Accident Prevention

1. Accident Prevention Program
(APP)
An overview of what’s required and
how to develop one
April, 2010

2. Accident Prevention Program (APP)
Purpose:
To assist you in developing and
implementing a written
Accident prevention program
that is tailored to the needs and
potential hazards associated
with your workplace.

3. What Will Be Covered
 Why have an accident prevention program?
 Rule requirements for accident prevention program
 Elements of a written program
 How to implement an effective program
 Where to get help

4. Why have an Accident Prevention Program?
• It will help to prevent
employee injuries on the job.
• It will help you find hazards
before they cause accidents.
• It will help you deal with
accidents if they do occur.
By “accidents” we mean events where employees are killed, maimed,
injured, or become ill from exposure to toxic chemicals or microorganisms
(TB, Hepatitis, HIV, Hantavirus etc).

5. It helps control Industrial Insurance costs
Your premium rate depends on number of claims filed.Your premium rate depends on number of claims filed. An accident
prevention program can help you to control hazards that cause
accidents and claims.
Average # of claims High # of ClaimsLow # of Claims
Why have an Accident Prevention Program?

6. A True Story
A Tire Store – 35 Employees
• Had a single high cost claim (shoulder injury)
• Premium rate increased from 71¢/hr to 86¢/hr
• Yearly premium increased $10,000
To make up for the premium increase @ 10% profit
margin – you must get $100,000 additional business
These are actual facts and figures from a tire store in eastern
Washington. The company had 13 minor claims in 2000-2002 with the
single high-cost claim ($29,000) occurring in 2002. The employee was
off work for several days and received time-loss payments from L & I.
He also had expensive medical bills which were billed to L & I.

7. It’s required by L & I - DOSH Rules
(Division of Occupational Safety & Health)
Safety & Health Core Rules
– WAC 296-800-140
Safety Standards for Construction
– WAC 296-155-110
Other standards – agriculture, logging, etc.
APP rules are nearly identical for all types of businesses. In most cases, if you
are visited by a DOSH inspector, he or she will look for your APP. If the
inspector finds serious hazards and no APP or major deficiencies in the APP,
you could receive a citation with monetary penalty.
Why have an Accident Prevention Program?

8. A plan of action to:
– Involve workers and management in
workplace safety and health,
– Identify and control safety hazards,
– Handle emergencies,
– Give new employees job safety orientation,
– Provide for personal protective equipment
as needed.
A plan for safety must be more than posting a sign that says “Be Careful. In an
emergency call 911.” It will help you to identify hazards before they cause
accidents and help you deal with accidents if and when they occur.
What is an Accident Prevention Program?

9. What is required for all employers?
• Must be outlined in writing.
• Must be tailored to the
worksite.
•Must include employee safety
orientation and training.
•Must include safety committee
or safety meetings.
Link to Core Rule APP requirements
• You must develop, supervise
and enforce a safety training
program
• You must make sure your
APP is effective in practice.

10.  Supervise and enforce an
effective program
 Outlined in writing
 Employee safety orientation
 Weekly leader/crew safety meetings
 Weekly walk-around safety
inspections
APP Requirements For Construction
Link to Construction APP requirements

11. APP Requirements for Agriculture
• Outlined in writing
• Tailored to the needs and
hazards of your operation
• Employee safety orientation
• Monthly walk-around safety
inspections with employee
representative
• Monthly foreman-crew safety
meetings
Link to Agriculture APP requirements

12. A written APP can be an outline
• Simple and direct is O.K.
• Must cover all the regular and
predictable hazards of the worksite
• Include employee input to identify
new hazards not in outline
• Some employers will need a more
complex APP depending on hazards
• It can’t be just a paper programThe written program must cover all the typical, predictable and evident hazards of the worksite. However, a
written APP that is too long or complicated tends not be read. As long as there is method to report new or
unforeseen hazards, it is not necessary to go into great detail about every possible hazard one could
imagine.

13. APP should be a “living plan”
If it is not a “living plan” that is
actually used, then it will just be:
• a document gathering dust on a shelf,
• something you did to please L&I,
• of no real value to your company.
If you’re going to spend time and energy developing this plan, it might as well be a
tool that will add value to your company, will help you to provide a safe and
productive workplace, and keep your industrial insurance premiums to a minimum.

14. APP Must be Tailored to the Worksite
• It can’t be a non-specific generic
program
• It must address the actual worksite
hazards and conditions
• It must include the work of all
employees
By “generic” we mean one that does not address the
actual worksite hazards and conditions.
Some trade associations produce generic programs
that includes the most common hazards of a particular
industry. These are usually acceptable, but you must
also cover the unique hazards of your worksite.

