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Documentation
There is an old adage in the world of administration. The saying is: “If it isn’t in writing, it isn’t!” That fact has never been more accurate than in today’s litigious society.
Documentation should begin with your safety program. Your safety program must be in writing, not only for protection against litigation but also for OSHA compliance. We are here to ensure that you know what is required.
All training must be documented. Only documented training is verifiable. This holds true for New Hire Orientation, safety training, and certification training such as forklift training, CPR, and the like. At a minimum, documentation should include the training date, the attendees, and the subjects covered. Attendees should sign the training documents. Other pertinent details should be included as well. There can never be too much documentation.
Accident investigations must be documented and done so while it is fresh in everyone’s mind. Written statements are critical.
Offers of medical treatment to injured workers should be documented. Equally important is documenting an employee’s refusal or declination to receive medical care when offered. Be sure to have the employee sign the statement of declination.
Safety issues reported to management should be well documented. Include a description of the reported problem, along with the date, time, and to whom the report was made.
Disciplinary issues related to safety violations should be documented and maintained on file.
First Report of Injuries (FROI) should be filled out completely. Special attention to describing what the individual was doing just before the injury and detailing the injury itself.
OSHA 300 logs should be filled out entirely as recordable instances occur and should be maintained in your records for a minimum of 5 years. OSHA 300As, a summary of injuries and lost time, must be filled out correctly and signed by an authorized person. They should also be posted in a conspicuous place in the company from 1 February through 30 April each year.
This is not meant to be a complete list of what to document. These are just a few instances where good documentation can tremendously aid your company.
For more information contact our Loss Control Department.
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