The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued new recommended practices for safety and health programs in construction to help industry employers develop proactive programs to keep workplaces safe.
The recommendations could be particularly helpful to small- and medium-sized contractors who lack safety and health specialists on staff, according to the agency.
Benefits of Safety, Health Programs
Safety and health programs encourage finding and fixing workplace hazards before injuries, illnesses, and deaths can result, OSHA said. Implementing these programs also helps reduce the financial difficulties these events can cause for workers, their families, and their employers.
Contractors can create a safety and health program using a number of simple steps, according to OSHA. These include training workers on how to identify and control hazards, inspecting the jobsite with workers to identify problems with equipment and materials, and developing responses to possible emergency scenarios in advance.
“The recommendations outlined in this document will help contractors prevent injuries and illnesses on their construction sites and make their companies more profitable,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant labor secretary at OSHA.
Flexible Implementation
The recommended practices for a safety and health program are flexible and can be adjusted to fit small and large construction companies handling short-term or multi-year projects, OSHA said.
Working with employees to implement a program can also offer other benefits, according to the agency, including improvements in production and quality, greater employee morale, improved employee recruiting and retention, and a more favorable image and reputation among customers, suppliers, and the community.
These recommendations are only on an advisory basis and do not create any new legal obligations or alter existing obligations created by OSHA standards or regulations, the agency said.
For more information, contact: OSHA (202) 693-7828, www.osha.gov