OSHA 4 V DB

OSH 2304, Introduction to Contractor Safety 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

5. Discuss contractor safety from a safety management systems perspective. 5.1 Identify ways the safety culture of a construction company can be established or improved.

Required Unit Resources Chapter 3: Pro-Active Safety Strategies in Construction: Safety Culture, Total Safety Management, and Other Strategies Chapter 7: Construction Safety and Health: Programs, Plans, and Policies In order to access the following resource, click the link below. Read pages 1–8 in the following document listed below. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2016). Recommended practices for safety and health in

construction (OSHA Document No. 3886). United States Department of Labor. https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/8524_OSHA_Construction_Guidelines_R4.pdf

Unit Lesson Imagine that you are a theater producer and you are preparing for your next project. So far, you have a broad idea of what you want the show to be about. Are you ready to begin the show? Certainly not! You need to have a script. Once the script is written, you need to hire the cast. But you still cannot begin until the cast learns their parts and rehearses the scenes. You need a set, props, costumes, lights, and a stage crew. Many elements must come together in order for the production to be successful. What does this have to do with construction safety? Simply put, planning is essential for the success of any endeavor. You would not send actors onstage without preparing them and providing the necessary tools. You start with a written script and work from there. In the world of accident prevention, a written safety plan is the equivalent of the script. It is the document everyone follows to reach the goal. In a stage production, the goal is a successful performance. In safety, the goal is to reduce the chance of injury or illness. There are many examples of safety plans and safety management systems in the literature, but there are elements common to all. The consensus seems to be that effective safety management includes:

1. Management leadership: All levels of management must demonstrate commitment to the safety efforts. Without this element, the program will not succeed.

2. Worker participation: Workers who are actively involved and empowered are more likely to take ownership and responsibility.

3. Hazard identification and assessment: A structured process is used to identify hazards and determine the level of risk

4. Hazard prevention and control: Actions are taken to eliminate hazards or reduce the risks 5. Education and training: Workers are provided the information needed to protect themselves from

workplace hazards. 6. Program evaluation: Effectiveness of injury/illness prevention efforts are measured, and actions are

taken to improve performance when needed (Goetsch, 2018; Martin & Corcoran, 2018; OSHA, 2016a).

UNIT V STUDY GUIDE Safety Management Programs and Culture

OSH 2304, Introduction to Contractor Safety 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

Effective safety management systems are “top down” systems—that is, the highest levels of management must fully support and become engaged in the entire effort. Management engagement is more than just issuing a safety policy statement and written plan. All levels of management must demonstrate their commitment through their actions by taking part in all the other aspects of the safety management system. Many safety management systems follow a continuous improvement process, sometimes called a plan-do- check-act or PDCA cycle. The plan and do elements are important, but some organizations put little effort into the check and act elements. Going back to the theater analogy for a moment, we plan the production by writing the script, selecting actors, scenery, sets and props, and rehearsing. Only then can we do the production. How do we know if the show will work as planned? We could wait until opening night and read what the critics have to say, or we could conduct a dress rehearsal, evaluate the show ourselves and then make changes as needed, thus improving the odds of a positive review. A safety management system also needs to be evaluated once it is in place. We could wait to see if any accidents happen and then make needed adjustments, but similar to having a dress rehearsal, it is more effective to examine (check) the process before any accidents happen. The difficulty in accident prevention is knowing what to look for and how to act to make effective changes. Most organizations use accident rates to measure program effectiveness. We can certainly learn from accidents by investigating them thoroughly and determining causal factors. But accident rates are lagging indicators, that is, a measurement based on failure. Effective accident prevention also requires leading indicators that allow us to take action before the failure. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires organizations to calculate accident rates, it also recognizes the importance of leading indicators as a proactive approach to accident prevention (OSHA, 2016b). Leading indicators must be tailored to the organization’s operations, but they typically include measurements of safety training completed, job hazard analyses completed, hazards identified and corrected, and workplace observations of safe and unsafe behaviors (OSHA, 2016b). The effectiveness of any safety management system is dependent on the safety culture of the organization. Sometimes referred to as “the way we do things around here,” an organization’s culture is its system of expected performance (Manuela, 2014). Safety culture, then, is the system of expected performance for the safety management plan. Organizational safety culture starts with top management. As we noted earlier, management’s actions influence how everyone else acts. Let’s say that an organization has a policy that states “safety is our first priority.” What does that mean? It seems to indicate that safety will be considered before anything else. However, priorities can, and do, change. It is not uncommon for some safety procedures to be set aside in order to meet an urgent production deadline. Despite what might be written and published, if management acts differently, that becomes the reality for employees (Manuela, 2014). A true safety culture establishes safety as a core value in everything that is done. This means that everyone in the organization is committed to reducing risks to an acceptable level, are empowered to take actions that reflect that core value, and demonstrate this value in their actions. It is also important to note that while a safety culture defines expected safe behaviors, workers should not be expected to demonstrate the desired behaviors unless they have been fully trained (Goetsch, 2018). Workers must be monitored for the desired behaviors and corrections made. Allowing unsafe behaviors, even when it might seem expedient, will quickly undermine any efforts to establish or maintain a safety culture.

