What Does
Safety Compliance Mean?
Safety compliance is the act of adhering to safety rules set down by regulatory bodies and legislators. Organizations must comply with the safety regulations that apply to their industry and jurisdiction.
Employers are responsible for enforcing compliance in their workplace, on their jobsites, and among their employees. Regulatory bodies have processes to monitor and enforce safety compliance across workplaces.
Safeopedia Explains Safety Compliance
Safety compliance aims to keep workers, the general public, property, and the natural environment safe from various work-related hazards.
The crucial factor in safety compliance is adherance to safety standards, even when there is no direct supervision. This includes, but is not limited to, workers carrying out their work as instructed, employers providing their employees with adequate personal protective equipment, and maintaining a suitable maintenance program for heavy machinery.
Since regulations and standards can be complex or somewhat burdensome, companies will implement a safety management system and establish a safety committee to ensure that their jobsites and the activity on them are compliant.
Improving Health and Safety Compliance
Here are some ways that ensure employees follow safety programs as intended.
Training Programs
Training programs help employees become familiar with safety rules, safety hazards, and the consequences of non-compliance. Training using simulation tools helps employees to safely experience and appreciate the need for compliance. Moreover, many OSHA standards require training as part of compliance requirements.
Policy Enforcement
Safety policies should be clearly communicated along with a note on disciplinary action for non-compliance. Effective disciplinary programs begin with a mild consequence such as verbal warning. For repeated violation and disregard for safety, the organization can take actions from suspension to termination.
Employee Engagement
Employees should feel free enough to communicate safety concerns without fear of repercussions. Regular safety committee meetings and feedback from employees, supervisors, and other staff members should be encouraged.
Compliance Audits
Health and safety compliance audits, along with safety legal compliance checklist, are very important as it helps maintain compliance with regulations. Checklists ensure that nothing is left out and documentation supports the organization in case of an unexpected incident.
Basic Compliance Measures
The following are some general measures that employers must undertake to ensure compliance:
- Provide a safe workplace free from serious hazards
- Provide workers with adequate PPE for the hazards they face
- Provide relevant safety training
- Ensure the proper maintenance of tools and equipment
- Use visual identifiers, signs, and color codes to alert workers of potential hazards in their environment
- Remedy any issues uncovered during safety inspections and audits