Summary: Every year, OSHA’s Safe and Sound Week recognizes successful workplace health and safety programs. Learn how to participate in this year’s program and how it takes involvement from the entire team, from management to employees, to protect a worksite from hazards.

The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that in 2021 there were over 4 million work-related medically consulted injuries and 4,472 preventable injury-related work deaths. Workplace injuries and illnesses lower productivity and employee morale, resulting in increased absences that could ultimately lead to reduced profits. A workplace safety program can help businesses comply with state and federal regulatory requirements while creating a safe workplace that increases productivity and employee morale.

To create a safer workplace, companies should have procedures promoting loss control and workplace safety, including effective tool safety, fall prevention tactics, tips for working around electrical equipment and preventing illnesses. Successful workplace safety and health programs can proactively identify and manage hazards before they cause injury or illness while saving money and improving competitiveness.

What is Safe & Sound Week?

Safe and Sound Week, led by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), is a nationwide event held each August that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and provides information on how to keep America’s workers safe. This year’s Safe and Sound theme, running from August 7 to 13, focuses on mental health and well-being while committing to promoting equitable and inclusive mental health-friendly workplaces.

How to Participate in Safe & Sound Week

Big and small organizations are encouraged to participate in the program to show their commitment to workplace safety and health by taking the Safe & Sound Week pledge. Last year, more than 3,300 businesses participated in the program, demonstrating their dedication to safety to their workers, management, partners and the community.

Companies can show how they engaged their workers during Safe & Sound Week or how their safety and health program has improved the workplace by using the hashtag #SafeAndSoundAtWork on social media. Other ways to celebrate the week include:

• Have workers share why safety matters to them
• Hold a refresher training on the proper use of safety equipment
• Sign a management safety pledge
• Offer training on mental health awareness
• Ask workers to share how the company supports their wellbeing
• Provide information on where workers can get help in the community
• Practice mindfulness with a nature walk, yoga, or meditation

Three Interlocking Elements for Safe Workplaces

Every workplace should have a safety and health program that includes management leadership, worker participation, and a systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards.

Management involvement

An organization’s management team provides the leadership, vision, and resources to implement an effective safety and health program. If a leader’s attitude towards their company’s safety reflects its importance to its operations, the workers’ actions will also reflect that. Management should communicate the workplace program clearly to the workers, and they should involve them in the formation and continuous implementation of the program.

Management involvement means committing to eliminating hazards, protecting their workers, and continuously improving workplace safety and health by:

• Developing and communicating a safety and health policy and company-wide messaging
• Establish a visible presence by walking the floor and asking the workers for suggestions for improvements
• Provide the resources to implement the workplace safety program
• Encourage participation in workplace safety programs from all levels of the organization
• Recognize or reward worker safety contributions and achievements

Worker participation

Worker participation in the safety and health programs is crucial to the program’s success. Managers who encourage their employees to help implement, evaluate, and continue improving workplace safety programs allow the employees to feel vested in the policy's success.

Effective safety and health programs utilize employees' experiences and knowledge to solve workplace safety and health challenges. Workers can participate in the safety programs in many ways, including:

• Analyzing hazards associated with jobs, tasks and processes
• Becoming a member of a company safety committee
• Reporting incidents (and near misses)
• Defining and documenting safe work practices
• Train current coworkers and new staff
• Conducting site inspections and incident investigations
• Share recommendations about improving the current safety program

Find and fix hazards

A systematic, proactive process for identifying and controlling hazards is at the core of every effective workplace health and safety program. Finding and fixing risks before they can cause injury or illness is essential.

There are a variety of ways to keep the workplace safe. Identifying and correcting worksite hazards proactively ensures that workers go home after their shifts safe and sound. The finding and fixing hazards approach involves both management and employees by doing the following:

• Ask the workers who understand the worksite conditions for recommendations to mitigate hazardous situations
• Understand the top hazards of the industry
• Conduct inspections to identify new or emerging hazards
• Investigate incidents to discover their root causes and provide potential solutions
• Create a business emergency plan to protect workers during non-routine activities
• React quickly to an incident or near miss accident to ensure the proper information is collected to prevent future incidents
• Identify opportunities to adjust and improve current safety programs by staying update to date on OSHA standards, industry updates and equipment and tool vendor information

AmTrust Loss Control Department Helps Keep Workplaces Safe

AmTrust’s Loss Control Department understands the importance of helping small businesses identify hazards by assessing the workplace conditions, practices and processes to help reduce the risk of accidents, injuries and illnesses. From commercial property protection and other safety resources, we can create a customized loss control program designed specifically for your organization. Contact us today to learn more.

This material is for informational purposes only and is not legal or business advice. Neither AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates represents or warrants that the information contained herein is appropriate or suitable for any specific business or legal purpose. Readers seeking resolution of specific questions should consult their business and/or legal advisors. Coverages may vary by location. Contact your local RSM for more information.