Special Topics in Safety Management

Polling the Professionals: What Your Colleagues Are Thinking and Doing About Workplace Safety

BLR regularly polls safety professionals like yourself to find out what people are thinking and doing about important safety and health issues. Here’s a sample of those polls, courtesy of Safety.BLR.com.

If Mitt Romney is elected tomorrow, what direction will OSHA take?

39%    No significant change in direction
35%    Less compliance and enforcement driven
22%    Who knows
4%      More compliance and enforcement driven

Should willfull, repeat OSHA violators be allowed removal from the Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) log?

68%    No
32%    Absolutely, a fresh start is good

Note: On August 16, 2012, OSHA issued employer removal criteria from the SVEP program to all federal OSHA offices. Generally, an employer may be considered for removal from the program by an OSHA Regional Administrator after:

  • A period of 3 years from the date of the final disposition of the SVEP inspection citation items including, failure to contest, settlement agreement, Review Commission final order, or court of appeals decision
  • All affirmed violations have been abated, all final penalties have been paid, the employer has abided by and completed all settlement provisions, and has not received any additional serious citations related to the hazards identified in the SVEP inspection at the initial establishment or at any related establishments

In the event an employer fails to adhere to the terms and provisions of the agreement, the employer will remain in the program for an additional 3 years and will then be reevaluated.


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Is OSHA putting too much emphasis on targeting employers for enforcement action?

46%    Yes, OSHA has too much emphasis on enforcement actions
29%    No, OSHA is not doing enough enforcement actions
25%    OSHA is doing a good job with enforcement actions

What’s the best way to get workers to be safer at work?

74%    Training, training, training
11%    Safety incentives
9%      Discipline
6%      Something else

Should companies be required to have a wellness program?

56%    Yes
44%    No

Do you notice an increase of accidents at your facility around the holidays?

73%    No
27%    Yes

When was the last time you reviewed your facility’s emergency plan?

55%    Within the last month
27%    Within the last year
9%      Within the last 6 months
9%      We don’t have an emergency plan

How would you rate your ability to give good safety instructions?

67%    Excellent
29%    Just OK
4%      Poor


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How often do you drive distracted?

61%    Just sometimes
25%    Very often, but not all the time
10%    Never
4%      All the time

Do you leave your desk to take a lunch break?

53%    Only sometimes
33%    Yes, always
14%    No, never

Which EHS plan do you find most difficult to maintain?

25%    Hazard communication
19%    SWPPP (Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan)
19%    Contingency plan
19%    Emergency action plan
6%      SPCC (Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure plan)
12%    Other

The most difficult part of writing safety plans is:

27%    Finding applicable regulatory requirements
13%    Gathering supporting materials like plan guidance reports
9%      Uncovering job hazards
6%      Organizing who does what at your facility
45%    Other

Tomorrow, poll results concerning employee training.

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