Some U.S. workplaces have on staff a safety and health professional whose sole responsibility is reducing on-the-job injuries and illnesses. However, in many companies the task of organizing, developing and implementing an injury and illness prevention process falls into the hands of a ranking supervisor, a quality control manager or human resources professional.
The author, Neville Tompkins, a human resources manager who learned the principles of workplace injury and illness prevention while on the job and working with line managers, developed a formal process that reduced hazardous conditions and unsafe work practices.
Basics of Safety and Health guides you; the "safety coordinator" in your organization or the small business manager recognizes the need for implementing a safety program; through the steps in clear, non-technical language. It starts with identifying existing programs and practices that have worked. It shows how to identify and analyze occupational hazards, and how to increase safety awareness and involvement among all employees. It discusses safety and health regulations, and how to formalize a safety process. Finally, it advises on how to keep the process continuously improving through easy-to-use checklists, forms and resource lists.