Safety
Plans
A Primer: Controlling your
Liability
Safety Policy -
Safety Plan - Safety Program...What's the Difference?
A policy is a written statement
of the intent of a company to provide its workers
with an overall guide to working in a hazardous
environment. The policy is generalized and not specific
in nature. It does not mention specific safety requirements
in detail such as what personal protection equipment
(PPE) must be used when working in a specific environment.
The policy speaks in terms of generalities, such
as, "Every plant and locations will have established
safety rules, regulations, and procedures for that
particular area, and these rules regulations and
procedures will be followed by anyone that enters
those areas."
A safety plan is a hands-on
document that is available to all personnel at any
time there is a question of how to proceed in a
specific hazardous activity or environment. In addition,
the reading and understanding of each appropriate
section of the document that affects the employee
must be accompanied by training, typically consisting
of classroom or hands-on experience or a combination
of the two. For example, an employee may read their
organization's "policy" stating that when at a rig
location, or on the plant floor, hard hat &
steel toe shoes should be worn at all times, along
with the appropriate safety glasses. The "plan"
would state were exactly the above mention items
should be worn, required amount of training before
use, limitations of the device along with any other
information designed to protect the worker. Giving
the employee the perfect amount of necessary intellectual
and physical tools to perform work safely. In addition,
the plan would indicate under which situations or
what particular locations the PPE should be used.
A safety program is the sum
of all elements of the policy and the plan. Your
organization cannot have a comprehensive "program"
unless it first has an idea of where it wants to
go (safety wise) with a policy, how to implement
the ideas of the policy with a specific plan, and
provide employee training in conjunction with use
of protective measures and tools in terms of work
practices. Some of the elements included in the
overall program, which can be provided by RSI, include
the following:
- The written policy
- The written overall safety
plan
- The written site or area
specific safety plan
- Training for all affected
individuals on the use of the plan
- Personal Protection Equipment,
including monitors, hard hats, hearing protection,
full body harnesses, etc.
- Signage posting requirements,
including hazard signs, OSHA 5 in 1, New OSHA
300, etc.
- Designated Competent and
Qualified Safety Person
- Recurrent training
- Hazard Inventory
- Hazard Communications program
and Material Safety Data Sheets
A problem for many companies
and organizations is reliance on their "policies"
to provide information to their employees. This
practice does not meet OSHA's criteria for written
safety plans, as all hazards must be identified
and a specific plan of action issued for those personnel
that require access to the area containing the hazard.
Don't be fooled into thinking that a "policy" is
enough to protect your company from fines or litigation
from exposed employees. You must at a minimum have
a site or company specific written safety plan accompanied
by training for all affected employees that may
be exposed to a hazard or hazardous conditions as
part of their employment. For all the above needs,
contact one of RSI's Safety Professionals.
