Page 14 - Ohio RA 2011 Winter FlipBook

12 www.ohiorestaurant.org Winter 2012 Issue

Familiarize Yourself with Rules & Regulations

Management must become familiar with the various laws and regulations that pertain to safety and health in their locale. These laws defne the duties, action and precautions all employers must take, as a minimum, to ensure the safety and health of their employees.

Employers must comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, state laws including the Ohio Administrative Code, Specific Safety Requirements of The Ohio Division of Safety and Hygiene and with supplemental codes relating to specific industries. Other codes and regulations, such as environmental rules, and state fire and building codes, must also be followed.

Developing Safety Rules

When developing safety rules, it is important to prepare only logical and enforceable ones. Many rules are too general, such as, “be careful around electricity.” Enforceable rules are specifc rules. A rule that cannot be enforced will impair the effectiveness of other rules. But, the most important approach is to eliminate the need for a rule by eliminating the hazard.

Have those who are involved - managers, crew leaders and employees – help prepare the procedures. People tend to cooperate more when they have been involved. This participation also helps point out the potential accidents’ causes that the procedures are designed to control.

Keep procedures simple, specifc and clear by avoiding complicated details and using simple key words. Positive statements are more effective than negative ones. Special-purposes safety procedures for the operation of dangerous equipment or for certain hazardous jobs must be developed and communicated to potentially exposed employees.

Although training is an essential part of any occupational safety and health program, it should not be substituted for a process of eliminating or controlling hazards in the workplace. Safety procedures should be reviewed and revised as an ongoing process.

An effective safety and health program needs to be consistent in all areas. Your written programs serve as your guidelines.

Key Elements for a Comprehensive Safety Program

The key elements that need to be addressed in a comprehensive safety program include:

• Policy — Let people know what you expect of them. Clearly stated policies spell out the fact of commitment, the relative value that management places on safety and health, and also sets the standard by which safety and health management will be judged. A sample disciplinary policy is provided within the ORA Safety Guide, found online at www.ohiorestaurant.org/ healthandsafety.

• Goals and Objectives — Goals and implementing objectives make the safety and health policy more specifc. Communication of these goals ensures that everyone understands the results desired and what measures will be used to achieve them.

• Visible Management Commitment — Management’s visible support both in encouraging safe, healthful behaviors and backing up enforcement procedures, which can include disciplinary action, is critical to the program.

• Employee Involvement — Employees should be involved in the planning and implementation process, if possible. This gives them a sense of ownership and participation which helps develop loyalty and reduce turnover. More ideas may be found within the ORA Safety Guide at www.ohiorestaurant.org/healthandsafety.

• Assign Clear Responsibilities — Specifc responsibilities for each element of a safety program need to be assigned in the written program. When assigning responsibilities, the individual’s involvement and desire to manage portions of the plan should be taken into account.

• Evaluate and Review — Without periodic documented evaluations and reviews, the success in meeting the goals and objectives cannot be known.

Safety management also includes complying with basic OSHA requirements for written procedures and training on emergency action, fre prevention, personal protective equipment, chemical right-to-know, and walking/working surfaces.

CareWorks’ MCO Value is a

Beneft to ORA Member Businesses

The company promotes the importance of getting workers back on the job

CareWorks is an Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA) Strategic Partner and the association’s workers’ compensation Managed Care Organization (MCO) since 1997. Its primary role is helping injured workers recover from injury and restore healthy, productive lifestyles as quickly and safely as possible.

The long-term partnership with the ORA gives CareWorks a deep understanding of the restaurant industry, especially when it comes to medically managing an injured worker’s claim and returning them to a productive lifestyle. ORA members have access to some of the most experienced and dedicated nurse case managers and medical case specialists that have years of experience handling claims and successfully getting restaurant employees back to work.

CareWorks educates ORA members on the impact of workers’ compensation claims through regular newsletters, seminars, and on-site meetings.

Early Intervention

Before MCOs were utilized to medically manage Ohio workers’ compensation claims, it took restaurants on average more than 36 days to report a new workplace injury. Today, it takes less than seven days. The earlier a claim is reported, the faster a case management plan can be developed, which leads to more effective treatment and timely, safe return to work.

For more information about CareWorks, contact Ron Lucki at 888-627-7586, ext. 3510 or visit www.careworks.com.