An Alliance Guide to
Achieving SHARP
From the Oregon SHARP
Alliance Board,
To Assist Oregon Employers
SHARP
Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program
A Recognition Program
to provide
incentive for employers
who
develop and implement
an effective
Safety and Health Program
Management Plan
SHARP:
A Process
• Encourages work toward selfsufficiency
VPP Level
SHARP Level
• Utilize OR-OSHA consultation
staff
• Initially
– Recognition program
– Aimed at smaller companies that
need more help
Majority
of
Oregon
Employers
Targeted by
Enforcement
Eligibility
• Oregon employers
–
–
–
–
In business for at least one year
Subject to workers’ compensation insurance
Management / corporate commitment
DART rate below industry average or trending
downward*
* In the Portland area, a pilot is underway to allow sites into SHARP with rates above
industry averages as long as there is a 5-year downward trend in injury/illnes rates
Consultation’s SHARP Tools
• Comprehensive Consultation
– Safety, Health and Ergonomic
– All shifts and operations
• SHARP Assessment Form
– 2 or better on all 58 elements
– Tips and Attributes
• Injury and Illness Rates
– Published on web page
SHARP Participation
• Requires employers and employees to work
together to;
–
–
–
–
Find and correct hazards
Develop and implement effective S&H programs
Continuosly improve safety and health
Become self-sufficient in S&H management
Creating a SHARP Safety CultureManagement
Leadership
Employee
Participation
(Involvement)
Administration
& Supervision
Planning &
Evaluation
Safety & Health
Management
Program
Hazard Anticipation
and Detection
Safety & Health
Training
Hazard Prevention
& Control
What does SHARP look like?
• Compliance and beyond
– OSHA standards are the minimum acceptable levels
• An occupational safety and health program
– Able to maintain itself without outside aid
– Capable of providing for itself, that which it needs to survive
• Mature, Pro-Active Culture
– Management Led, Employee Driven
• Continuous Improvement Mode
– Actively working to be better
– Not satisfied with “where they are”
Company requests initial SHARP Assessment
SHARP
Process
Flowchart
Intake
completed
/ Consultation
scheduled
Initial comprehensive Consultation with
program assessment, completed and sent
Qualified for SHARP
Not Qualified for SHARP
Action Plan Developed
Action Plan Implemented
Company requests follow-up assessment
Follow-up comprehensive Consultation with
program assessment, completed and sent
Qualified for SHARP
Not Qualified for SHARP
First Year SHARP Awarded
Before Approval
•
•
•
•
•
Commitment letter on file
DART Rates below industry average*
Action Plans completed
Consultant’s verification of correction
Acceptable rating on SHARP assessment form
On-going SHARP Aproval
• Approval for one year only
– Renew SHARP annually by requesting
comprehensive consultation
– Continual increasing site involvement in the
SHARP evaluation process
• Inspection Exemption
– After second-year approval
• Graduation after five years
Action Planning
(Goal Setting)
• White Rabbit (Alice in Wonderland)
– If you don’t know where you’re going, any road
will get you there!
• Plan – Do – Check – Act
– W. Edwards Demming – 1950’s
• “Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail”
– John Wooden
• A job well planned is a job well done!
– Plan the Work, Work the Plan
SHARP Commitment Letter
• Employer must agree in writing
–
–
–
–
To a comprehensive survey of all operations
To involve employees in the process
To work to correct hazards with written verification
To develop, implement & improve all 7 elements
• And maintain DART below statewide average
–
–
–
–
To develop & maintain a written S&H program
To achieve an acceptable assessment rating
To inform FCM of changes that could introduce hazards
To notify FCM when ready for follow-up
SHARP BOTTOM LINE
•
•
•
•
To qualify, employers must:
Agree to a Comprehensive Consultation;
Correct all hazards identified in the consultation;
Implement all elements of an effective Safety & Health
Program Management Plan;
• Significantly involve employees in the Safety & Health
Program Management Plan; and
• Achieve an acceptable rating in the final assessment of
the Safety & Health Program Management Plan.
What have these companies gained?
• Willamette Landscape Services (60 employees)
– During the five years leading to their SHARP
designation, reduced the number of lost-time
workplace injuries and illnesses by 75%
– Achieved a DART rate that is 55% below statewide
industry average.
– “SHARP has helped us become a better company. We
are a more conscientous employer now, and I feel great
knowing that we can offer safe and productive
employment to anybody who would like to work with
us” Matt Triplett, VP
Roseburg Forest Products
Road to SHARP…
• Mid-1980’s to early 1990’s
– Had several fatalities
– OR-OSHA was out to close us down
• Possibly prosecute someone
• Safety during that period was at best:
– A distance third to
• Production
• Quality
• Our “safety program” was largely:
– Regulation driven
• We did just what we had to
What has SHARP done for us:
• Given us the focus we didn’t have
• Provided a road map for improvement
• Helped us establish a baseline of which we could
measure that improvement
• Helped to give all our employees a “piece of the
action”
Benefits of being a SHARP participant
• Going through the SHARP process:
– Identifies your weak points
– Gives you a focus
– Helps you establish your goals & objectives
Benefits of being a SHARP participant
• Attaining SHARP recognition gives:
– Your workforce a sense of pride
– Sense of accomplishment
• Steppingstone to VPP
• Provides you with a network
Quotes from 2 SHARP Graduates
"The service from Oregon OSHA's Consultation Services' is
outstanding! Our savings on claims costs have been
enormous. Annual claims costs have dropped 64 percent
and lost workdays have fallen 79 percent."
City of Portland, Columbia Wastewater Treatment Plant
Our Oregon OSHA consultants were wonderful!! They never
pushed, only encouraged. Never criticized, only motivated.
They were our cheerleaders as well as our coaches. Our
Lost Workday Cases Incident Rate went from 28.99 in
2000 to 0.00 in 2002."
Mid-Valley Healthcare
Resources
• Oregon OSHA
– www.orosha.org
• Oregon SHARP Companies
– www.orosha.org/consult/sharppar.htm
• Oregon SHARP Alliance
– www.sharpalliance.org
SHARP Alliance Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Promoting SHARP
Promoting Alliance membership
Mentoring
Networking
Training
Input to Oregon-OSHA
Assist new sites working toward SHARP
Mentoring
• The sharing of experience
– Successes & Failures
• Learning from someone who has done it
– The ability to see an effective program in action
– See what a culture of continuous improvement looks like
• Motivating the organization
– Employees/manager/supervisors
– Meaningful & active involvement with S&H
Networking
• Ability to get useful information from a peer
– Meaningful training, successful programs, etc.
• Don’t recreate the wheel
– Access to proven results rather than trail and error
• Discovering what works and what doesn’t work
– From someone who has already been there
• Developing relationships
– Enhancing credibility
The Oregon SHARP Alliance
• A resource to all new sites
working toward SHARP
• Experienced Guides
• Willing and Able to Help!