Worker Participation
Effective safety and health programs tap into workers’ collective experiences, knowledge, and insights in order to find solutions to workplace safety and health challenges.
Why Is It Important?
Workers often know the most about potential hazards associated with their jobs. When they are involved in finding solutions, they feel invested in the program. To maximize participation, however, workers must feel free of any fear of retaliation or discrimination (e.g., for reporting an injury or hazardous conditions).
Workers can participate in many ways, including:
- Developing the initial program design.
- Reporting incidents (including near misses) so they can be investigated.
- Analyzing hazards associated with routine and nonroutine jobs, tasks, and processes.
- Defining and documenting safe work practices.
- Conducting site inspections and incident investigations.
- Training current coworkers and new hires.
- Evaluating program performance and identifying ways to improve it.
Challenges
All in on Safety Challenge
It’s important to create an environment where all workers feel included, heard, and respected. Accelerate your program and encourage your workers to be all in on safety!
Speak Up for Safety Challenge
Safety reports contain the information you need to improve workplace safety and health. Use worker participation in this Speak Up for Safety Challenge to review your safety reports with a team.
