Worksite Analysis - The third VPP tenet

What does VPP Worksite Analysis look like? Specifics for your operation can be supplied by your company VPP Champion but in general, both management and workers must commit to:

• Analysis of all new processes, material or equipment before use.

• Comprehensive safety and health surveys at intervals appropriate for the nature of workplace operations and regular reviews by persons qualified to recognize existing hazards and potentially significant risks to ensure the worker's awareness and control of those risks.

• A baseline survey of health hazards accomplished through initial comprehensive industrial hygiene surveying or other comprehensive means of assessment, such as complete industrial hygiene engineering studies, before equipment or process installation in general industry or in the pre-job planning for construction.

• The use of nationally recognized procedures for all sampling, testing, and analysis with written records of results.

• A system for conducting, as appropriate, routine self-inspections which follow written procedures or guidance and which result in written reports of findings and tracking of hazard correction.

  In general industry, these inspections must occur at least monthly and cover the whole site at least quarterly.

  In construction, these inspections must include both management inspections which cover the entire worksite at least weekly and inspections by members of the safety and health committee which cover the entire worksite as appropriate, but no less frequently than once per month.

• Routine examination and analysis of hazards associated with individual jobs, process, or phases and inclusion of the results in training and hazard control programs. This includes, e.g. job safety analysis and process hazard review. In construction, the emphasis should be on special safety and health hazards of each craft and each phase of construction.

• A reliable system for workers without fear of reprisal, to notify appropriate management personnel in writing about conditions that appear hazardous and to receive timely and appropriate responses; system must include tracking of responses and hazard corrections.

• An accident/incident investigation system which includes written procedures or guidance, with written reports of findings and hazard correction tracking; and review of injury/illness experience identifying causes and providing for preventive or corrective actions.

• Contractually bind all contractors and subcontractors operating at the worksite to maintain effective safety and health programs and to comply with applicable safety and health rules and regulations to include:

  Oversight, coordination, and enforcement of programs by the applicant.

  Prompt correction and control of hazards, however detected, by the applicant in the event contractors, subcontractors or individuals fail to correct or control such hazards, and

  Penalties, including dismissal from the worksite, for willful or repeated non-compliance by contractors, subcontractors, or individuals.

  A system for initiating and tracking hazard corrections in a timely manner.