15. Employee Safety Orientation
The orientation must cover:
• A description of total safety program
• On-the-job instructions on how to
do job tasks safely
• How to report accidents
• Location of first aid facilities

16. Employee Safety Orientation(con’t.)
• How to report safety hazards
• Use and care of personal
protective equipment
• What to do in emergencies
• How to identify hazardous chemicals
and what to do if exposed to them.
Also include in orientation:
Link to sample chemical hazard communication program

17. Safety Committees
• At least as many elected employees as
management-selected members
• Elected chairperson
• Committee determines meeting schedules
• Keep meeting minutes and attendance
• Cover specific topics
Safety Committees are required if you have 11 or more employees at the worksite. The
number of employee-elected members of the safety committee must be equal to or more
than the number of employer-selected members

18. Safety Meetings
• Allowed if 10 or less employees
• Meet monthly
• At least one management representative
• Document attendance
• Cover specific topics
Safety meetings are an allowable substitute for a safety committee if you have 10 or less
employees. They are also allowed if you have 10 or less employees on different shifts or
there are 10 or less employees at widely separate work locations. You would need to have
safety meetings at each shift or each work location.

19. Construction Crew/Leader Safety Meeting
requirements
Hold worksite meetings:
– At start of job
– Every week
– As needed when change in conditions or hazards
Document topics and attendance

20. Agriculture Safety Meetings
• Not required for short-term
operations like harvesting
• Monthly meetings tailored to
current activities
• Outline what discussed and who
attended in meeting minutes
• Copies of minutes kept at location
where most employees report
• Retain minutes for one yearEven though safety meetings are not required for agriculture operations that last less than a
month, a safety orientation is still required at the beginning of the operation. For example, in
cherry harvesting, pickers should still have a safety orientation on how to safely use a ladder.

21. When is an APP “Effective in Practice”?
When It Works!!
• It is more than just words, platitudes or slogans.
• All regular and predictable hazards are addressed.
• Serious or frequent injuries are not occurring.
The goal of an APP is to prevent injuries. Frequent injuries would be a sign that not all
hazards are addressed or your safety rules are not being enforced. Minor or infrequent
non-serious injuries do not mean your APP is ineffective. An occasional missed hazard
(one saw guard out of several saws is missing in a cabinet shop for example) also does
not necessarily mean your APP is ineffective.

22. Some ways to make an APP
“Effective in Practice”
• Determine what injuries and near-misses have
occurred and why
• Do a hazard evaluation or survey of the workplace
• Establish safety goals – management commitment
• Train employees on job hazards (required)
• Effectively and consistently enforce safety rules
• Provide needed protective equipment and make
sure it is used (required)

23. Injury Determination
 Review claims and injury records
 Interview employees for unreported injuries
Review your OSHA 300 Log if you have
kept one. See if there are several people
having the same type of accident (indicates
that a process or procedures may need
changing) or if one person is having several
accidents doing different jobs (indicates
that this person probably needs retraining).
Talk to employees:
- Do they think they have a safe place to work.
- Do they have ideas about how to improve safety.
- Do they know how, when and to whom to report an accident.
- Do they know of any accident that have NOT been reported.

24. Near Misses
Investigate near-misses since
they are potential accidents
Accidents or injuries are the “tip
of the iceberg” of hazards
Accidents
Hazards
Don’t just investigate accidents. Near misses should be reported and investigated. They were
in a sense, “aborted accidents”.
Criteria for investigating an incident or near miss: What is reasonably the worst injury the
worker would have suffered had an actual accident happened?
If it would have resulted in a serious injury, then the incident or near miss should be
investigated with the same thoroughness as an actual accident investigation.

25. Job Steps Hazard Protection
Pick up stock Sharp edges
& splinters
Gloves
Cut stock with
power saw
Blade edges
And
flying chips
Blade guard
and
safety glasses
Safety Hazard Evaluation
Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
Link to JHA information
A JHA is not required, but is one method of determining hazards at the worksite. This is an
example of a job safety analysis of a carpenter shop. Each task is listed with it’s particular
hazard and protection for that hazard. This method can be used to determine your company’s
need for personal protective equipment. Also called a job safety analysis (JSA)

26. Tailored to your workplace
Used by foreman or safety supervisor
YESYES NONO ITEMITEM
Employees wearing safety glasses?
Saw guards in place?
Work area free of tripping hazards?
Workplace Safety Evaluation
Worksite Safety Checklist
A periodic safety evaluation is recommended, especially if conditions change frequently, such as in
construction. Often representatives of the safety committee will do this. This checklist should be
developed to check for the hazards that are likely to be found on your site. It can be used for periodic
walkaround safety surveys to make sure all safety measures are in place.

