Should Companies Participate in New OSHA Safety Champions Program?

Last week, we reported that OSHA announced that it is launching a Safety Champions Program. This program is aligned with other initiatives that OSHA has recently announced, which emphasize working with businesses to achieve safety goals, as Dave Blanchard observed when reporting on a LinkedIn presentation made by David Keeling, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. 

In fact, OSHA said that this program "meets businesses where they are on their pathway to safety and health success and encourages them to take proactive steps with a philosophy of continuous improvement to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities."

To take advantage of this program, companies can work independently or collaborate with Special Government Employees, who are health and safety experts who work with OSHA. 

In an article from Robin Repass of Fisher Philips, she addresses the issue of whether or not companies should avail themselves of this program. She noted that "participation in the program doesn’t guarantee compliance with the law, it can provide a valuable roadmap to help elevate your company’s safety culture and reduce injuries and illnesses.

She says that the program's tenants are drawn from OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs and offers a three-step program:

Introductory Step: Participants can assess their current safety and health practices against OSHA’s Recommended Practices, identify gaps, and begin implementing basic safety program elements. This level is ideal for organizations beginning their safety journey or looking to establish foundational safety infrastructure.

Intermediate Step: Organizations implement more comprehensive safety initiatives, enhance worker participation, and develop more robust hazard prevention and control measures.

Advanced Step: At this level, participants have integrated all seven elements into their organizational culture and demonstrate sustained commitment to safety excellence. Organizations at this level typically have strong safety metrics, continuous improvement processes, and worker engagement at all levels.

She offers some advice on how to begin this program.

Review Your Current Safety Program – Assess your company’s existing safety and health policies, practices, and documentation.

Designate a Safety Leadership Team – Assign clear responsibility for program management and implementation. Ensure workers are represented in the process.

Develop Your Implementation Plan – Create a timeline for addressing each core element, assign responsibilities, establish metrics for success, and plan periodic reviews of your progress.