MarathonHR shares the four steps required to establish a workplace health & safety program.

1. 2505-D Johnson Drive, Cumming, GA 30040 Phone: 678.208.2802 Fax: 678.208.2803
4 Steps to a Workplace Safety & Health Program

2. STEP 1: Engage the Whole Team From the Start
A company’s leadership sets the tone for job safety. Making employees’ health and safety a
priority will help them feel valued. Involving them in planning demonstrates your commitment
to the program. Here are some actions to consider:
 Meet with key employees to discuss your objectives for
safety & health and develop a plan.
 Develop philosophy, goals and clear assignments of roles &
responsibilities.
 Leverage employees’ specialized knowledge to make
inspections, conduct safety training or investigate accidents.
 Institute an accountability system where all personnel will be
held accountable for not following work rules designed to
promote workplace safety.

3. STEP 2: Identify the Safety Hazards in Your Workplace
Use a hazards chart to identify potential risks in your workplace. Think about ways
employees or customers could be hurt on your worksite.
Potential Worksite Hazards Reasons Hazard May Occur
Slips, Falls, Trips • Liquid or other materials on floor
• Unmarked stairs/step-downs; no accessible handrails
• Working from elevated heights
• Unsecured carpeting
• Cords running across floor area
Cuts, Scrapes, Punctures • Sharp utensils or office supplies
• Minor accidents
Strains & Sprains • Injuries due to improper posture (tendonitis from keyboard use)
• Lifting weight from floor in an unsafe manner; lifting overhead
Machines • Pinch point areas
Chemicals • Spills, splashes or sprays onto floor, skin or eyes
Choking • Establishments that serve food
Electric Shock • Exposed wires
• Unguarded outlets
• Unsafe wire configurations
Burns • Fireplaces, grills, ovens, stoves, candles, hot plates, exposed light bulbs
Weather • Tornado, flood, fire, electric storm, hail, etc.

4. STEP 2: Identify the Safety Hazards in Your Workplace, cont.
For help in getting started with these processes, you can call on your state on-site OSHA Consultation
Program and have an experienced health and safety professional visit your workplace for free and
confidentially.
For a list of consultation projects in each state, see the OSHA website at www.osha.gov/dcsp/ smallbusiness/consult_directory.html.
On site consultants will not:
• Issue citations or propose penalties for
violations of OSHA standards
• Report possible violations to OSHA
enforcement staff
• Guarantee that your workplace will pass
OSHA inspection
On site consultants will:
• Help you recognize hazards in your
workplace
• Suggest general approaches or options for
solving a safety or health problem
• Identify kinds of help available if you need
further assistance
• Provide you with a written report
summarizing findings
• Assist you in developing or maintaining an
effective safety & health program
• Recommend you for a one-year exclusion
from OSHA programmed inspections, once
program criteria are met

5. STEP 3: Implement Systems That Prevent or Control Hazards
Once you have identified your existing and potential hazards, you are ready to implement
the systems that prevent or control those hazards.
Here’s how:
 Set up safe work procedures based on the hazards you
identified
 Enforce the rules for safe work procedures
 Ensure that personal protective equipment (PPE) is used
when needed
 Arrange for regular equipment maintenance
 Plan for emergencies and conduct frequent drills
 Ensure that the procedure for reporting injuries and illnesses is
understood by all
 Perform routine walkthroughs of the workplace to identify
hazards & track corrections of previous hazards

6. STEP 4: Inform & Train Employees on New Safety Procedures
 Post the safety policy clearly at your worksite for easy access to the
information.
 Conduct a quick tour of the worksite to show employees where safety
equipment (first aid kits, fir extinguishers, etc.) is located. Note fire evacuation
and tornado safe areas.
 Ask if anyone is CPR or First Aid certified. List those people’s names by the
first aid kit.
 As new employees come on board, discuss the safety process with them and give
them the tour.
 Document that employees have been told about all hazards & safety procedures.
Once you've created your safety policy and procedures, it's important that all supervisors
and staff are aware of the new policies, especially if they are completely new or have been
revised in some way.

7. DON’T WAIT FOR AN ACCIDENT TO HAPPEN
 Work place safety is something people don’t think about until an
accident happens.
 Putting policies & procedures in place now will help avoid a
headache or crisis in the future.
 If you need help putting together a custom work site safety policy
or any associated procedures, call us at 678-208-2802.