27. Hazard Identification
Do with a team: supervisors, employees, outside experts
 Examine:
– Persons
– Equipment
– Environment
 Look for fact, not fault
 Prepare a written report
 Do follow-up
Conduct Accident Investigations
Investigate as soon as possible. Take pictures, draw diagrams and interview all who
witnessed the accident. Try to find what can be changes to prevent the accident from
happening again. Write a formal report (can be covered at the next safety meeting).
Make sure that suggested changes are made.
Link to more information on how to do an accident investigation

28. A successful APP needs
Management Commitment
Sample statements:
– “We care about your safety…”
– “We will provide a safe work
place…”
– “Nothing is important enough
to do unsafely.”
– “Supervisors and employees
are expected to work safely
and bring up safety issues…”
A message
from the
owner ...
JJohn Smith
Management safety statements are not required, but are recommended. Management
support is vital for success of program else neither supervisors nor employees will take
it seriously. A specific written statement, is not required, however.

29. Resources needed to support an APP
Safety Equipment
Time Incentives
In addition to leading by example, management should give employees resources and
incentives. Recognize that an effective program implies a commitment of:
- support of safety as a regular budget item,
- time for inspections, training, safety committee, maintenance,
- equipment such as guards, PPE, training materials, promotions,
- safety recognition and incentive programs that reward safety efforts.

30. The Role of Line Manager/Foreman
 Spell out their safety duties
 Give them explicit safety authority
 Hold them accountable for safety
For a successful APP you need line manager commitment.
To have a program that is “effective in practice”, management ( the owner, general manager,
supervisor, foreman and crew boss) must practice safety as well as the employees. If
management doesn’t wear PPE where the employee are required to, the employees are less
likely to wear the required PPE when management is not present. Employees must be make
to feel comfortable making safety corrections without getting “permission” from someone else.
Suggested ways to do that:

31. The Role of Line Managers/Foremen
They should:
 Be personal examples
 Identify hazards
 Monitor workers
 Participate directly in
problem-solving

32. Employee Input
 Employee hazard reports
– Get input from safety committee
– Consider using an employee report form
– Do a follow-up
Link to sample employee report form
You can use a report form, a suggestion box, or get input from safety committee or verbally
during safety meetings. Make available and encourage the use of form for employees to
report hazards they see. Management should have procedures to address issues identified
and notify individuals or safety committee what actions were taken.

33. Training Programs
• Management also needs training to understand the hazards
and safety requirements as much if not more than the line
employees.
• Initial orientation is very important. New employees are quite
vulnerable to accident unless you train them on:
- what to watch out for, and
- what to do when something goes wrong.
• Employees may be expected to start the job with the skills
necessary to do the job but it is the employer’s responsibility to
insure that the employee knows the safety rules related to the
job.
• Don’t rely on the previous employer having done the training
or that the new employee says they have experience. You don’t
know the quality of training they received or if any bad habits
have developed.

34. Training Programs
– Who?
• Management
• Employees
– What?
• Basic orientation
• Specific machines, processes, skills
– When?
• Before doing the work
• When duties work change
• When deficiencies are noted
– Documentation
• Instructor’s outline
• Attendance records
Need to cover the following:

35. Specific Training Programs
DOSH has specific training requirements for
certain topics:
• Hazard communication
• Respirator use
• Other PPE use
• Forklifts
• Confined space work
• Fall protection in construction
• Pesticides in agriculture
• Others
Link to DOSH-required training Link to DOSH online training programs

36. Safety Rules are an Important Part of APP
 General company safety rules such as:
– “Wear steel-toed shoes on the job”
– “No horseplay”
– “Do not operate machinery without
guards in place.”
 Specific job related safety rules such as:
– Grinder safety rules
– Roofing fall protection rules
There are two types:

37. Safety Disciplinary Policy
 In writing
 Employees are informed
or trained on policy
 Applies to everyone –
including management
 Fair and progressive
enforcement
“Where’s his fall protection?”
A disciplinary policy is not required, but highly recommended. The policy should be in
writing and employees should be informed/trained before it can be used against them.
Policy should be imposed on management as well as employees. Records of policy
application should be kept for documentation that the policy is being enforced.

38. Personal Protective Equipment
• Determine need –who, when, what
• Ensure it provides adequate protection
• Train employees on use
• Provide, maintain and replace as
needed.
What hazards exist that require use of PPE?
A PPE hazard assessment is required by DOSH Rules on PPE. You can
determine what PPE is needed from doing a hazard assessment. Injury
reports may also provide additional information – there may be a pattern
of injuries that can be prevented with the use of appropriate PPE..
Link to sample PPE hazard assessment checklist

39. Additional Information
More information on APP is available on the DOSH
webpage at:
http://www.lni.wa.gov/safety/basics/Programs/Accident/default.htm
For additional assistance, you can call one of our
consultants.
Click below for local L & I office locations:
http://www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/consultation/regional_consultants.htm