mitment is viable. Documentation and instructions of “in case of” scenarios should be included. Emergency contact information is also a must. For example: The company requires that a committee meeting must be performed every quarter. The instructions will outline the number of members the committee must have in attendance, the content of meetings, meeting min- utes documented, time frame for action items and follow up topics for the next scheduled meeting time. Use an actual corporate approved form for items such as for accident reporting and accident investigation and instruc- tions to be followed in the manual. This will help in familiar- izing your team with a uniform format. A clean and simple format will also make the document an easy read for your team members and will make it more manageable to comply with the company standards. Lastly, produce an outline of procedures or instructions for the use of equipment that the company uses during the course of its daily chores or tasks. Each department has its own equipment and must train according to this outline. In- surance companies will refer to your policies to follow up on a serious injury or accident claim. Check with your insurance carrier for guidance or requirements that you may need to follow.
Here is where a successful training program can be effectively launched. The parts of your safety policy manual which have the forms and which states proper procedures can essentially be duplicated into a training handbook for each level of worker in each department or branch of your organization.
A training handbook specific to the job descriptions as outlined in the safety manual may mitigate many accidents or mistakes that could occur to a new hire. An easy way to know if your company is prioritizing safety is to track the training levels achieved and any safety key performance indicators such as: days since last incident; number of near misses reported; annual change in percent- age of training compliance; annual review of total incidents incurred. This information can also be most useful in your com- mittee, budgeting and planning meetings and during team member performance reviews.
HOW DOES A SAFETY MANUAL PROTECT YOUR COMPANY IN AN INSPECTION? During an inspection, an inspector will inevitably ask for a written safety policy and all documentation of training, inspections and discipline. This documentation becomes
important after the inspection, as a company may need to challenge or attempt to mitigate any possible penalties. By being proactive and regularly assessing your company policies you will be able to answer the questions that an actual inspector may ask.
1. Is there is a system or policy in place? 2. Are company’s team members being trained in it? 3. Is management doing regular inspections and enforcing the safety policy?
Practice answering these questions regularly and honestly and you will be sure to keep your workforce safe and be confident that your company is delivering a responsible and positive outcome every time. 7
Jorge Gomez from Dallas, Texas is a 33 year veteran in the landscape industry and is currently a member of NALP Safety and Risk Management Committee.
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