The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the Federal Governmental organization that enforces regulations for safety in the workplace. The OSHA regulations require companies to do three things:
- train their employees,
- have documented policies and procedures outlining safety policies, and
- have labor law posters.
Being in OSHA compliance is the law! That means making sure your employees are safe, and having certain OSHA safety regulations and elements in place to make sure your company is in compliance. These items are:
- safety meetings,
- safety manuals and
- labor law posters.
The OSHA Guidelines are organized into a Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). For example, the CFR 1926 is the OSHA rules for Construction, and CFR 1910 is the safety regulations for General Industry.
In EVERY State, employers are required by law – Labor Code Section (4600) – to provide a safe and healthful workplace for his/her employees. This includes several aspects such as:
- System for ensuring that employees recognize and comply with safe and healthful work practices, and includes disciplinary action for repeated non-compliance.
- System for communicating with employees on matters relating to occupational safety and health, and includes provisions for encouraging employees to inform the employer of worksite hazards without fear of reprisal.
- Procedure for identifying and evaluating workplace hazards, which include scheduled periodic inspections.
- Procedure for investigating an occupational injury or illness.
- Procedure for correcting, in a timely manner, unsafe or unhealthful conditions or work practices.
- Safety and health training for employees and supervisors.
- System for documenting, recordkeeping and scheduled, periodic inspections of the employee safety and health training – all these records must be kept for a period of up to 10 years.
How do I become safety compliant?
Every company with even one employee has to educate and train them in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe acts and situations. OSHA standards also require having specific written Safety Programs in place. It is up to you to determine how your company will follow these OSHA regulations.
Commonly known as an OSHA Safety Manual, our Safety Manual is the solution to the need for a written safety program. Chapters in this manual include: hazard communication, bloodborne pathogens, personal protective equipment, Fall Protection, Ladder Safety and others.
What is a Safety Manual?
A written Company Safety Manual or Safety Program is a critical component of workplace injury prevention and regulatory compliance programs. A Safety Manual is a set of safety programs that have been selected based upon the potential hazards present at an employer’s worksite. This Safety Manual essentially lays out your company’s plan for providing a safe workplace and complying with applicable OSHA laws and regulations.
Safety Manuals are often referred to by several terms, such as:
- Accident Prevention & Safety Manual
- Health & Safety Manual
- Environmental Health & Safety Manual
- Safety Program
- Injury & Illness Prevention Program or IIPP
- Health & Safety Policy Manual
- OSHA Safety Manual
The Safety and Health Program will assist management and non-supervisory employees in controlling hazards and risks which will minimize employee and customer injuries, damage to customer’s property and damage or destruction of company property.
Who needs a Safety Manual?
Does my company need a Safety Manual? The answer is not yes, but, ABSOLUTELY! Remember, a safety manual is nothing more than a set of individual safety programs, based upon potential hazards present in a particular work environment, that are compiled to create a company safety manual.
Every employer should have a safety manual in place. Every company wants to comply with the law and keep overhead and injury-related costs down. However, we must always remember that our employees have families that depend on them and want them to return home safely. Therefore, their safety must be our number one priority!
Listed below are some very good reasons every employer should have a written Company Safety Manual in place.
- Provide the safest work environment possible.
- Comply with applicable state and federal OSHA regulations.
- Reduce work-related injuries & illnesses.
- Your Insurance Company is requesting a copy of your written Safety Manual.
- OSHA is inspecting your facility and/or jobsite and requests a copy of your written Safety Manual.
- Your client and/or General Contractor is requesting a copy of your written Safety Manual.
- You must submit a copy of your written Safety Manual with a bid.
- The city or county in which you will be working requires that you have an up-to-date, compliant, written Safety Manual in place.
An Insite written Safety Manual will assist you in reducing Workers Compensation costs, increasing your insurability and bid opportunities with entities on the Government, State and Local Levels, increase worker’s safety and morale, and increase your company’s profit.