For employers who have less effective programs in place but are making good-faith efforts, OSHA will grant a sliding scale of incentives. To qualify, the employer's program must include each of the recognized elements of a good safety and health program, which must be effective in practice and not just on paper. As evidence of a program's effectiveness, OSHA will expect to find that the workplace has a low injury and illness rate, that the employer has in fact found and fixed most hazards, that the workplace has not been cited in the past three years for the gravest types of violations, that the inspection was not prompted by an employee fatality or catastrophic accident, that any violations found in the current inspection are comparatively minor, and that the employer is prepared to correct any violations found. Employee Participation in Safety and Health Efforts OSHA will promote worker participation in efforts to achieve safe and healthful workplaces. Employers have an obvious interest in working with their employers to improve safety and health at their own establishments.
Workers possess a keen awareness of hazards to which they are exposed.
Many workplaces have tapped into this important resource and achieved successful results with innovative approaches that involve safety and health programs and cooperative efforts between management and workers.