With the proper preparation and planning, your safety program can be a powerful tool for reducing the risks of injury, illness and related costs from day-to-day activities in your workplace. To help you better manage the risks of occupational injury, illness and related costs in your workplace, we’ve compiled a list of important features that are typically part of HSR training in Victoria.
1) An understanding of your legal obligations as an H&SR as it pertains to Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), other oversight agencies and possible criminal penalties including fines or imprisonment. This understanding includes creating a positive employer and employee culture that promotes free communication and acts as a deterrent to unsafe activity or behaviour.
2) Have the knowledge necessary to accurately assess hazards, exposure levels and potential associated risks. The ability to conduct inspections, take photographs and calculate exposure times can also be critical skills of an H&R as they relate to understanding the hazards that are present.
3) The knowledge and understanding of the OSHA standards and applicable regulations which includes: The applicable regulatory requirements including mandatory requirements, general industry requirements and unique ones specific to your industry; Pre-employment screening, training and record keeping; Workers Safety and Health Standards; General Duty Clause; record keeping rules; State Plan Identification Number (SPIN); Drug-Free WorkPlace Act (DFWA); Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030); and the General Duty Clause, which applies to all employees per 29 CFR 1910.16.
4) The ability to conduct inspections and conduct an analysis of hazards, exposures or risks associated with any specific task area or job as required by OSHA regulations and as necessary to ensure compliance with applicable regulations. This includes determining if an area is safe for entry into; observing hazardous conditions; and conducting measurements of worker exposure.
5) Ability to evaluate the results of any inspection including the potential for recommendations for improvements such as educational materials or training to address identified hazards, potential errors in record keeping and violations of applicable OSHA standards.
6) The ability to compile accurate reports from the incident, accident and inspection data collection process with the goal of reducing workplace hazards before injuries occur.
7)The ability to properly access, monitor and evaluate OSHA 300 logs for information about current job site activities and for use in trend analysis. Data is typically gathered from these entries on an annual basis for risk management purposes.
8) The ability to perform entry in the 300 Log and communicate exposure data or hazards present to management as per 29 CFR 1910.1200.
9) The ability to draw conclusions and make recommendations based upon inspection findings. As an example, if you observe a dangerous condition or potential hazard, you should recommend conducting an evaluation of future operations which may result in any necessary corrective actions being taken prior to any incident that results in injury or illness.
10) The knowledge and understanding of the OSHA required HSR training, record keeping requirements and other related topics.
11) As an H&SR, you are responsible for creating a productive and safe workplace. This includes understanding how to create policy and procedures in order to ensure greater compliance with all applicable regulations.
Conclusion
If you have the knowledge and skills to perform these duties properly and proposed a plan for managing any identified hazards, you will be on the path to creating an effective and productive safety program. As an H&SR, it is your responsibility to promote a positive working environment for health and safety. To ensure that compliance with all applicable regulations are being met by all workers in your jurisdiction. You also play a key role in providing relevant training programs for all employees as often as required by law or as needed to maintain a safe workplace.