24 Aug Employee Responsibility

Employee Responsibility

Workplace safety is a shared effort. Management is responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace, supervisors are responsible for implementing safety requirements and directing work safely, and employees are responsible for following established procedures and actively contributing to workplace safety.

Being responsible means more than simply completing assigned work. It means arriving ready to work, understanding the task, recognizing hazards, following established procedures, and communicating concerns before someone gets hurt.

Employee Safety Responsibilities

Every employee is expected to:

• Participate in training. Pay attention, ask questions, and understand the procedures and hazards associated with your work.
• Ask when you are unsure. Never guess about how to perform a task safely. If instructions are unclear or you do not feel qualified or prepared to perform the work, stop and ask your supervisor for assistance.
• Follow established safety procedures. Use required PPE, guards, tools, equipment, and safe work practices.
• Inspect your work area and equipment. Look for unsafe conditions before beginning work and throughout the job.
• Report hazards promptly. Notify your supervisor of unsafe conditions, unsafe acts, defective equipment, and other hazards so they can be corrected.
• Report incidents and near misses. A near miss is an opportunity to identify and correct a hazard before someone is injured.
• Never remove or bypass safeguards. Do not disable guards, interlocks, alarms, or other protective devices.
• Use tools and equipment properly. Use equipment only for its intended purpose and only when trained and authorized.
• Correct hazards when authorized and safe to do so. Otherwise, protect the area and immediately notify your supervisor.
• Communicate concerns. Bring safety problems to your supervisor’s attention and, whenever possible, offer practical suggestions for improvement.
• Follow up on unresolved concerns. If a reported hazard has not been addressed, raise the concern again through the appropriate company reporting process.
• Look out for coworkers. Speak up when you observe a condition or action that could result in an injury.
• Participate in the safety program. Take an active role in toolbox talks, safety meetings, inspections, hazard assessments, and other safety activities.
• Report injuries and illnesses promptly. Even seemingly minor injuries should be reported according to company procedures.

Stop and Ask

One of the most important employee responsibilities is recognizing when not to proceed.

Stop work and contact your supervisor when:

• You do not understand the task or procedure.
• Conditions have changed from what was originally planned.
• Required safeguards or PPE are unavailable.
• Equipment appears damaged or unsafe.
• An unexpected hazard develops.
• You have not received the training or authorization required for the work.

Never allow production schedules, deadlines, or pressure to complete a job to override safe work practices.

Communication Is Essential

Employees often have firsthand knowledge of workplace hazards because they perform the work every day. That knowledge is valuable. Report problems, participate in discussions, and suggest improvements when you see a safer or more efficient way to perform a task.

Supervisors cannot correct a hazard they do not know exists. Likewise, employees cannot be expected to follow a procedure they do not understand. Clear, two-way communication is essential to an effective safety program.

Remember

Safety is not something that belongs only to management or the safety department. Every employee has an important role.

Follow your training. Use the required safeguards. Report hazards and near misses. Ask questions when you are unsure. Never take an unnecessary risk simply to get the job done faster.

Taking responsibility for your own actions—and looking out for those working around you—helps ensure that everyone goes home safely.