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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