Oregon OSHA Online Course 100
Safety and Health Management Basics
This material is for training purposes only. Its purpose is to inform
Oregon employers of best practices in occupational safety and health and general
Oregon OSHA compliance requirements. This material is not a substitute for any
provision of the Oregon Safety Employment Act or any standards issued by Oregon
OSHA. For more information on this online course and other OR-OSHA online training,
visit the Online
Course Catalog.
MODULE EIGHT: EVALUATING THE SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM
Introduction
The Final element in the Oregon OSHA safety management system model addresses
evaluation of the other elements. As you'll read below, the safety committee is
required to conduct an evaluation and make written recommendations to improve
safety programs. Let's see how you can make sure the evaluation process results
in substantial improvements in the safety management system.
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The Big Picture
OAR 437, Div 1, Rule 765(6)(d)(A) Hazard assessment and control.
The safety committee shall assist the employer in evaluating the employer's
accident and illness prevention program, and shall make written recommendations
to improve the program where applicable. OAR 437, Div 1, Rule 765(e)
Safety and health planning.
The safety committee shall establish procedures for the review of all safety
and health inspection reports made by the committee. Based on the results
of the review, the committee shall make recommendations for improvement
of the employer's accident and illness prevention program. |
A safety management system, like all systems, include structure, inputs, processes,
and outputs. Safety committees need to first acquire adequate knowledge and skills
in the process of evaluation. This module will give you the information to help
you do that.
The Evaluation Process
To improve the safety management system, we must diagnose and eliminate underlying
causes. First, we must evaluate the current system against best practices and
then implement changes to begin the transformation.
It's important to remember that the process of analysis involves breaking
a program up into its component parts to get a good idea how each component impacts
the program. Evaluation, on the other hand, uses the information gained
from the analysis to make a judgment about the quality of a component or the whole
program. The process below describes a form of Gap Analysis and is used
by many companies to improve organizational systems. Let's take a look at the
process:
Step One. Determine where we are now - identify and analyze!
The primary questions asked during this early phase of the evaluation process
are:
- What programs do we have right now
- What does each program look like
- How does it impact the safety management system.
As with all other organizational systems, a safety management system includes
a structure, inputs, processes and outputs.
Structure
One structural model for a safety management system includes four primary functional
positions: the safety manager, safety engineer, human resources coordinator, and
safety committee.
Safety Manager. The safety manager (director, coordinator, officer) position
typically has overall responsibility for the company's safety function. Some of
the other duties and responsibilities of this position include:
- the primary internal consultant to the employer and safety committee
- program manager of all OR-OSHA-mandated standards
- report to production/quality manager
Safety Engineer . This person is the in-house expert and consultant on
eliminating or reducing hazards in the workplace through the application of engineering
controls. The safety engineer is familiar with lockout/tagout, machine guarding,
electrical safety, ventilation, etc.
Human Resource Coordinator. This very important position coordinates and
consults on important human resource programs such as Early Return to Work/Light
Duty, Employee Assistance Program, Drug Free Workplace, incentive/recognition
program, accountability, claims management, etc.
Safety Committee. The primary fact-gathering, problem-solving consultant
team. Assists the safety manager in identifying, analyzing and evaluating the
safety management system.
Inputs
Inputs. Inputs are critical to a successful safety management system.
They include people, facilities, materials, equipment, time, money, and machinery.
Processes
Many processes are conducted with each of the seven elements of the OR-OSHA model.
Use the information below as criteria for conducting your evaluation of the design
and performance of various programs.
- Standards. Analyze system design - written plans, policies, budgets,
processes, procedures, appraisals, job descriptions, rules. Are they informative/directive,
clear, concise, communicated inputs indicate probable effectiveness?
- Conditions. Inspect the workplace for hazards. The absence of physical
hazards and psychosocial factors that contribute to stress indicates effectiveness.
- Performance. Observe both employee and manager behaviors. Consistent
appropriate behavior and adherence to safety and health responsibilities indicate
effectiveness.
- Knowledge, attitudes. Analyze what employees are thinking by conducting
a survey. Full knowledge, positive attitudes, high trust and low fear indicate
effectiveness.
- Results. Analyze accident trends, MOD rates, etc. Continually improving
results indicate effectiveness.
Step 2: Determine best policies and practices for your industry - visualize!
The primary question: What do we want our safety system to look like? Research
best practices with your industry by networking with other safety and health professionals.
Subscribe to industry publications. In Oregon, an excellent source of help is
the SHARP Alliance, an association
of companies and organizations that have earned Oregon OSHA's Safety and Health
Achievement Recognition Program award. You can also gain insight by reading safety
and health magazines such as OSHA's Job
Safety and Health Quarterly, The American Society of Safety Engineer's Safety
Professional, Compliance Magazine,
Ergonomics Solutions Magazine,
Occupational Hazards, and others.
