SAFETY INCENTIVE
PROGRAM
Safety Program
O Incentive plans cannot be used alone
O They must be only a piece of the safety
program
O Employees must be properly trained for jobs
O They must be trained on how to recognize
hazards
O They must be trained and have access to a
written safety program so they know the
company rules
Safety Program
O Safety policy which outlines the company’s
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commitment to a safe workplace
Policies stating employees’ responsibilities and
accountabilities
Management support for safe practices
Rules for job performance and conduct to help keep
the workplace safe
Corrective action plan (training, disciplinary actions,
etc.)
Performance appraisal system
Safety committee
Designation of those responsible for safety
monitoring
Support from Management
and Supervisors
O Management and supervisors must believe
in the incentive program
O The program should be fair and properly
administered
O Employees need to think they can actually
achieve the rewards
Establishing the Safety
Incentive Program
O Your approach may depend on many
variables:
O Nature of operations
O Size
O Number of employees
O Number of work locations (including fixed and
temporary job sites)
O Which employees will be included
O Budget for program
Establish Goals
O Decide why you want to start an incentive
program and what you expect from it
O Reduce lost time accidents
O Reduce number of injuries
O Improve awareness of safety issues and
procedures
O Reinforce your company’s formal Safety
Program
Who is Awarded
O Pick which employees will be included in the
program and how they will be awarded
O Team
O Individual
O Department
O Everyone
Prize Selection
O Company logo items (pens,
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flashlights, blankets, clothing)
Cash
Gift cards
Safety items (safety glasses,
work shoes, hard hats)
Accumulated points for
catalog selection
Lunch
Appoint Program Coordinator
O Someone who is responsible for the
program and can monitor how it affects your
overall safety program
O Could be a safety representative, manager,
supervisor, etc.
Recognition
O There should be a way to inform
employees of performance
and/or standings
O Winners should be announced
O Management must recognize
employees for their efforts
O Some examples of recognition:
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Pat on the back
Praise for a job well done
Lunch with owner/manager
Announcement at meeting
Postings on bulletin board
Reporting Injuries and
Illnesses
O Employees must report injuries
and illnesses
O The Incentive program should
not discourage reporting
O OSHA discourages incentive
programs that reward
reductions of “lagging
indicators"
O Lost time accidents
O Injuries (such as back
injuries)
O OSHA recordables
O Days without an accident
Leading Indicators
O Safety training session
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attendance
Identifying unsafe
conditions
Safety suggestions
Completing safety
checklists/inspections
Employees displaying
safe acts/behaviors
Kick Off
O Present the program to all
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employees
Go over rules, prizes, and most
importantly – the overall goal
Answer any questions the
participants have
Get them excited about the
program
Management must be involved in
this meeting
Ideas of Specific
Incentive Programs
Safety Slogans
O Employees submit safety slogans
O A board, or the safety committee, selects a
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winner
The winner is selected
Prize or recognition is given to the winner
The safety slogan is posted
This program can run for a month or longer
(up to a year)
Safety Suggestion
O Suggestion boxes are placed throughout
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workplace
Employees place safety suggestions in the boxes
Suggestions are for corrections of unsafe acts,
conditions, and health hazards
Each month the safety committee, or board,
reviews all entries and votes to select the winner
A prize is given, and/or the winner’s name and
suggestion, along with corrective action, are
posted
Good Housekeeping
O Monthly inspections are completed by a member
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of the safety committee
They inspect different locations individually and
score them
Inspectors turn their scores in
The current scores are compared to previous
months to decide which location has the most
improvement
Most improved location is announced and
awarded lunch, or other prize
Employee Involvement
O Involves all employees, except for managers/supervisors
O Program lasts two months, and then is started over
O Raffle tickets are distributed to employees displaying
safe behavior, reporting near-misses and those who
make safety suggestions
O Secret employee selected each term, turns in names of
those he/she observed doing safe behaviors
O All of the raffle ticket recipients’ names will be posted at
the end of each 2 month period on the safety bulletin
board for recognition.
O Once the 2 month period has ended, a winner is
selected from a random drawing and the winner
receives a $25 gift certificate, or selects a prize from a
drawing