In this module
Objectives covered: LO 3.2.1. By the end you will be able to:
- Describe the core elements of a safety and health programme.
- Explain management leadership and worker participation.
- Explain how injury records and rates are used.
2.1 Why a programme, not just rules
Following standards one by one is not enough. The best workplaces manage safety like production or quality: with leadership, planning, measurement and improvement. OSHA's Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs (2016) list seven core elements.
| Element | What it looks like on the shop floor |
|---|---|
| Management leadership | Managers set goals, give resources and walk the floor |
| Worker participation | Workers report hazards, join the safety committee, help with JHAs |
| Hazard identification and assessment | Inspections, JHAs, incident investigations, exposure monitoring |
| Hazard prevention and control | Hierarchy of controls, with a plan and target dates |
| Education and training | Everyone knows the hazards and controls of their job |
| Programme evaluation and improvement | Track indicators, audit, fix weaknesses |
| Communication and coordination | Host employers, contractors and staffing agencies share hazard information |
2.2 Injury records and rates
OSHA Forms 300 (log), 300A (annual summary) and 301 (incident report) record work-related injuries and illnesses. Two common rates use 200,000 hours (100 full-time workers for a year):
- TRIR (Total Recordable Incident Rate) = recordable cases × 200,000 ÷ hours worked.
- DART = cases with days away, restricted or transferred × 200,000 ÷ hours worked.
Example: 6 recordable cases in 400,000 hours gives TRIR = 6 × 200,000 ÷ 400,000 = 3.0.
A low injury rate does not prove a workplace is safe. Use leading indicators too: hazards fixed, near misses reported, training completed.
- OSHA Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs; ISO 45001:2018.
- 29 CFR 1904: recordkeeping forms 300, 300A and 301.
- Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015: safety committees in factories with 50 or more workers.
A pharmaceutical company in Gazipur built its programme on these seven elements. Each department head walks the floor weekly, the safety committee meets monthly with elected worker members, and near-miss reports rose from 20 to 300 a year. Lost-time injuries fell by more than half within two years.
Learning Check
Answer these two questions to check your understanding. You can try again as many times as you like.