Most small business owners in Orange County know they need an Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) in place in order to be in compliance with OSHA and Cal/OSHA, but they aren’t sure what needs to be included in it. Two of the main requirements that OSHA and Cal/OSHA have are that an IIPP must be effective and specific to the business. But what does that mean, exactly, for small businesses in Orange County? Here are some of the things that need to be included in an IIPP for it to meet OSHA’s guidelines:
All Workplace Hazards Need to Be Identified and Addressed
One of the key elements in an IIPP that complies with OSHA and Cal/OSHA’s requirements is that it identifies and addresses the potential hazards at your specific workplace and outlines how they will be prevented and controlled.
A workplace hazard does not just involve an inherently risky activity, such as the use of sharp tools, tall ladders, or caustic chemicals. It can also be something more mundane, such as a spill that would make the floor slippery, or a type of repetitive movement that could eventually cause carpal tunnel syndrome in your office employees.
Because potential hazards are so many and varied, it’s important to have someone who’s familiar with workplace safety put together your IIPP. He or she will be able to identify and address potential hazards that the average person wouldn’t think to include in a health and safety program. If you don’t have someone like this on your staff, you should consider hiring a company like DTS to help you create the IIPP for your Orange County company.
Who Oversees Workplace Health and Safety?
In addition to identifying and addressing all potential hazards at your workplace, you IIPP should also indicate who is in charge of making sure the various elements of the IIPP are carried out. This is a very specific requirement that OSHA says must be in your IIPP. Multiple people can take on various elements of your IIPP, but there should be one person who oversees all workplace health and safety issues.
An Effective IIPP Involves All Employees
In every business, some employees are more at risk for injury and illness than others, but every employee faces at least some risk while at work. Therefore, your Orange County business’s IIPP should address all of your employees, at least at some level. For example, all employees should know what the procedure is if they get injured at work—even if it’s a simple slip-and-fall injury or if they are hurt when moving office equipment around.
Your supervisors and managers should also be aware of any of the health and safety policies that affect the employees they manage so they can make sure they are being followed.
It’s Not Just about the Document
You could have the most thoroughly written IIPP imaginable, but if your company doesn’t put the program into practice, you will still be subject to fines by OSHA and/or Cal/OSHA. That’s why it’s so important that your IIPP be easy to implement. If it’s too complicated or cumbersome, it won’t get followed.
At DTS, we specialize in creating IIPPs that can be easily implemented by any small business. The IIPPs we produce will include schedules for all trainings and inspections that need to take place and what each of them should include. It will also outline how any workplace injuries or illnesses need to be documented. In addition, any policies and procedures related to workplace health and safety will be clearly outlined in the IIPP.
Contact us at DTS to learn more about how we can help your Orange County business create an IIPP that will keep you in compliance with OSHA and Cal/OSHA.