Step 3: Evaluate the system for strengths and weaknesses - scrutinize!
The primary question: How well are system components working?
- Take advantage of outside experts. Our OR-OSHA consultants are available
at no charge to provide confidential on-site consultations that can be helpful
in evaluating your safety management system.
- Rate your current safety management system against best practices. You may
want to develop something like the rating system below as part of your evaluation
process.
| 5-Fully Met: |
Analysis indicates the condition, behavior, or action described in this
statement is fully met and effectively applied. There is room for continuous
improvement, but workplace conditions and behaviors, indicate effective
application. (Employees have full knowledge and express positive attitudes.
Employees and managers not only comply, but exceed expectations. Effective
leadership is emphasized and exercised. Safety policies and standards are
clear, concise, fair, informative and directive, communicate commitment
to everyone. Results in this area reflect continual improvement is occurring.
This area is fully integrated into line management. First line management
reflect safe attitude and behavior. Safety is first priority. |
| 3-Mostly Met: |
Analysis indicates the condition, behavior, or action described in this
statement is adequate, but there is still room for improvement. Workplace
conditions, if applicable, indicate compliance in this area. Employees have
adequate knowledge, express generally positive attitudes. Some degree of
trust between management and labor exists. Employees and managers comply
with standards. Leadership is adequate in this area. Safety policies and
standards are in place and are generally clear, concise, fair, informative
and directive. Results in this area is consistently positive, but may not
reflect continual improvement. |
| 1-Partially Met: |
Analysis indicates the condition, behavior, or action described in this
statement is partially met. Application is most likely too inadequate to
be effective. Workplace conditions, if applicable, indicate improvement
is needed in this area. Employees lack adequate knowledge, express generally
negative attitudes. Mistrust may exist between management and labor. Employees
and managers fail to adequately comply or fulfill their accountabilities.
Lack of adequate management and leadership in this area. Safety policies
and standards are in place and are generally clear, concise, fair, informative
and directive. Results in this area are inconsistent, negative, and does
not reflect continual improvement. |
| 0-Not Present: |
Analysis indicates the condition, behavior, or action described in this
statement does not exist or occur. |
Apply the criteria above when conducting an audit or survey. You may also want
to have a number of your employees complete the Sharp
Alliance Survey to get their perceptions about the over all quality of
your company's safety management system.
Improving the Safety Management System
When you decide some part of the safety management system needs to be improved,
it's important use a systematic process to make sure the change is effective.
We encourage the use of W. Edwards Deming's Plan-Do-Study-Act
process. Let's take a brief look at this process:
Step 1: Plan – Design the change or test. Take time to thoroughly plan
the proposed change before it’s implemented. Pinpoint specific conditions, behaviors,
results you expect to see as a result of the change. Plan to ensure successful
transition as well as change.
Step 2: Do - Carry out the change or test. Implement the change or test
it on a small scale. This will help limit the number of variables and potential
damage if unexpected outcomes occur. Educate, train, communicate the change…help
everyone transition. Keep the change small to better measure variable.
Step 3: Study – Examine the effects or results of the change or test. To
determine what was learned: what went right or wrong. Statistical process analysis,
surveys, questionnaires, interviews
Step 4: Act – Adopt, abandon, or repeat the cycle . Incorporate what works
into the system. Ask not only if we're doing the right things, but ask if we're
doing things right. If the result was not as intended, abandon the change or begin
the cycle again with the new knowledge gained.
Let's Review
36. The safety committee make written recommendations to primarily improve
safety ________.
a. conditions
b. behaviors
c. programs
d. attitudes
37. A safety management system, like all systems, include which of the following
components?
a. structure, inputs, processes, outputs
b. training, commitment, analysis, evaluation
c. people, places, programs, purposes
d. controlling, leading, organizing, training
38. The safety manager position typically has responsibility for all of the
following, except:
a. manages the safety management system
b. enforces all safety policies and rules
c. program manager for OR-OSHA standards
d. reports to production/quality manager
39. The first step in Gap Analysis is to:
a. reference OR-OSHA standards
b. benchmark for best practices
c. determine where we are now
d. determine where we want to be
40. Why is it important to implement the change or test on a small scale?
a. reduce the possibility of error
b. limit the damage from unexpected outcomes
c. cover your assets
d. All of the above
Answer the questions on the following review quiz. Here are the answers.
Hey, you did it! If you haven't been working on the course assignments
yet, download the assignments page
to draft your responses. Then, go online to the
I hope the information within these seven modules as been helpful to you and I
hope to see you participate in another course soon. When you're ready, go to the
Course Assignments and Quiz web page to submit your coursework, evaluation, and
certificate information. I'll see you in a workshop or another internet course!
And remember, if you have any questions or comments, just drop me an email at
email.
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