Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Associate Account Executive Jack Marrs discuss the 5 steps OSHA requires for a compliance recordkeeping system.
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Director/Host: Alyssa Burley
Guest: Jack Marrs
Producer/Editor: Lauren Stumpf
Music: “Home” by JHS Pedals, “News Room News” by Spence
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Transcript
Alyssa Burley: Hi. This is Alyssa Burley with Rancho Mesa Media Communications and Client Services Department. Thank you for listening to today's top Rancho Mesa news, brought to you by our Safety and Risk Management Network StudioOne. Welcome back, everyone. My guest is Jack Marrs, Associate Account Executive with Rancho Mesa. He specializes in risk management for Human Services organizations. Today, we're going to continue our discussion on the Injury and Illness Prevention Program. Jack, welcome to the show.
Jack Marrs: Thanks for having me, Alyssa.
AB: Of course. So now you and I have discussed the IIPP in a couple of episodes. And today we'll wrap up the discussion by covering the requirements for providing employee training and instruction, the procedures to allow employees to access the program, and recordkeeping and documentation of incidents. So let's start with training. What does OSHA require employers to include in their IIPP, with regards to training their employees about the hazards in their workplace?
JM: Good question. Well, employers are required to provide clear and effective training for both employees and supervisors, since it's essential for the success of an Injury and Illness Prevention Program. So all employees are required to be fully aware of the workplace hazards they may face. A comprehensive and well conducted training can help reduce the likelihood of work related injuries and illnesses. Thus State Fund suggest that if employers are unable to conduct their own trainings, they should reach out to Cal OSHA consultation, other vendors like your insurance carrier or broker to help find or provide the right training for the employees. The more knowledgeable and prepared employees are, the safer the work environment becomes.
AB: Oh, I absolutely agree. And Rancho Mesa clients can take a look at the training resources that are available through our SafetyOne™ platform. There are both safety meeting topics or toolbox talks and online safety training courses. So we know employers need to include how trainings are done to inform employees about the workplace hazards. We also know that employees must have access to the written IIPP. Are there rules for how employers must make the IIPP available to employees?
JM: It's like you mentioned, all the employees are required to have access to the written IIPP. This will ensure that all employees are fully aware of the safety protocols and hazard prevention strategies used to minimize workplace accidents and illnesses and thus maintain safe workplace. So according to Cal OSHA, employers can meet this requirement by providing unobstructed access through a company's server or website, which allows employees to review, print or email a copy of the IIPP or, when requested, provide a printed copy of the IIPP unless the employee agrees to receive an electronic copy.
AB: Yeah. And the IIPP, he can be made accessible to users through the SafetyOne™ mobile app. It allows organizations to upload digital files into the file cabinet that is available only to their users. And for employees who aren't SafetyOne™ app users, they could scan a QR code or complete a web form to request the IIPP from their administrator. However, an organization decides to distribute the IIPP, it should be easy for employees to access or request it. So we've addressed training and access to the IIPP. What are the requirements for recordkeeping that must be identified in the IIPP?
JM: Recordkeeping and proper documentation are crucial components of the IIPP. By maintaining accurate records, employers can learn from past incidents and identify injury and illness trends. This knowledge allows for necessary corrections and improvements in future operations, which will improve overall workplace safety. So there are five steps that OSHA requires for a compliant recordkeeping system. The first one is each employer, unless exempt by size or industry, must record each fatality, injury or illness that is work related, as a new case or meets one or more of the general recording criteria specified in Title Eight, Section 14300. The second is, record each injury or illness on the Cal OSHA log of Occupational Work Related Injuries and Illnesses Form 300, according to its instructions. Three, Prepare an Injury and Illness Incident Report Form 301 or equivalent. Four, annually review and clarify the Cal OSHA Form 300 and post the Summary of Work Related Injuries and Illnesses Form 300 A no later than February 1st and keep it posted where employees can see until April 30th. And five maintain the last five years of these records in your files.
AB: So a simple way to collect the incident information required for the ocean logs like the form 300, 300 A or 301 can be obtained at by utilizing SafetyOne™ mobile forms. So either through the mobile app or via a QR code or web link, employees can complete accident investigation forms and witness statements digitally. Then the person responsible for documenting and maintaining the OSHA logs can review the reports that come in through the mobile app and document the OSHA logs in the RM365 HRAdvantage Portal™. And we'll be actually hosting several webinars in the coming months to assist clients with understanding the best practices for completing their OSHA logs using SafetyOne™ and the RM365 HRAdvantage Portal™. So are there any tools available for employers who need to update their IIPP?
JM: OSHA has a guide to developing your Workplace Injury and Illness Prevention program that is helpful for organizations that need some assistance with getting started. Following these steps is a proactive approach to building a safer working environment for all employees. The bottom line, it's all about mitigating accidents before they happen and building a safe work environment.
AB: Absolutely. And you know, I was just thinking Rancho Mesa also has a six page sample Injury and illness Prevention overview. That's available through our RM365 HRAdvantage Portal™ if our clients are interested in that as well. And we'll add a couple of links to those resources in the episode notes. So, Jack, if listeners have questions about their IIPP or their risk management strategies, what's the best way to get in touch with you?
JM: The best ways to reach me either on my phone, you can reach me by calling me which my number is 619-486-6569. Or email works fine too, which is jmarrs@ ranchomesa.com
AB: Jack, thank you for joining me in StudioOne.
JM: Thanks for having me, Alyssa.
AB: This is Alyssa Burley with Rancho Mesa. Thanks for tuning into our latest episode produced by StudioOne. For more information, visit us at ranchomesa.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
