Supervisory Safety Leadership
Best Safety Practice # 1
Understanding
Legal, plus Employee
Safety & Health & UCD
Economic impacts
Understanding
Legal, Employee
Safety/Health &
Economic impacts
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Supervisor Safety Leadership
Major Job Factors
Leadership is a job requirement:
– Supervisors have a major influence/impact on;
• Regulatory compliance,
• Meeting University safety/environmental goals
• Injury prevention,
• Absenteeism, and
• Workers’ compensation costs
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Safety Leadership
Legal, Safety & Business Aspects
UC Davis’s commitment to employee safe behavior
reflects:
1. Meeting Federal, State, County, and UC Davis
safety requirements
2. Concern for employee’s safety, health and quality
of life
3. Concern for costs associated with injuries &
illnesses
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Legal: EH&S Regulatory Compliance
Requirements/Implications
• Many of the EH&S programs are based on Federal,
California, and/or local (Yolo) government regulations
– Provide a safe working environment for employees
http://www.dir.ca.gov/samples/search/query.htm
(Cal OSHA link)
• It is the intent of UC Davis to comply with the intent of
these regulations as well as meeting the specific legal
requirements.
• In addition, any violation of University EH&S policies
& procedures is taken seriously;
http://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/environmental-health-safety/healthsafety/health-safety
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Regulatory Relationships
Government Visits
• Follow procedures for responding to government agency
visits (i.e. Cal OSHA), information requests, and required
reports (some immediate reporting needs)
• It is important for you, as a Supervisor, to treat each
agency representative with respect
– Interactions with government agencies focus solely on
the incident/issue
• All agency representatives will be escorted by an EH&S
and a department representative at all times
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Supervisor Safety Leadership
UC Davis EH&S Programs & Policies
• First point of contact: EH&S policies
• Supervisor direct impacts employee performance:
– Enforce compliance with EH&S policies
– Communicate expectations
– Set the proper example
• Follow the policies, procedures & rules.
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
EH&S Programs & Policies
• Establishing a Safety Management program
http://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/environmental-health-safety/healthsafety/safety-management-program/safety-management-program-1
• Complying with EH&S Policies & procedures;
http://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/environmental-health-safety/healthsafety/policy-and-procedure-manual
• Supervisor guidance and interpretation to employees
(work w/DSC’s-DSA’s)
• Knowledge of policies and procedures to prevent
serious or life-threatening situations
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Supervisor Safety Leadership
Getting Assistance
• Tools: University Safety Organizations
– UCOP Risk Management
– Campus Safety Professionals:
– Safety Services Administration
– UC Davis Safety Council
– Departmental Directors & Managers
– EH&S Departmental Safety Advisors (DSA)
– Supervisors
– Departmental Safety Coordinators (DSC)
– Individual employees
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
The Role of EH&S
Departmental Safety Advisors (DSA)
Assist their departments:
• Assist supervisors, management & DSC’s on inspections
• Serve as a Technical Resource
• Coordinate activities with Cal OSHA, Yolo County,
Cal EPA, and other regulatory agencies
• Conduct incident investigation with the department
• Bring closure to injury/illness investigations
List of DSA’s;
http://safetyapps.ucdavis.edu/EHS/dsa/index.cfm
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Injury & Illness Impacts
Economic: Direct Cost$
• There are “Direct Costs of Employee Injuries, Illnesses, and
Indirect costs due to Employee Wellness and Behavior
• Economic Value of Safety; Positive ROI
– Direct Workers Compensation )WC) Costs:
• Temporary Disability payments to injured worker,
• Physician and specialist,
• Therapists,
• Diagnostic testing,
• Surgery,
• After care nursing costs,
• Permanent Disability costs
• Each department annually assessed for WC costs
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Example Workers Compensation Case
Back Injury Cost (3 yr claim)
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Supervisor Best Safety Practice #6
Workers’ Compensation (WC)
Reporting:
Employees need to report all injuries and illnesses
Immediately;
– Supervisors:
• Assure Employees get Medical treatment
• Inform Workers' Compensation Unit of the injury
• Complete “notice of injury” form (if employee does not go to
Employee Health)
• Responsible for written Incident Report.
– Contact Occupational Health for all WC claims and referrals
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Injury & Illness Prevention
Indirect Costs of injuries/illnesses
– Indirect costs*:
• Productivity losses; overtime or extra wages,
• Training replacements,
• Administrative time managing claims & disability,
• Legal costs & possible fines
• Investigation and corrective action time &
expenditure,
• Work completion delays, equipment damage
• Employee skill loss, project/research delays,
• Morale & efficiency impacts
* Liberty Mutual estimates for every $1 of direct costs there are $3-5
indirect costs
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Supervisor Best Safety Practice
Incident Investigations
• Incident Investigation is supervisory primary responsibility
• Incident Investigations are performed to find all the causes
and corrective actions for injuries, illnesses
• Supervisors will be provided additional training on
effective incident investigation*
– A simple incident investigation technique is to ask the 5
Why’s
– HANDOUT: Incident Investigation form
• Interview employee(s), pictures, sketch
* Note: Ask for assistance from experienced Supervisors for your first
investigation
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Supervisor Best Safety Practice
Incident Investigations
• Ensure department managers are awareness of injuries,
WC claims and prevention efforts
• Insure a detailed injury investigation is completed
• Provide this information to Workers' Compensation Unit
for the claim filing & investigation
• Occupational Health work with the designated WC
provider for claims management
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.
Supervisor Best Safety Practice
Returning Employees to Work (RTW)
• Return to Work (RTW);
– Employee will provide release to Employee Health prior
to RTW.
– Human Resources provides notices of work restriction
to Department Management & Supervisors.
• Supervisor ensures employee work within their restrictions
– Adhere to physician notes and restrictions
– Provide ‘modified duty’ according to policy
– Call Workers' Compensation with questions
Think safe. Act safe. Be safe.