Benefits, Procedure, and Roles in OSHA Programs

OSHA Alliance Program and its Benefits

Benefits of OSHA alliances The OSHA Alliance Program works with several groups with the aim of providing safety to the workers and maintaining their health status by preventing injuries, illnesses and fatalities. The program includes several consulates, professional and trade organizations, educational institutions and unions that develop and formulate compliance assistance resources and tools, while sharing relevant information with the employers and educating them about their responsibilities and roles (Lamba, 2013). Thus, it creates several health and safety products that help the employers to gain a sound understanding on the specific hazards that may occur in the industry.

The pamphlet on electrical hazards informs the employee about the hazards associated with work on aerial devices and also formulates guidelines (Zhang et al., 2013). The operator training for aerial equipment pamphlet helps the workers identify training practices for operation and inspection of aerial equipment. The potential hazards are identified by the fact sheet on baggage tug and carts, thereby preventing accidents due to equipment or aircraft damage.  Thus, the program increases the access of the employers to effective workplace health and safety tools. It also leverages resources for maximizing health protection and worker safety and establishes progressive dialogue with the agencies for establishing worker rights, thereby giving benefits to the employees (OSHA, 2013).

Procedure required for achieving STAR status- The Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) partners with worksites and business by recognizing their excellence in maintaining occupational health and safety. The sites that display commitment towards effective protecting of their employees beyond the requirements of the proposed OSHA standards are given the star status every three-five years. The primary objective of participating in the VPP instills a high degree of awareness on safety for all employees (Howard & Hearl, 2012). There are three levels of participation that include demonstration, merit and star. Meeting the merit goal is considered imperative for achieving the star status. Worksites that demonstrate good health management and safety provisions, in combination with the commitment to meet the goals tailored for each site are better suited for achieving the star status.

On-site evaluations assess the star eligibility requirements and performance. Therefore, an industry or worksite should demonstrate exemplary practice in comprehensive and successful management of health and safety systems in their setting (Brackey, 2013). It is essential for the companies to achieve an injury and illness rate below the national average for the respective industries. The companies should also be self-sufficient for controlling workplace hazards. An annual evaluation of the incident rates and re-evaluation every 3-5 years helps in conferring the star status (OSHA, 2009).

Achieving STAR Status through the Voluntary Protection Program

OSHA voluntary cooperative program for small business that prints letterheads- The On-site consultation program can be utilised by a small business that prints letterheads and business card. This program will offer confidential and free occupational health and safety advice. It will emphasise on preventing hazards at the worksites. Consultation by using the program will help employers to identify the potential hazards at their worksites. It will also create provisions for improving health hazard prevention strategies that already exist at their place (Mendeloff & Gray, 2012). The company may also qualify for a 1 year exemption for the routine inspections by OSHA. The consultation will be delivered by well trained staff from the state government, on-site and will make use of limited services that are available at the workplace.

The consultation will maintain confidentiality in terms of the company and all information related to the workplace (Autenrieth et al., 2015). Furthermore, the unhealthful and unsafe working conditions that exist in the organization will also not be during the routine OSHA inspection. The company is also eligible for the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) that will place it in an elite group of small companies that maintain exemplary illness and injury prevention strategies. It will help in building a reputation, providing protection and creating a better working environment (OSHA, 2013).

Role of challenge administrators- The OSHA Challenge was launched in the form of a pilot program in 2009 for helping workers and employees work in partnership with designated challenge administrators with the aim of improving and developing health and safety management programs. Criteria for challenge administrators include presence of a nonprofit corporation demonstrating experience and knowledge in health and safety management programs (Kastrinsky, 2013). The challenge administrators are responsible sponsoring specific number of participants who are considered eligible by the OSHA guidelines. The administrators have the responsibility of sponsoring at least 10 participants and serve as the primary point of contact of the former and OSHA. Their duties also involve appointing coordinators for managing and assisting activities of the selected participants.

These administrators also guide the participants through a series of well structured stages that helps the latter to make incremental improvements in the health and safety management system (Dudley & Morriss, 2015). The challenge administrators also have the responsibility of reporting on the progress demonstrated by the challenge participants on a periodic basis. They mentor the participants through the challenge stages by delivering technical assistance and support. Verifications are also performed through document reviews, site visits and telephone conferencing for determining whether the participants have met the stage requirements (OSHA, 2004).

References

Autenrieth, D. A., Brazile, W. J., Gilkey, D. P., Reynolds, S. J., June, C., & Sandfort, D. (2015). Client perceptions of occupational health and safety management system assistance provided by OSHA on-site consultation: results of a survey of Colorado small business consultation clients. Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene, 12(11), 804-817.

Brackey, A. C. (2013). Process safety management: 21 years plus or minus: What i wish i'd known then and what we can't afford to forget now!. Process Safety Progress, 32(3), 260-263.

Dudley, S. E., & Morriss, A. P. (2015). Will the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Proposed Standards for Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica Reduce Workplace Risk?. Risk Analysis, 35(7), 1191-1196.

HOwArd, J., & HeArl, F. (2012). Occupational Safety and Health in the USA: Now and the Future. Industrial health, 50(2), 80-83.

Kastrinsky, H. M. (2013). EEOC Issues Draft of 2012–2016 Strategic Plan• IRS Provides Guidance for Determining Full?Time Status for Purposes of Affordable Care Act• DOL Tip Credit Regulations Survive Court Challenge• DOL Issues New FMLA Guidebook• OSHA Revises Whistleblower Procedures• New Fair Credit Reporting Form Goes into Effect. Employment Relations Today, 39(4), 53-58.

Lamba, A. (2013). Practice designing out hazards in the real world. Professional Safety, 58(1), 34.

Mendeloff, J., & Gray, W. (2012). OSHA does not kill jobs; It helps prevent jobs from killing workers. American journal of industrial medicine, 55, 961-963.

Occupational safety and health administration directorate of cooperative and state programs, . (2004). OSHA Challenge Pilot. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/osha-challenge-pilot.pdf

Occupational safety and health administration directorate of cooperative and state programs, . (2009). Voluntary Protection Programs. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/factsheet-vpp.pdf

Occupational safety and health administration directorate of cooperative and state programs, . (2013). The OSHA Alliance Program . Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/factsheet-alliance.pdf

Occupational safety and health administration directorate of cooperative and state programs, . (2013). The OSHA Consultation Program. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/factsheet-consultations.pdf

Zhang, S., Teizer, J., Lee, J. K., Eastman, C. M., & Venugopal, M. (2013). Building information modeling (BIM) and safety: Automatic safety checking of construction models and schedules. Automation in Construction, 29, 183-195.