(Adapted from Goetsch, 2018)

OSH 2304, Introduction to Contractor Safety 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

Safety professionals are in a unique position to influence the safety culture. Manuela (2014) lists a number of ways safety professionals can exert this influence:

• data gathering and analysis to identify process shortcomings, • applying best practices for hazard identification and analysis, • giving advice on prioritizing risks, and • recommending management system actions needed for improvement.

Remember that the safety culture is controlled by management, not the safety professional. By providing advice and guidance to management, safety professionals become agents of change (Manuela, 2014). What does an effective safety culture look like? Goetsch (2018) provides some things to look for:

• fewer accidents than similar companies, • positive safety attitude of decision makers, • safety and health considerations addressed in the decision-making process, • employees empowered to speak up and take action, • peer pressure encouraging safe behaviors, • recognition and reward for safety program participation, • management personnel as role models for safe behaviors, • ongoing comprehensive safety training. and • working safely addressed in position descriptions and performance appraisals.

The ever-changing nature of construction sites presents some unique challenges for the safety professional. Hazards can be identified and controlled one day, only to find new hazards appearing the next day as the job progresses. A well-designed safety management plan executed within a positive safety culture will enable organizations to identify and control emerging hazards quickly and efficiently.

References Goetsch, D. L. (2018). Construction safety and the OSHA standards (2nd ed.). Pearson. Manuele, F. A. (2014). Advanced safety management: Focusing on Z10 and serious injury prevention (2nd

ed.). Wiley. Martin, L., & Corcoran, D. (2018). Supervisors’ safety manual (11th ed.). National Safety Council. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2016a, October). Recommended practices for safety and

health in construction (OSHA Document No. 3886). United States Department of Labor. https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/8524_OSHA_Construction_Guidelines_R4.pdf

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2016b). The use of metrics in process safety management

(PSM) facilities (OSHA Fact Sheet No. DOC FS-3896). United States Department of Labor. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3896.pdf

Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. Conduct internet research to identify a construction company that prides itself on maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. Determine which of the strategies discussed in this unit the company uses to maintain a safe and healthy work environment.

OSH 2304, Introduction to Contractor Safety 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

5. Discuss contractor safety from a safety management systems perspective. 5.1 Identify ways the safety culture of a construction company can be established or improved.

Required Unit Resources Chapter 3: Pro-Active Safety Strategies in Construction: Safety Culture, Total Safety Management, and Other Strategies Chapter 7: Construction Safety and Health: Programs, Plans, and Policies In order to access the following resource, click the link below. Read pages 1–8 in the following document listed below. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2016). Recommended practices for safety and health in

construction (OSHA Document No. 3886). United States Department of Labor. https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/8524_OSHA_Construction_Guidelines_R4.pdf

Unit Lesson Imagine that you are a theater producer and you are preparing for your next project. So far, you have a broad idea of what you want the show to be about. Are you ready to begin the show? Certainly not! You need to have a script. Once the script is written, you need to hire the cast. But you still cannot begin until the cast learns their parts and rehearses the scenes. You need a set, props, costumes, lights, and a stage crew. Many elements must come together in order for the production to be successful. What does this have to do with construction safety? Simply put, planning is essential for the success of any endeavor. You would not send actors onstage without preparing them and providing the necessary tools. You start with a written script and work from there. In the world of accident prevention, a written safety plan is the equivalent of the script. It is the document everyone follows to reach the goal. In a stage production, the goal is a successful performance. In safety, the goal is to reduce the chance of injury or illness. There are many examples of safety plans and safety management systems in the literature, but there are elements common to all. The consensus seems to be that effective safety management includes:

1. Management leadership: All levels of management must demonstrate commitment to the safety efforts. Without this element, the program will not succeed.

2. Worker participation: Workers who are actively involved and empowered are more likely to take ownership and responsibility.

3. Hazard identification and assessment: A structured process is used to identify hazards and determine the level of risk

4. Hazard prevention and control: Actions are taken to eliminate hazards or reduce the risks 5. Education and training: Workers are provided the information needed to protect themselves from

workplace hazards. 6. Program evaluation: Effectiveness of injury/illness prevention efforts are measured, and actions are

taken to improve performance when needed (Goetsch, 2018; Martin & Corcoran, 2018; OSHA, 2016a).

