Some Things to Consider in Facility Safety Programs
Facility safety programs are essential for identifying, managing and mitigating various hazards, ensuring compliance and integrating safety into broader management processes.
- By Greg Zigulis
- Sep 10, 2024
People with facility management responsibilities want to be sure they are doing the right things to ensure safety compliance while also effectively managing their other obligations. And they often ask, “What should we be doing?” Some might even wonder if facility safety should really be a priority issue. The real hazards are mostly from operational processes, right? Wrong!
There are many aspects and nuances to facility safety. For example, there can be hazards to workers who maintain facilities. There can be hazards stemming from the presence, absence or state of physical structures, passageways and things related to general occupant and visitor safety. And yet other facility hazards can come from ongoing operations like the movement and loading of forklifts, facility traffic and warehouse considerations.
Let’s discuss the identification of hazards and requirements, some general considerations and a few items that deserve special attention.
Ways to Approach Facility Safety Issues
First of all, how can someone know what to pay attention to and what requirements apply?
Technical answers regarding OSHA requirements depend upon the industry the organization is in, the exact processes and operations in place, tasks performed by workers, locations of work and other factors. There can be hazards for which there is no specific OSHA standard but for which an employer is obligated to protect workers from under the OSH Act’s general duty clause (or state equivalents), section 5(a)(1). This requires employers to provide a work environment free from recognized hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm.
Organizations should have processes to identify what hazards might exist, what OSHA regulations apply, and what hazards could be newly created. Do you see things that, if something doesn’t go right, might cause someone to get hurt?
To learn about frequent OSHA citations, one can search the osha.gov website using NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes.
One can find focused safety checklists on the web and start learning more about what might apply. Many State OSHA program websites have excellent information and checklists. Trade publications often discuss hazards, impending regulations and trending issues. Some companies offer inspection and auditing software that can be tailored to your situation. There are also online subscriptions that provide checklists, technical information, discussion forums and other services.
This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.