Every business is required by OSHA to have a written safety manual. This safety manual must cover every aspect of OSHA standards that apply to your business and operations.
Because incomplete or outdated manuals can result in a fine from OSHA, it is best to have a manual customized for your business. There are a plethora of template safety manuals available online either for free or a small fee. However, these templates cannot be relied on to be up-to-date with the latest OSHA standards. In addition, using an online template leaves you with little direction in selecting the standards and requirements that apply to your business and specific processes employed by your workers.
OSHA provides a quick start feature online for businesses to learn more about the standards that apply to their facilities. However, even OSHA warns that this outline is not comprehensive to what may apply to each business. This guide is a good place to start though, as it outlines specific hazards that commonly apply in general industry, construction, and healthcare industries.
Employers must review the processes, equipment, and potential hazards at the facility to ensure all applicable OSHA standards are included in the manual. You will need to check for state occupational safety standards that would apply to your business and include those in your safety manual as well. An added benefit of carrying out a thorough review of your facility and work performed there is that, in addition to a complete safety manual, you can outline and take preventative measures for found hazards. This will substantially reduce the number and severity of workplace injuries, and alleviate the associated financial burden.
Most successful safety manuals are based on a common set of key elements. Those include: management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification, hazard prevention and control, education and training, and program evaluation and improvement. You can read more on these topics in A1’s blogs, on Core Elements for a Safety & Health Management Program.
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