OSHA Safe and Sound Week

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced that it will be holding a nationwide event called Safe and Sound Week. The event will take place the week of August 13 through August 19, 2018. The purpose of Safe and Sound Week is to raise awareness and understanding of workplace safety and health programs.

All organizations and industries are invited to participate in Safe and Sound week. OSHA lists three core elements of a successful safety and health program: management leadership, worker participation and finding/fixing hazards.

Management Leadership

It is important for leaders to encourage workers to make safety and health core organizational values. By showing their commitment to safety and health, business owners, executives, managers and supervisors lead by example.

OSHA recommends that the highest-level executive available deliver a health and safety message through either email, video, company newsletter and/or other communication channels such as flyers, posters and social media. The message should include safety and health best practices, goals and strategies.

Companies can also show management leadership by formalizing and publicizing their commitments to safety and health through written policies, program goals and allocation of additional resources. OSHA also recommends that company leaders establish a visible presence to promote safety and health by walking the floor, hosting safety meetings and providing positive encouragement to workers who meet or exceed safety and health goals.

Worker Participation

Employers can encourage worker participation by showing workers they are listening and asking for feedback. Establishing health and safety office hours, hosting discussion sessions and conducting surveys are just some examples of ways to encourage participation.

Employers should provide workers with health and safety information so they are empowered with the knowledge, tools and skills to play an active role in workplace safety and health. Employers can do so by holding training sessions, inviting external experts to give talks and creating a library of safety and health materials.

OSHA encourages employers to recognize workers for their contributions to workplace safety. Hosting a celebration is a nice way to recognize individuals who made safety contributions and remind workers of the importance of workplace safety. Workers who follow best safety and health practices may also be rewarded with gift certificates, company-branded giveaways, lunch with the CEO or top executives or acknowledgement in the “Safety Hall of Fame” program.

Finding and Fixing Hazards

Employers should maintain a systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards. OSHA encourages employers to spotlight hazards and controls by sending email or video blasts, posting tips in high-visibility areas and creating signage for equipment explaining how it can be operated safely.

Employers can also create challenges, contests and competitions for employees to show support and share the lessons they learned in a fun way. This reinforces employers’ commitment to safety and health and encourages adherence to best safety and health practices.

OSHA also recommends that employers evaluate their safety and health processes and systems and conduct analyses to identify hazards. Identifying and correcting hazards before workers get hurt helps to reduce the number of workplace injuries and illnesses.

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