RC 381
Leadership and Employee Involvement
Pursuant to the conditions set by OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), organizations who choose to implement this aim to promulgate a safe and secure working environment that effectively addresses the safety and health requirements of all personnel. As such, it was explicitly noted from the Regulation Information that outlined the theoretical framework for the VPP that one of the crucial elements which would assist in regular evaluation and review of the organization regarding adherence to OSHA’s safety and health standards is the “high level of management leadership and employee involvement in the safety and health program” .
1. Commitment: Worksite Safety and Health Policy, Objectives and Goals
One of the most important standards that OSHA looks into when assessing and evaluating management’s commitment to abide by safety and health standards in the work setting is the organization’s establishment policies pertaining to safety and health standards. Further, not only should these policies form part of the general policies and procedures of the organization; but more importantly, that these are communicated and should be well understood by all personnel. In addition, to gauge whether the employees clearly understood these safety and health policies, OSHA personnel, during the course of the evaluation and assessment, should be able to confirm that employees can clearly explain what they understood from the safety and health policies and guidelines which are supposed to be disseminated and communicated, accordingly.
Goal setting is an important facet in establishing standards, guidelines, and directions that
organizations earmark to achieve. In terms of policies regarding safety and health in the work setting, the ideal situation is that “all employees are involved in developing goals and can explain desired results and how results are measured” . As such, when leaders and employees are involved in the establishment of goals, it has been proven that employees are more enthusiastic and motivated towards attaining what has been collaborately set.
2. Organization
The commitment and genuine dedication of management and leaders of the organization are also measures of effectiveness in abiding with the VPP. As such, the ideal scenario was also explicitly disclosed as: “all employees can give examples of management's commitment to safety and health” . Therefore, not only should management manifest commitment through the designed policies, as effectively communicated to all personnel; but also, management and leaders must be perfect models who embody the ideals of conformity to safety and health standards. As such, employees would discern the comprehensive commitment of management through their actions, behavior, and policies which are documented and communicated as well.
Likewise, the organization defines that management practices what they preach; meaning, employees clearly observe that management follows and abide by the safety and health policies; as well as enjoin the rest of the stakeholders to adhere to these. Therefore, OSHA is able to evaluate the commitment of management through determining from the employees’ perspectives whether management “follows the rules and addresses the safety behavior of others” .
3. Responsibility
Management assigns line and staff safety and health responsibilities through definition of
specific roles and responsibilities that should conform to the standards of safety and health. Thus, through the policies noted, each personnel is provided with clear tasks and contribution to ensure that standards of safety and health in the work setting is consistently undertaken, performed, and monitored.
4. Accountability
The aspect of accountability should step from clear identification of roles and responsibilities that each worker should take in ensuring compliance to the safety and health program. Thus, the set of policies should also include rewards and sanctions, as required. Those personnel found to be consistently adhering to safety and health standards could be appropriately rewarded or acknowledged. Otherwise, those who fail persistently to these standards must be subject to sanctions and penalties, as collaborately agreed upon. Likewise, with accountability, appropriate transparency should also be ensured.
5. Resources
Management should be able to provide the needed authority (empowerment, delegation of roles and responsibilities) and resources (policies, safety tools and supplies, informational guidelines) that would ensure that safety and health policies are adhered to. For instance, in addressing the problem of reducing stains in meat processing, the organization must have the necessary resources (manpower, money, and machinery) to address the ergonomic risk factors where were deemed associated with the workers’ backs, arms, and hands. Thus, any proposed solution through ergonomic intervention should be applied with proper funds, knowledge and training to the personnel, as well as incorporating any proposed changes in the organization’s safety and health policies.
6. Planning
Management incorporates standards, goals and policies in the safety and health program through annual planning activities. Thus, as part of organizational and strategic planning that takes into consideration earmarked objectives and goals, the safety and health objectives are also incorporated – for instance, there is a target of zero injuries or a decline in work-related injuries of 10% for the coming year.
7. Contract Workers
Even contract workers are accorded with similar treatment with those of regular workers in terms of conformity to safety and health standards that are stipulated in the organization’s policies.
8. Employee Involvement
Aside from measuring the commitment of management to adhere to the safety and health goals and policies which were explicitly designed, OSHA also measures the level of employee involvement and commitment to the program. The checklist which measures conformity to this component aimed to determine employees personal involvement and specific roles in the safety and health program; determination whether they have a significant impact in solving issues relative to health and safety; and whether their involvement are appropriately acknowledged by management.
9. Annual Evaluation of Safety and Health Program
The program review is an important and crucial aspect of the safety and health program where management monitors and reviews the program and determines whether some important changes or corrections should be made. The program review should be regular and should clearly incorporate any changes in the policies for safety and health. As disclosed in the Regulation Information for VPP, there should be “annual safety and health program evaluations with written narrative reports, recommendations for program changes, action plans and verification procedures” . These program reviews would assist both management and employees in making the necessary improvements in their existing safety and health program, to incorporate new guidelines and practices which are deemed most effective in their work setting. Therefore, in view of the need to make the necessary recommendations that would address the strains in meat processing, the organization should therefore incorporate any proposed changes which would be implemented to address the ergonomic risk factors identified therein.
References
OSHA. "Safety and Health Program Assessment Worksheet: I. MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT." n.d. osha.gov. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/safetyhealth/form33i.html. 29 July 2013.
—. "Voluntary Protection Program." Regulation Information. 2008. Print.
