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will perform periodic
safety walkthroughs
to help
identify hazards.
Management’s aim
should be to constantly
remind employees
about the importance of
following all safety rules
and to reinforce safe
behaviors.
Kingsdown adds a financial
incentive by tracking each
facility’s safety record and considering
the results when rating plants
for year-end bonuses, Schmoeller says.
One way to help employees recognize
their stake in a safe, healthy work
Are you prepared for an OSHA inspection?
The National Federation of Independent Business advises
companies to take the following steps to ready themselves
for a possible inspection by the U.S. Occupational
Safety and Health Administration:
➤ Create an effective safety and health program, spelling
out all policies and procedures related to occupational
safety and health hazards that are designed
to protect employees.
➤ Don’t file your safety plan away. Communicate
it in writing and through ongoing training of all
personnel.
➤ Reward employees who maintain a safe work
environment. Correct those who don’t.
➤ Conduct regular safety inspections.
➤ Record and review all injuries to determine
how they happened and how to prevent them
in the future.
➤ Make sure there are employees who
are able to render first aid on-site
and that adequate first aid supplies
always are available.
➤ Conduct regular site maintenance.
Make sure ventilation and other
systems operate properly.
➤ When employees receive safety training,
have them sign a sheet that describes
the information they received.
Keep those sheets in your records.
➤ Properly document any safetyrelated
disciplinary action to better
protect the company in the event
that a future incident draws OSHA
scrutiny.
30 | BedTimes | May 2009
environment is through awards,
recognition, even fun and games.
Some mattress makers’ employees
play a variety of safety games
that hinge on the facility’s safety
performance. Serta raises
safety awareness and encourages
safe behavior
with safety bingo and
other events. (Safety
bingo games can
be purchased online
from a number of suppliers.)
Employees at Simmons facilities
engage in a variety of safety games
and contests for prizes including cash,
luncheons and trophies.
Remain vigilant
It’s never a good time to ease up on
the safety function. Unfortunately,
in an economic downturn, “safety
first” can become “safety—first to
go,” Brazzell says.
“Historically, we’ve seen fluctuations
in injury rates during times
like these,” Schneid says. “Right now,
I have a gut feeling that the economy
is going to have a real impact on
safety. ”
“You must build sustainability
into your safety program, because
the job of safety never ends.” Dawe
says. “At the end of every day, you
want every employee to go home
safely to their family.” BT
If an inspector arrives…
Certified safety consultants and OSHA offer these tips on
what to expect from a safety inspection:
➤ The inspector will begin by describing the extent of
the inspection. It may include employee interviews, a
physical inspection of the workplace and a review of
records.
➤ An inspection may last three to four hours or several
days, depending on the size of the facility and the
scope of the inspection.
➤ Be prepared to answer questions with written evidence
of policies, procedures and practices. Emphasize
that your safety and health program is enforced with
discipline.
➤ Ask if the inspection is a random visit or the result of
an employee complaint.
➤ Accompany the inspector during his or her inspection.
Answer questions but don’t volunteer
information.
➤ Photograph or videotape everything
that is inspected or photographed by
the inspector.
➤ When possible, immediately correct
any safety violations noted by the
inspector.
➤ When finished, the inspector
will offer an overview of noted
hazards, but will not offer specifics
about any citations. OSHA sends
citations in the mail.
➤ Businesses have 15 working days to
participate in an informal conference
with an area OSHA director or to file
a notice of contest.
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