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SAFETY TIP: Supervisors' Safety Responsibilities

By Eric Stiles posted 07-27-2016 10:18 AM

  

Supervisors have an important responsibility for safety. They are the employees’ primary contact and have the most immediate control over work practices and conditions.

In the final analysis, your safety and health program succeeds or fails according to the interest and effort the supervisors put forth. If the supervisors show by their attitudes and examples that they support safety activities, they will demonstrate to their employees that it is a management expectation and will improve the likelihood of their support. Supervisors must understand their responsibility for safe working conditions and safe work practices in their departments.

Supervisors’ safety responsibilities and duties should include:

  • Select employees who are appropriately trained and qualified for the work which they are to perform. Be aware of physical limitations that may require job modifications, per Americans With Disabilities Act.
  • Give detailed instructions as to requirements for satisfactory job performance, and explain safety hazards and controls when assigning workers to specific jobs.
  • Provide workers with safe tools and equipment to perform their jobs.
  • Check to see that suitable personal protective equipment (such as eye protection), is used where required.
  • Plan and lay out work processes to see that necessary materials and equipment are available to perform the job safely.
  • Actively participate in safety and health promotional activities.
  • Personally supervise all hazardous work or work that is new that will demand special training.
  • Regularly inspect and maintain all buildings and equipment to ensure good housekeeping practices are followed and mechanical failures are promptly repaired.
  • Promptly report all accidents and incidents, including “near hits,” occurring in their departments. Prepare all written reports and follow-up corrective measures.
  • Personally investigate all accidents and incidents and correct any unsafe practices or conditions to prevent recurrence.
  • Constantly observe work procedures to detect and correct unsafe practices and conditions. Develop improved methods to minimize risk to employee health and safety.
  • See that injured workers promptly receive first aid or appropriate medical attention.
  • Participate with identification of temporary modified duty jobs designed to help injured employees return to productive work within their physical limitations and capabilities.
  • Assist with the completion of ergonomic job analyses designed to target tasks with repetitive motion and cumulative trauma exposures that have been (or are capable of) sources of past injury or complaints.

Article provided by Sentry Insurance, MTI’s Official Business Insurance carrier.  Sentry is committed to helping you protect your business by providing resources to manage loss-producing situations and prevent accidents. For additional information or a free analysis of your program, contact MTI’s representative, Eric Stiles at eric.stiles@sentry.com.

 

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