OSHA Safety: How to Stay Compliant

[mk_blockquote font_family=”none”] Accidents can happen in any environment…[/mk_blockquote]The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was developed as part of the U.S. Department of Labor to oversee workplace safety. Most small business owners don’t necessarily consider OSHA requirements essential if they aren’t running a manufacturing facility or working around dangerous equipment.

However, the truth is that accidents can happen in any environment. Here are the best ways to stay compliant with OSHA regulations in your workplace.

State rules and requirements

The first step is to review your state’s own OSHA requirements. They may be slightly different from the federal rules. If you do not live in a place with a state established OSHA board you would automatically revert to the federal OSHA requirements.

Workplace hazards

The next most important step is to determine what may already exist in your office that could become hazardous to your employees.  This will largely depend on your specific industry. The OSHA website can walk you through this step.

Create an OSHA safety and health program

Using the OSHA guidelines you can establish a safety program within your office to ensure the continued health and safety of your staff members. This may require changes to your policies and handbooks as well as a safety manager to ensure that your company maintains its compliance.

Employees must be informed when they are working with hazardous materials

If your business involves any sort of hazardous materials, such as chemicals or cleaners, your staff needs to be made aware of this information. They must also be given the proper tools and safety training to handle these items

Safety training must be provided for all workers

Speaking of safety training, this doesn’t apply only to the materials your team may come into contact with on the job. They must also be given training on what to do if there is a fire or an accident in the workplace as well as ways to prevent these from happening.

Provide safety equipment as necessary

Your staff must also be given any important safety equipment that will reduce their risk of injury while on the job. These might be back braces to aid in lifting, safety glasses to prevent eye injuries or ear protection in loud environments. The specific equipment will be dependent on the type of work each employee is doing

OSHA records of accidents, injuries or illnesses must be kept

Besides providing awareness, training and equipment, an employer is also required to ensure that there are clear records of any incidents on the job. OSHA needs to be notified within a short time, and investigations may be made. These files also need to be kept on hand to be compliant with OSHA requirements.

As a small business owner you may be concerned or even overwhelmed by the necessary steps for OSHA compliance. Cloud-based HCM tools can help employers manage OSHA reporting and remain compliant.

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