Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP)

Posted February 12, 2021

Purpose

This policy establishes what procedures will be implemented to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses at its facilities.

Scope

This policy applies to all employees. It also applies to vendors working on property. (Note to program administrator: This policy should be thoroughly reviewed. Some elements may not apply to your operations. As such, remove any aspects that are not consistent with your program. In some cases, elements may need to be added. This administrator note should be deleted prior to finalizing the policy).

POLICY GUIDELINES

Key Elements

The Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) establishes procedures around the following elements:

• Management commitment and responsibility assignment
• Employee safety communication
• Safety committees
• Employee safety procedure compliance
• Safety inspections
• Incident/accident investigations
• Hazard assessment and correction
• Safety training
• Recordkeeping

Management Commitment

The Company’s IIPP administrator has the authority and responsibility of implementing the IIPP.

Supervisors and managers also have the responsibility of implementing the IIPP in their areas. Management support of safety efforts is essential to the success of the IIPP.

Employee Safety Communication

Supervisors and managers are responsible for communicating safety and health information with their employees in a way that can be understood. Safety communications with employees can include the following:

• New hire safety orientation
• IIPP reviews
• Training programs
• Safety meetings
• Toolbox talks
• Safety committee meeting minutes
• Reviews of safety inspection results (including corrections)
• Posted safety information
• Anonymous safety suggestions

Safety Committee

A safety committee gives employees a voice in our organization’s safety program. It will operate under the following guidelines:

• The safety committee will be made up of volunteers.
• Front-line employees should make up at least 50% of the safety committee.
• The safety committee will meet monthly.
• The safety committee will elect a chairperson.
• Meeting minutes will be kept.
• The safety committee will assist in corrective action reviews of accidents.
• The safety committee will conduct hazard assessments (inspections).
• The safety committee will review employee safety suggestions/recommendations.

Employee Safety Procedure Compliance

Management is responsible for ensuring that employees follow safety policies and procedures. This includes the following:

• Performing safety inspections and incident/accident investigations
• Identifying and correcting safety hazards
• Evaluating safety performance
• Conducting behavior-based safety observations
• Recognizing safe practices of employees
• Addressing unsafe actions of employees though discipline and training

Safety Inspections

Safety inspections are critical for identifying unsafe conditions and acts. Employees conducting formal inspections may include supervisors, managers, safety committee members and any other trained employees. Inspections will, at minimum, be conducted at the following times:

• When the IIPP is established
• When new equipment, processes or hazards are introduced
• After accidents/incidents occur
• When a behavior-based safety observation indicates an inspection is needed
• When new hazards are identified
• Monthly by department

Accident Investigations

Identifying the root or underlying cause of accidents is critical to preventing recurrence. Accidents will be investigated by:

• Conducting a physical inspection of the workplace conditions and equipment
• Interviewing injured employee(s) and witnesses
• Reviewing applicable procedures, training records and other documentation
• Determining immediate causes as well as underlying or root causes
• Developing a corrective action plan that addresses root causes
• Following up to ensure corrective actions were effective

Hazard Correction

Hazards that are identified during inspections, behavior-based safety observations, employee reports or accident/incident investigations will be handled promptly.

If there is an imminent danger situation (e.g., a situation in which there is an immediate and high likelihood of severe injury or death), all employees will be removed from the area. Employees who must stay in the area to mitigate the hazard will be given the resources they need to safely correct the hazard.

Training

All employees, including front-line employees, supervisors, managers and senior leadership, need to have safety training. We will provide training:

• When this IIPP is established
• When new hires are onboarded
• When an employee is given a new job assignment and additional training is needed
• When we introduce new equipment, processes or chemicals
• When employees encounter a new hazard
• When a supervisor’s employees may be exposed to a hazard

Training will cover [delete any items that do not apply]:

• IIPP elements and implementation
• Emergency action plans for applicable disasters
• Fire prevention plans
• First aid and medical services
• Housekeeping to prevent slips and falls
• Horseplay that could result in injury
• Storage of materials
• Hazard reporting
• Hazard communication
• Machinery safety
• Personal protective equipment
• Electrical safety
• Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)
• Unsafe conditions and behaviors and how to identify them

Recordkeeping

(Depending on state regulations, some of these requirements may not be needed. However, as a best practice, follow all of these requirements.)

Records of hazard inspections will be documented with the following elements:

• The name of the inspector
• The unsafe conditions
• The unsafe behaviors
• What corrective actions were taken and the completion date

Records of safety training will be documented with the following elements:

• The name of the trainee
• The name of the trainer
• The dates of training
• The topics covered

Download the complete Injury & Illness Prevention Program document and forms