Health and Safety: I’ve Just Been Handed Safety; What Do I Do?

We’ve just had a reshuffling of responsibilities, and I ended up with safety. We’re a mid-sized manufacturer. Can you give me some guidelines to help me out as I take over this important new role? — Bill C., HR (and Safety) Manager in Palo Alto

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Safety is a big responsibility, especially in a manufacturing setting. Here’s what we recommend:

1. If possible, meet with the person or persons who were previously responsible for safety at your organization. Find out about their experience, including challenges, successes, programs, etc.
2. If you have any staff, meet with them. Find out what they do, what their biggest challenges are, and so on.
3. Review safety records for your facilities, including records of any inspections by Cal/OSHA, Injury and Illness report forms (Cal/OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 forms), safety committee reports (if you have a safety committee), and any similar documents.
4. Try to get a sense of how your safety records stack up against those of other similar organizations by, for example, contacting them or a local Cal/OSHA office.
5. Determine your organization’s goals for the safety program. Doing this will give you a picture of the status of safety in your organization.
6. Review safety training and incentive programs. How often did they run, how long, and what topics were covered?
7. Meet with division and department heads to see what their perceptions are about safety.
8. Do some reading and networking to learn more about safety in general and about programs that work and don’t work.
9. Develop a short-range plan for dealing with critical safety issues and a longer term plan for developing safety programming.
10. Join a safety professionals’ organization and attend a convention to see what’s hot and new in safety management.
11. Check out the Cal/OSHA website and ERI’s Cal/OSHA Compliance Advisor.

Safety in California

California is among the “state-plan” states, which means it has its own work safety program, the California Occupational Safety and Health Act (the Cal/OSH Act), and has received federal authorization to enforce it. This law applies to both private and public sector workplaces.

While California has adopted the federal safety and health standards, it has added many provisions that are stricter than federal rules, including those concerning bloodborne pathogens, electrical safety, emergency preparedness, first aid, hazard communication, lockout/ tagout, machine guarding, material handling (including forklifts), permissible exposure limits for air contaminants, personal protective equipment, process safety, recordkeeping, and requirements for safety plans and safety committees. In addition, penalties for violating Cal/OSH Act provisions are much steeper than federal penalties.

The following are some California-specific safety requirements:

Injury and Illness Prevention Program
All employers must establish and maintain a written injury and illness program for all employees and all other workers under the employer’s control who may be exposed to worksite hazards. The program must include:

• A statement of management’s commitment to safety/ assignment of responsibilities
• A procedure for establishing a safety communication system with employees
• Provisions for employee training and instruction in both general safety practices and hazards specific to each employee’s job
• Provisions for scheduled inspections and evaluation of the system
• Procedures for accident investigation
• Methods and procedures for correcting unsafe/unhealthy conditions in the workplace
• An employer/employee communications system regarding health and safety, including incentives to encourage employee reporting of hazardous conditions
• Procedures to ensure employee compliance with safety rules, including penalties
• A system for recordkeeping and documentation of incidents

Employers with fewer than 20 employees in lower hazard industries are subject to less stringent requirements.

Employee Training
Employees must receive safety and health training in the following circumstances: before beginning work for the employer; on starting a new job assignment; whenever new and potentially hazardous substances, processes, procedures, or equipment are introduced into the workplace; when an employer or supervisor is notified of a new or previously unrecognized hazard; and to ensure that all supervisors are familiar with the safety and health hazards to which employees under their direction and control may be exposed.

Employers may choose to establish safety and health committees at their workplaces to meet the communication system requirements of the state’s illness and injury program.

Injury and Illness Report Forms
Cal/OSHA requires employers to submit illness and injury events on state forms (Cal/OSHA 300, 300A, and 301), which are identical to the corresponding federal forms.

State Ergonomics Standard
California’s ergonomics regulation was the first in the nation to be approved by OSHA. The rule requires that every employer with 10 or more employees and a history of repetitive motion injuries establish a program designed to reduce such injuries.

Help from Cal/OSHA

Cal/OSHA provides free safety and health program assistance to employers. Cal/OSHA staff members can help you identify workplace safety and health hazards, advise you on how to reduce or eliminate those hazards, and assess your safety and health program. They will conduct “no-penalty” assessments, and they can help train employers and employees on a wide range of health and safety topics, including regulatory requirements, as well as provide speakers for workshops, seminars, and meetings.

For information about compliance or about the consultation and training services, contact the Cal/OSHA Division Headquarters or one of the regional offices. You can reach the division headquarters at 455 Golden Gate Ave., 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102, phone the office at (415) 703-5100 or (800) 963-9424 (consultation services), or access its website.

You can contact Cal/OSHA regional offices at:

• 2100 East Katella, Suite 125, Anaheim, CA 92806 or (714) 939-8611
• 2424 Arden Way, Suite 165, Sacramento, CA 95825 or (916) 263-2803
• 1221 Farmer’s Lane, Suite 300, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 or (707) 576-2419
• 6150 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 410, Van Nuys, CA 91401 or (818) 901-5730

 Final Tip

Finally, here’s a pointer about safety management. It’s true that training is key, but often motivation is even more important. Employees will know the safe way to do a task, but they won’t do it that way because of production pressures, inconvenience, or discomfort. You have to get out there and make safety the priority. — CELA Editors