Safety Plans
While
the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (federal OSHA) does not require employers to develop a
safety plan, the agency does encourage the development of these plans as a best
practice to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths, as well as the
suffering and financial hardship these events can cause for workers, their
families, and employers. Federal OSHA's "Recommended
Practices for Safety and Health Programs" guidelines offer a straightforward resource
for developing a safety plan, which is animated by seven core principles that
include management leadership; worker participation; hazard identification and
assessment; hazard prevention and control; education and training; plan
evaluation and improvement; and communication and coordination for host
employers, contractors and staffing agencies.
States may impose their own safety plan
requirements.
These requirements generally call for the adoption of a written general safety
plan and the formation and operation of employee and employer safety committees
at some or all workplaces.
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