UNIT V STUDY GUIDE Safety Management Programs and Culture

OSH 2304, Introduction to Contractor Safety 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

Effective safety management systems are “top down” systems—that is, the highest levels of management must fully support and become engaged in the entire effort. Management engagement is more than just issuing a safety policy statement and written plan. All levels of management must demonstrate their commitment through their actions by taking part in all the other aspects of the safety management system. Many safety management systems follow a continuous improvement process, sometimes called a plan-do- check-act or PDCA cycle. The plan and do elements are important, but some organizations put little effort into the check and act elements. Going back to the theater analogy for a moment, we plan the production by writing the script, selecting actors, scenery, sets and props, and rehearsing. Only then can we do the production. How do we know if the show will work as planned? We could wait until opening night and read what the critics have to say, or we could conduct a dress rehearsal, evaluate the show ourselves and then make changes as needed, thus improving the odds of a positive review. A safety management system also needs to be evaluated once it is in place. We could wait to see if any accidents happen and then make needed adjustments, but similar to having a dress rehearsal, it is more effective to examine (check) the process before any accidents happen. The difficulty in accident prevention is knowing what to look for and how to act to make effective changes. Most organizations use accident rates to measure program effectiveness. We can certainly learn from accidents by investigating them thoroughly and determining causal factors. But accident rates are lagging indicators, that is, a measurement based on failure. Effective accident prevention also requires leading indicators that allow us to take action before the failure. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires organizations to calculate accident rates, it also recognizes the importance of leading indicators as a proactive approach to accident prevention (OSHA, 2016b). Leading indicators must be tailored to the organization’s operations, but they typically include measurements of safety training completed, job hazard analyses completed, hazards identified and corrected, and workplace observations of safe and unsafe behaviors (OSHA, 2016b). The effectiveness of any safety management system is dependent on the safety culture of the organization. Sometimes referred to as “the way we do things around here,” an organization’s culture is its system of expected performance (Manuela, 2014). Safety culture, then, is the system of expected performance for the safety management plan. Organizational safety culture starts with top management. As we noted earlier, management’s actions influence how everyone else acts. Let’s say that an organization has a policy that states “safety is our first priority.” What does that mean? It seems to indicate that safety will be considered before anything else. However, priorities can, and do, change. It is not uncommon for some safety procedures to be set aside in order to meet an urgent production deadline. Despite what might be written and published, if management acts differently, that becomes the reality for employees (Manuela, 2014). A true safety culture establishes safety as a core value in everything that is done. This means that everyone in the organization is committed to reducing risks to an acceptable level, are empowered to take actions that reflect that core value, and demonstrate this value in their actions. It is also important to note that while a safety culture defines expected safe behaviors, workers should not be expected to demonstrate the desired behaviors unless they have been fully trained (Goetsch, 2018). Workers must be monitored for the desired behaviors and corrections made. Allowing unsafe behaviors, even when it might seem expedient, will quickly undermine any efforts to establish or maintain a safety culture.

(Adapted from Goetsch, 2018)

OSH 2304, Introduction to Contractor Safety 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

Safety professionals are in a unique position to influence the safety culture. Manuela (2014) lists a number of ways safety professionals can exert this influence:

• data gathering and analysis to identify process shortcomings, • applying best practices for hazard identification and analysis, • giving advice on prioritizing risks, and • recommending management system actions needed for improvement.

Remember that the safety culture is controlled by management, not the safety professional. By providing advice and guidance to management, safety professionals become agents of change (Manuela, 2014). What does an effective safety culture look like? Goetsch (2018) provides some things to look for:

• fewer accidents than similar companies, • positive safety attitude of decision makers, • safety and health considerations addressed in the decision-making process, • employees empowered to speak up and take action, • peer pressure encouraging safe behaviors, • recognition and reward for safety program participation, • management personnel as role models for safe behaviors, • ongoing comprehensive safety training. and • working safely addressed in position descriptions and performance appraisals.

The ever-changing nature of construction sites presents some unique challenges for the safety professional. Hazards can be identified and controlled one day, only to find new hazards appearing the next day as the job progresses. A well-designed safety management plan executed within a positive safety culture will enable organizations to identify and control emerging hazards quickly and efficiently.

References Goetsch, D. L. (2018). Construction safety and the OSHA standards (2nd ed.). Pearson. Manuele, F. A. (2014). Advanced safety management: Focusing on Z10 and serious injury prevention (2nd

ed.). Wiley. Martin, L., & Corcoran, D. (2018). Supervisors’ safety manual (11th ed.). National Safety Council. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2016a, October). Recommended practices for safety and

health in construction (OSHA Document No. 3886). United States Department of Labor. https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/8524_OSHA_Construction_Guidelines_R4.pdf

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2016b). The use of metrics in process safety management

(PSM) facilities (OSHA Fact Sheet No. DOC FS-3896). United States Department of Labor. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3896.pdf

Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. Conduct internet research to identify a construction company that prides itself on maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. Determine which of the strategies discussed in this unit the company uses to maintain a safe and healthy work environment.