INVOLVEMENT
This section provides DOE supervisors with information on their roles and responsibilities as they relate to safety and health programs that provide protection to their employees.
One of the greatest tasks faced by any supervisor is seeing that his or her workers perform their activities without accident, injury, or occupational illness. Therefore, supervisory involvement is crucial to the success of the safety and health program.
Ways to Become Involved
The following list describes ways in which the supervisor can become involved in the safety and health program that directly impacts the safety and health of workers.
- Be knowledgeable of DOE's FEOSH program.
- Stay in touch with management's OSH policy.
- Transfer management's philosophy down to the employee level. This can usually be done through safety meetings, workshops, and award programs.
- Hold regular safety and health workshops with employees and management to discuss safety and health concerns that affect employees.
- Use staff or "All-Hands" meetings to discuss current safety and health issues.
- Stay current on regulatory changes that affect operations and notify employees of changes through meetings, workshops, notices, bulletins, and similar forms of communication.
- Interface with local safety and health committees to assist in developing innovative ways to address safety and health concerns in your area.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Employees, who exercise supervisory functions must, to the extent of their authority, provide employees a place of employment, which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. They must comply with the OSH standards applicable to their divisions/departments and with all rules, regulations, and orders issued by the agency head with respect to the agency OSH program.
Safe Working Conditions
Each supervisor is responsible for maintaining safe working conditions within his or her area of responsibility and directly implementing the FEOSH program.
Among the supervisor's primary responsibilities are the following:
- Demonstrate management commitment. Participate in and encouraging workers to participate in the FEOSH Program, including effectively managing safety and health resources and personnel.
- Consulting with safety, industrial hygiene, engineering, and medical personnel for aid in fulfilling FEOSH duties.
- Maintaining a safe work environment for employees, including stopping work (if necessary) or providing interim protection for workers while hazards are being abated.
- Instructing employees periodically on precautions, procedures, and practices to be followed to minimize exposure to hazardous conditions or harmful agents.
- Ensuring that appropriate work practices are developed and followed, including good housekeeping practices and rules for work with hazardous materials.
- Furnishing employees with proper PPE, instructing them in its proper use, and enforcing its use.
- Promptly informing the medical provider in case of accidental exposure to harmful agents, and sending the employee(s) involved to the medical provider for examination.
- Observing all work restrictions imposed by the medical provider.
- Administering appropriate disciplinary action when health and safety rules are violated.
- Ensuring that accident, injuries and illness are promptly reported into CAIRS and/or ORPS data systems, that workers compensation cases are filed within 9 days, that employees are properly trained, provided with personal protective equipment and are apprised of the hazards associated with the work they are expected to perform. See the FEOSH Information Sheet on Recordkeeping and Reporting, and visit the CAIRS and ORPS web site.
- Periodically review accident, injury, and illness statistics and reports to promote lessons learned and ensure corrective action commitments.
- Periodically conduct management safety walk-arounds, and discuss safety a regular staff meetings.
Employee Concerns
Supervisors should encourage employees to come forward with suggestions and concerns related to the FEOSH Program. Visit Department of Energy Employee Concerns Program.
The supervisor should:
- Serve as the primary focus for employee concerns.
- Inform employees that the preferred levels of appeal for employee concerns are; first the immediate supervisor and the FEOSH coordinator, next the Facility Manager, the employee representatives, or the employee concerns program, then the HS-23 FEOSH Manager, last Chief Health, Safety and Security Officer, and then OSHA.
- Ensure appropriate responsiveness and feedback to identified hazards and employee concerns.
Hazard Identification and Control
The supervisor should take a lead role in identifying and controlling hazards in the workplace.
To fulfill this responsibility, supervisors should:
- Frequently monitor the workplace to identify actual or potential hazards and conduct periodic safety walk-arounds.
- Ensure compliance with all OSH requirements/rules in respective work area(s).
- Ensure appropriate training and orientation of newly assigned employees.
- Notify FEOSH and employee representative POCs of reported concerns.
- Ensure that appropriate safety equipment is available to employees.
- Possess a general knowledge of industrial hygiene.
- Provide the necessary time for employee participation in FEOSH activities.
- Ensure prompt abatement of OSH hazards and monitor progress.
PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS FOR SUPERVISORS
To provide a supervisor with useful feedback related to his or her performance in safety and health matters, criteria for objective judgment in the form of performance elements should be established. The following elements should be used in developing performance plans and included in the supervisor's annual performance evaluation.
Supervisory Performance Elements
- Maintains awareness of Departmental safety and health policies.
- Is knowledgeable of hazardous and unsafe working conditions.
- Is knowledgeable of emergency evacuation and response procedures.
- Communicates effectively with both management and staff concerning safety and health issues.
- Is knowledgeable of the types of personal protective clothing and equipment that should be used in the work area.
- Is knowledgeable of the use and purpose of workplace tools and equipment.
- Conducts routine workplace inspections/accident investigations.
- Promotes safe workmanship.
- Develops practical strategies for accident/loss prevention.
- Supports the safety program.
- Is cognizant of the cost of accidents (lost time and dollars).
Examples of Supervisor Activities
Performance elements can be used in supervisor and manager performance appraisals to give those individuals valuable feedback.
The following examples show how specific performance elements can be stated to provide an objective evaluation.
Supervisors communicate effectively with employees, management, and safety and health staff concerning safety and health issues by:
- Discussing safety and health issues with management at least weekly.
- Discussing safety and health issues with employees to determine problems/solutions.
- Reporting to employees, management, and safety and health staff concerning safety and health inspections conducted in the workplace.
- Answering employee safety and health concerns/suggestions within one week.
- Clearly and specifically communicating safety and health expectations to employees.
- Discussing safety and health issues with safety and health staff.
Supervisors actively participate in the FEOSH program by:
- Systematically identifying hazards and ensuring that personnel are protected until the hazard is abated.
- Establishing work procedures that include appropriate safety and health controls.
- Budgeting for and providing appropriate PPE.
- Investigating accidents, injuries, and illnesses for causes and implementing accident prevention measures.
- Allowing employees time to participate in safety and health projects or committees.
Managers provide top-level support to the FEOSH program and ensure safe and healthful work environments for all personnel by:
- Maintaining qualified safety and health personnel to manage and direct a viable FEOSH program.
- Planning for and providing funds for program management and addressing identified safety and health issues.
- Actively encouraging workers to work safely.
- Personally walking his/her spaces on a weekly basis for the expressed purpose of safety and health.
- Assisting in the development of the organization's safety and health policy, goals, and objectives.
- Holding managers and supervisors accountable (e.g., through performance evaluations) for providing a safe and healthful workplace.
- Serving on HSS committees and task forces (or other such special assignments).
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: