1. Department of Defense Voluntary Protection Programs Center of Excellence Development, Validation, Implementation and Enhancement for a Voluntary Protection Programs Center of Excellence (VPP CX) Capability for the Department of Defense Department of Defense Voluntary Protection Programs Center of Excellence Employee Involvement Training Development, Validation, Implementation and Enhancement for a Voluntary Protection Programs Center of Excellence (VPP CX) Capability for the Department of Defense

2. Objectives After this presentation, you will be able to: Define Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) requirements for employee involvement Identify meaningful employee involvement activities Describe how to establish and maintain successful employee safety and health (S&H) committees.

3. VPP Requirements The site must enable and encourage effective employee involvement: –In planning and operation of the S&H program –In decisions that affect employees' S&H. Employees must have at least three meaningful ways to participate in the Safety & Health Management System (S&HMS), in addition to their right to report a hazard.

4. Deciding How to Involve Employees Consider establishing a VPP implementation committee with a subcommittee chartered to work on establishing employee involvement activities Prioritize programs to implement based on: –Ability to involve a large number of employees –Number of observed gaps program will help address –Ease of implementation.

5. Program Development When developing its employee involvement program, a site should decide how to: –Collect metrics –Maintain appropriate records –Publish or communicate the results of these activities.

6. Employee Involvement Examples Examples of employee involvement include participating in: – S&H problem-solving teams – Routine assessments and worksite self inspections – Accident and near miss investigations – Hazard analysis and abatement programs – Acting as safety observers – Various S&H committees.

7. S&H Problem-Solving Teams Establish teams of employees to participate in S&H problem: –Identification –Evaluation –Resolution –Making any necessary process changes.

8. Routine Workplace Inspections VPP requires monthly workplace inspections Inspections must cover the entire installation at least quarterly A written inspection program should be developed and include: –Inspection schedule –Members of self-inspection teams –Record of findings/results –How responsibility for abatement will be assigned –How identified hazards will be tracked through timely correction.

9. Workplace Inspections Involve employees in: –Helping to write/enhance the program for employee involvement –Developing area or equipment- specific inspection checklists –Participating in inspections. Train employees in the inspection process and hazard identification.

10. Accident & Near-Miss Investigations The installation must have a written process for investigating all near misses, incidents, and injury accidents, illnesses and deaths All investigations should include: –Qualified team members to conduct the investigation –Determination of the root cause and contributing factors (include in written report) –Established timetables for investigation and resolution –Assignment of responsibility –Appropriate follow-up, and dissemination of results to prevent occurrence at other locations.

11. Accident & Near-Miss Investigations Involve employees in the investigation process by: –Training employees –Communicating the purpose of the investigation –Directly involve all employees involved with the incident, as well as witnesses, during the investigation process (interview, re-enactment, etc.) –Encouraging all employees to provide suggestions –Communicating results of investigation process.

12. Hazard Analysis Program Involve employees in a program to identify hazards in jobs, tasks, or processes. Engage them to: –Assist in conducting a job hazard analysis (JHA) –Identify needed changes/controls to make equipment or processes safer –Conduct periodic review of JHAs –Train other employees on job hazards. Train all employees in the hazards identified and controls methods.

13. Safety & Health Observer Program Involve employees in a safety and health observer program Assign observers to conduct daily informal observations Gather data and identify critical S&H behaviors Provide positive and negative feedback to encourage improvement Use data to identify and improve the S&HMS weaknesses.

14. S&H Committees The purpose of the S&H committee is to: – Bring workers and management together in a non-adversarial, cooperative effort – Promote safety and health in the workplace – Assist the installation with recommendations for change/improvement in the S&HMS.

15. S&H Committee Members S&H committees should represent the organization: –Commander –Directors –Managers –Supervisors –Employees –Union representatives –Industrial hygiene personnel –S&H professionals.

16. Content-oriented: –Likes to make decisions –Wants tasks to get completed –Organized –Plans, assignments, and due dates Process-oriented: –Information gatherers –Flexible – spontaneous –Want to understand – not control –Interested in exploring options. Desirable Personalities for S&H Committees

17. S&H Committee – Getting Started Establish charter and key positions –Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary –Quorum and voting rules –Membership term –Minimum meeting frequency Determine responsibilities for each position Organize a kickoff meeting with some fanfare Set and publicize committee goals for the year Publicize committee activities

18. S&H Committee Activities Example safety committee roles or functions: –Create a VPP Steering Committee –Review self assessment results and employee hazard reports –Employee involvement programs & events –Participate in self inspections –Take part in in mishap investigations –Evaluate safety suggestions –Assist in PPE evaluation & selection –Receive and provide training –Create a Safety / VPP Awareness Campaign

19. Tips for S&H Committee Effectiveness Set clear expectations and goals Develop an agenda and stick to it Measure progress Motivate committee members Encourage communication and dialogue among members Give members time for their duties.

20. Assign actions and due dates Prohibit non-safety and health related issues during meetings Keep minutes and make available to all employees Recognize the committee’s accomplishments Appreciate, appreciate, appreciate! Tips for S&H Committee Effectiveness

21. S&H Training Train S&H committee members on: –Purpose of the committee –Duties and functions –Activities they will be tasked to do –How to conduct an effective meeting.

22. Other Employee Involvement Ideas Employee Involvement (should be as diverse as the installation) –Conduct monthly emergency equipment inspections –Participate as team members in Lean events –Create emergency “drill” scenarios and debriefings –Update emergency phone numbers and signs –Review/update emergency evacuation maps –Conduct preventive maintenance inventories –Update safety communication posters or bulletin boards –Host a VPP booth during a safety day or health fair.

23. Resources for Sites Visit the DoD VPP CX Website: http://vppcx.org http://vppcx.org This site provides numerous resources to support installations in implementing and sustaining VPP. The site covers the four (4) VPP elements and provides examples of best practices, training, sample documents, and other VPP- related information!

24. VPP Application This training can be used as part of your site’s documentation of action taken to address the following VPP actions: Management Leadership Top Management Leadership – Authority & Responsibility Employee Involvement Rights, Roles, and Responsibilities S&H Awareness Meaningful Involvement Worksite Analysis Accident and Near-Miss Investigation Safety and Health Training General Training

25. Summary In this presentation, you learned about: OSHA VPP requirements for employee involvement Meaningful employee involvement activities How to establish and maintain successful employee S&H committees.