In October, Calbiotech held Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) Training for all team members to ensure safety best practices in the work place. The goal of this annual training is to establish, implement, and maintain a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program.
In an effort to encourage all organizations, small and large to make safety a priority, Calbiotech is happy to share the outline of our Program:
The IIPP consists of the following eight elements:
- •Responsibility
- •Compliance
- •Communication
- •Hazard Assessment
- •Accident/Exposure Investigation
- •Hazard Correction
- •Training and Instruction
- •Recordkeeping
Everyone is responsible for complying with safe work practices.
- •Our system of ensuring that all employees comply with these practices include the following practices:
- •Informing employees of the IIPP.
- •Providing training to employees.
- •Monitoring challenges and compliance with with safe work practices.
Communication is critical and your internal communication program should encompass the following:
- •Review of our IIP Program.
- •Training programs.
- •Regularly scheduled safety meetings.
- •Posted or distributed safety information.
Periodic inspections to identify and evaluate workplace hazards shall be performed when:
- •When new substances, processes, procedures or equipment which present potential new hazards are introduced into our workplace;
- •When new, previously unidentified hazards are recognized;
- •When occupational injuries and illnesses occur;
- •Whenever workplace conditions warrant an inspection.
Procedures for investigating workplace accidents and hazardous substance exposures include:
- •Interviewing injured workers and witnesses;
- •Examining the workplace for factors associated with the accident/ exposure;
- •Determining the cause of the accident/exposure;
- •Taking corrective action to prevent the accident/exposure from reoccurring
Unsafe or unhealthy work conditions, practices or procedures shall be corrected in a timely manner based on the severity of the hazards.
- •Hazards shall be corrected according to the following procedures:
- •When observed or discovered; and
- •When an imminent hazard exists which cannot be immediately abated without endangering employee(s) and/or property, we will remove all exposed workers from the area except those necessary to correct the existing condition. Employees who are required to correct the hazardous condition shall be provided with the necessary protection.
All employees must have training and instruction on general and job-specific safety and health practices.
- •When IIP Program is first established;
- •To all new workers;
- •Workers given new job assignments;
- •New or previously unrecognized hazard;
- •Hazards specific to employee's job assignment.
Any safety program is only effective when it is utilized properly. The points below are key:
- •Reporting an incident is crucial to prevent future injury and/or illness and keep the workplace safe.
- •Documentation of safety and health training for each worker is maintained to demonstrate compliance.
- •Records regarding hazard assessment inspections and incidents are also archived.
- •Do not submit yourself to unnecessary risks.
- •Do NOT bring any food or drinks into the laboratory. Personal objects, such as purses, can be taken in by lab personnel for storage in their workstation only.
The Golden Safety Rule: Minimize your risk of exposure whenever possible. Always evaluate the consequences.
A great resource to learn more about Safety in the workplace is the website of OSHA - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration: https://www.osha.gov/