Just thinking out loud.

Safety Programs:  To Incent or not to Incent.  That is the question.

Installment 2

Incenting safety can be tricky.  What should be incented?  Accidents? Injuries? Equipment damage?  Well, no. None of these things can be directly incented.  While these elements are the goal of any safety system there is are legal reasons they cannot be directly incented.   Here is the “tricky” part:  OSHA certainly, and possibly common law negligence laws, prohibit “interference” with the rights of employees.  Employees have the “right” to report work related injury to their employers.  OSHA will act to protect the employees right to report work related injury.  The “rub” comes in when an incentive program element is tied to an injury event.  For example, say the incentive program incents the number of injuries then an employee is less likely to report an injury.  Remember, reporting the injury may result in loss of the incentive reward.  OSHA’s view of this situation is the employee (through company, supervisory or peer pressure) is likely to be reluctant to report an injury and therefore “interference” of employees right to report injury.   (https://www.oshalawblog.com/2016/10/articles/osha-quietly-issues-guidance-on-incentive-programs-disciplinary-programs-and-drug-testing-programs/)

So, what can be “incented”?  Employee/crew/supervisor direct involvement in activities that support the goals (zero injury, equipment damage, etc.), namely, participation in daily/weekly safety talks, involvement in company safety committee meetings, employee following company safety policies, performance of daily pre-shift work place safety inspections, JSA/JHA’s, participating in mentoring programs, correcting unsafe conditions or behaviors, etc.   These types of activities can be incented with  little likelihood of OSHA enforcement activity.

OK, so now that issues surrounding activities to be incented have been identified, the next question is identifying the rewards.

END TWO   See next chapter in 2 weeks.