Safety Consultation: A Directed Practical Research Project

This project involved observation and analysis of the health and safety program elements in an active, commercial enterprise holding International Standards Organization (ISO) 45001:2018 Safety Management System (SMS) certification. Approach: The team evaluated employee protection by using basic inspection and audit techniques to observe active production processes and analyze health and safety performance. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fiscal year 2021 records of industry-specific health and safety violations were reviewed pre-visit. The records review did not reveal results for site-specific enforcement actions, but did show industry hazard trends. Results: Multiple hazards were identified, providing insight into SMS functional utility. Conclusions: Deficiencies were noted in all Safety Management System (SMS) components (policy, risk management, assurance, promotion). A more robust program of hazard analysis, investigations, inspections, and audits is required to maintain and further advance the health and safety program. This will help safeguard the workers and assure future production success