It’s Only As Good As The People It Serves – 6/6/22

Safety E-QuickTips

U.S. Compliance Systems, Inc.

Monday Jun 6, 2022

It’s Only as Good as the People it Serves

The basic concept behind a good safety program and overall safety effort is simple: provide the employer with a method to comply with OSHA standards in a time efficient, cost-effective manner while providing employees the best possible protection from hazards in the workplace.

The primary benefit is a reduction in the possibility of accidents; the secondary benefit is the elimination of OSHA citations.

A successful safety system should be easy to understand, easy to implement, and OSHA compliant.
In spite of the above, on any given day some of the employees of companies that have adequate safety programs in place will be tempted to cut a few corners, take a few chances, push the safety envelope.

That is the reason for continued training, safety meetings, inspections, and enforcement – to nip this type of behavior in the bud. In the event OSHA catches an employee violating an OSHA standard, the employer can demonstrate with documentation that they have done all that is reasonably possible to provide a safe work site. The focus is two-fold:
1. A safe work site.
2. No citations.

But what if . . .

What if the accident you are striving to prevent occurs?

Well, there is always the well-stocked first aid kit. A minor scrape is easy to handle.
Even a more serious injury really isn’t that hard to handle. A broken hand, a broken leg – these are serious injuries, but not particularly difficult to deal with.

But what if that lapse of judgment or safety short-cut results in a fatality?

Who ultimately is responsible for each employee? This is both a legal and a moral question.
If you, as an employer, have satisfied your safety obligation as far as OSHA is concerned, OSHA will not hold you liable. In fact, while you may be initially cited, the citations should be dropped after all the facts are presented.

So, again who is responsible for employee safety?

The employee has the primary responsibility for their own well-being. The employee has an obligation to utilize the training, the personal protective equipment, and the procedures provided by the employer.
But the employer has a duty to ensure that workplace hazards are reduced to a minimum by not only establishing a safe work environment, but by always inspecting and enforcing safety.

Safety really is important – it’s more than “just” complying with OSHA standards. Remember, OSHA develops standards with industry, expert, and public input after numerous similar type accidents have occurred. Procedures are designed to preclude a reoccurrence of these mishaps.

Employee QuickTip

A safety program can provide you with the knowledge of how to protect yourself from hazards, but it’s up to you to use that information and stay safe.

Employer/Management QuickTip

Safety policies and procedures in your safety program are designed to prevent accidents. You have the job of implementing and making sure employees follow them.

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Thanks for Reading and Please – Stay Healthy and Work Safe.