Presented by Safety In Paradise, UVI Cell
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only impacted the way we see and experience the world but also the way we work and do business. This worldwide crisis has ignited a renewed interest and reinforced the value of keeping workers safe. Having a plan and establishing ways to care for and protect each other is of utmost importance, especially for the small businesses and organizations that provide services to the community. As such, there is no better way to start 2021 than setting safety and health goals for the work we do and the organizations we work for. These can be simple goals as part of the company plan or they can be building blocks for your occupational safety and health management system.
Setting safety and health goals may not immediately eliminate risks as it may not be entirely feasible to eliminate every risk from your business operations. What may be achievable is determining ways to mitigate hazard effects. Most importantly, goal setting is a way to create a risk-aware and safe culture across your organization. Creating and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment can be a real challenge these days since measures for protecting workers from the exposure and potential infection of Covid-19 depends on the type of work that is being performed as well as the exposure risk. Employers have been faced with challenges that require them to learn about hazard assessment, prevention control, and many other topics related to the occupational well-being of their workforce.
Having a robust occupational safety and health management system will not only help protect your workers, but it will ensure that you comply with the OSHA standards that apply to your type of business. It may also provide a plan to wisely invest resources, allocate and even save money. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, education, and assistance. In January, the U.S. Department of Labor announced adjustments to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) civil penalty amounts based on cost-of-living adjustments for 2021. OSHA’s maximum penalties for serious and other-than-serious violations increased from $13,494 to $13,653 per violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations increased from $134,937 to $136,532 per violation.
As we move forward in 2021, don’t let the absence of safety and health goals adversely impact your business. The Safety In Paradise program can help you set smart safety and health goals to protect your employees and business. You can request a consultation for your company and join us on March 5 on our seminar: SMART Safety and Health Goals.
Contact the Safety In Paradise team today!
To register for the FREE webinar visit: https://safety.uvi.edu/about/training.aspx
