What if there’s an accident or a near-miss at your plant? Does your company have a clear safety reporting system in place? If not, here’s what you need to know.
Reasons to Have a Clear Safety Reporting System
- It’s the Law
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires organizations with more than ten employees to keep a record of serious work-related injuries and illnesses. And, employers must maintain these records at the worksite for at least five years. Failure to comply with recordkeeping rules usually results in fines or legal action. - Reporting Prevents Accidents
Recording what happened forces organizations to consider what they could have done to avoid incidents. Furthermore, by studying groups of reports, companies can uncover trends, identify areas of concern and, therefore, improve overall safety processes. This benefits both workers and businesses by increasing wellbeing, morale, productivity, and profits.
How to Implement a Clear Safety Reporting System
- Set a Reporting Policy
Your reporting policy needs to be easy to follow and consistently enforced. Make sure your employees understand 1) How to report. What forms should they use? Where are the forms? Or/And, what computer system should they use to file the information? 2) What to report. What types of accidents require reporting? What key facts must be recorded? And 3) How soon to report. What are the time limits for filing?
- Provide Proper Training
Although safety reporting may seem evident to management, don’t assume your employees automatically know what to do. As part of onboarding, carefully explain procedures to your new hires. You could even have them file a sample report as part of their training. In addition, provide regular refresher courses within ongoing safety training programs. Although this may feel repetitive, it’s better to have your staff overprepared versus unsure about what to do.
Are You Hoping to Add Safety Conscious Employees to Your Organization?
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