Plan Evaluation & Improvement
Once
a safety plan is established, it should be evaluated initially to verify that
it is being implemented as intended. After that, employers should periodically,
and at least annually, assess what is working and what is not, and whether the plan
is on track to achieve its goals. Whenever these assessments identify
opportunities to improve the plan, employers, managers, and supervisors—in
coordination with workers—should make adjustments and monitor how well the plan
performs as a result. Sharing the results of monitoring and evaluation within
the workplace, and celebrating successes, will help drive further improvement.
Plan
evaluation and improvement includes:
- Establishing,
reporting, and tracking goals and targets that indicate whether the plan
is making progress;
- Evaluating
the plan initially, and periodically thereafter, to identify shortcomings
and opportunities for improvement; and
- Providing
ways for workers to participate in plan evaluation and improvement.
Monitor Performance and Progress
The first step in monitoring is to define indicators
that will help track performance and progress. Next, managers, supervisors, and
workers need to establish and follow procedures to collect, analyze, and review
performance data.
Both lagging and leading indicators
should be used. Lagging indicators generally track worker exposures and
injuries that have already occurred. Leading indicators track how well various
aspects of the plan have been implemented and reflect steps taken to prevent
injuries or illnesses before they occur.
To monitor performance and progress, employers should: