How Can Our Expertise Help You?

OSHA Compliance: Written Programs Essential for Accident Prevention

“SMC partners (with TQS) to assist members with environmental certifications.”

Documented safety programs provide an infrastructure for training, auditing, and continuous improvement. During most inspections, OSHA compliance officers carefully examine the robustness of a company's safety policy, manual, and written compliance plans for each of the applicable CFR 1910 standards. For example, OSHA requires that manufacturing firms document policies for such elements as Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE in their safety programs. These written plans characterize how a company complies with the relevant standards.

Recently, OSHA announced the release of a new Ergonomic Standard which will require employers to define how musculoskeletal hazards will be identified and controlled. The 1999 edition of the National Safety Council's 'Injury Facts' estimates that total work injury costs, including wage and productivity losses, exceed $125 Billion in 1998. This same publication approximates the average injury-related cost per worker to be $940.00.

Successful injury prevention programs are based on the establishment of management practices and protocols, and the integration of safety practices into existing management systems. To minimize downtime associated with accidents, employers must adopt proactive practices emphasizing employee training, written program development, and regular interaction to discuss the overall safety conditions of the workplace and define specific activities for enhancing the overall working conditions.

Bookmark & Share

Contact Information

Address