| In certain industries, each employer | | | | then report any concerns to the safety |
| must create a safety and health program | | | | director. S/he will then set up or |
| known as "A Workplace Accident and | | | | modify existing training programs to |
| Injury Reduction," or AWAIR, program, as | | | | provide adequate personal protection for |
| required by Minnesota Statute ยง 182.653 | | | | those concerned workers. Each job |
| subd. 8. An AWAIR program must be in | | | | location is unique and dynamic, so site |
| writing and there are five key points | | | | supervisors should check worksites daily |
| that it must address: 1. How the program | | | | for compliance with the safety program |
| will be implemented and then maintained | | | | implemented. A Site Safety Checklist is |
| by managers, supervisors, and employees. | | | | an easy way to do this. Because there is |
| 2. How new or existing hazards, | | | | a danger of procedures becoming routine, |
| conditions and operations will be | | | | and therefore lax, random inspections |
| identified, analyzed, and then | | | | and reviews should also be carried out |
| controlled. 3. The method for | | | | regularly. Accidents are not completely |
| communicating the plan to all employees | | | | avoidable, however. Site supervisors |
| that might be affected by work-related | | | | should investigate all accidents or |
| hazards and controls. 4. How, in the | | | | near-miss events that occur. Although |
| event of a workplace accident, the | | | | dangerous, these events will help the |
| incident will be investigated and then | | | | supervisor, as well as the safety |
| what corrective action will take place. | | | | director, rework the health and safety |
| 5. The type of enforcement that will be | | | | program to provide a safer working |
| used for safe work rules and practices. | | | | environment. Workplace safety should be |
| Since workplace environments are | | | | critically important to a company. |
| constantly changing and new employees | | | | Employees are one of the most important |
| are hired, the AWAIR program must be | | | | parts of a business, so keeping them |
| reviewed and analyzed for effectiveness | | | | safe and informed about potential risks |
| at least annually. If workplace safety | | | | and consequences should be a primary |
| is a real concern to an employer, this | | | | concern. Not only do accidents at work |
| task will not be difficult. Regardless | | | | affect human lives, but also can affect |
| of the job, employee safety should be | | | | workers' compensation costs, training |
| reinforced constantly to keep employees | | | | expenses, productivity, and insurance |
| at a high level of performance. A | | | | rates. Violation of health and safety |
| healthy workplace for all employees | | | | rules should be disciplined, while |
| should be a primary concern for any | | | | compliance to the rules should be |
| company, and should be supported by | | | | rewarded. The key to a successful safety |
| company policy. To always reduce the | | | | program such as an AWAIR, is a clear set |
| number of accidents and injuries at a | | | | of goals and objectives for safety and |
| jobsite should always be a goal. A safe | | | | health at the workplace. These goals |
| work environment is not an individual | | | | should be understandable, informative, |
| job, however. It requires cooperation | | | | and enforced throughout the company in |
| between an employee, his/her co-workers, | | | | order to prevent accidents and preserve |
| and management. While employees are the | | | | life. Not only will a company benefit |
| group that is most directly affected by | | | | from preventing these things, but the |
| a safety program, the managers and | | | | employees will have a higher level of |
| supervisors are the ones who are | | | | performance knowing how safe their work |
| responsible for creating and enforcing | | | | environment is, and how much the |
| the program. Many companies will have a | | | | management is concerned with their |
| safety director who is responsible for | | | | safety. |
| organizing a program such as AWAIR. | | | | The Minnesota twin cities law firm of |
| Individual employees will report | | | | Schwebel Goetz and Sieben can provide a |
| concerns to their supervisors. All the | | | | construction accident lawyer or attorney |
| supervisors and managers of the company, | | | | to Minneapolis MN construction injury |
| who are responsible for health and | | | | victims. |
| safety at each specific worksite, will | | | | |