understand your participation is vital to your company’s ability to develop an effective health and safety program. Worker perspectives, expertise and input are crucial.


• If your company already has a health and safety program, read it. Know that your company should train you to understand how the safety and health program works and how to carry out the responsibilities assigned to you under the program.


• Contribute to the improvement of your company’s safety and health program. Point out hazards and make suggestions whenever something comes to mind. Share any information and experiences that could be beneficial to management.

Don't:

• Be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t understand any portion of the safety and health program, ask your supervisor for clarification.


• Perform any task until you understand information pertaining to it in your company’s safety and health program. Your company should train you to recognize workplace hazards and to understand the control measures that have been implemented.


• Keep suggestions to yourself. Federal OSHA states workers should be able to communicate openly with management and to report safety and health concerns or suggest improvements, without fear of retaliation.


• Avoid safety and health program-related activities. You should participate in program development and revision, jobsite inspections, training presentations, close-call investigations and safety committees whenever possible.

Additional Resources

Federal OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs –
https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/OSHA_SHP_Recommended_Practices.pdf

Federal OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs in Construction –
https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/8524_OSHA_Construction_Guidelines_R4.pdf

State safety and health standards and regulations –
https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/statestandards.html

NALP Safe Company Program –
https://www.landscapeprofessionals.org/LP/Stand-Out/Safe_Company_Program/LP/Safety/safe_company_program.aspx