OSHA releases recommendations for creating a Safety and Health Plan

Words: Dave AfandadorOSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels released a set of Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs to help employers establish a methodical approach to improving safety at their workplaces.

The recommendations update OSHA’s 1989 guidelines to reflect changes in the economy, workplaces, and evolving safety and health issues. Key principles include: leadership from the top to send a message that safety and health is critical to business operations; worker participation in finding solutions; and a systematic approach to find and fix hazards.

"We know that working together to implement these programs will help prevent injuries and illnesses, and also make businesses more sustainable," said Dr. Michaels, who released the document at the National Safety Council Congress in Anaheim, Calif.

In his remarks, he asked business groups and safety and health professionals to help spread the word through a campaign that encourages creation of a safety and health program using OSHA’s recommendations or others.
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