800 Introduction to Construction Safety Management

Safety and Health Policies

Safety policies help to set standards and guidelines for decision-making. They let managers, supervisors and employees make safety decisions with some degree of confidence without having to constantly check with "the boss". Managers, supervisors and workers know they are making decisions that conform to corporate safety policies.

Below are a number of points that would be good to adopt in your companies safety and health policy:

• No job or no task is more important than worker health and safety.
• If a job represents a potential safety or health threat, every effort will be made to plan a safe way to do the task.
• Every procedure must be a safe procedure. Shortcuts in safe procedures by either foremen or workers must not be tolerated.
• If a worker observes any unsafe condition, which may pose a potential threat to their health or safety, it should be expected that employees will immediately correct the situation when feasible or inform management. Management has the responsibility to take adequate precautions, comply with OSHA standards, and assure the safety and health of employees.
• If a job cannot be done safely, it will not be done.
• Management should provide visible ongoing commitment, resources, and leadership to assure the implementation of the SHMS. All employees should be provided equally high quality safety and health protection.
• Leadership within a company should acknowledge the importance of creating a positive safety culture through employee involvement and effective policies and procedures.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.