OSHA and NIOSH Partner up to Revise a Handbook for Small Businesses
Their goal is to make it more detailed and provide even better safety tips for businesses.
- By Shereen Hashem
- Aug 12, 2021
OSHA partnered with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to revise a handbook on workplace safety and health information for small business employers. The Small Business Safety and Health Handbook focuses on the benefits of implementing a safety and health program, provide self-inspection checklists for employers to identify workplace hazards and review important safety and health resources for small businesses.
“The revised Small Business Handbook is a valuable tool to help employers identify where to take action to make their workplaces safer and more healthful for their employees,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Jim Frederick. “Safety has to be a continuous process that involves preventing injuries and illnesses, and saving lives.”
The handbook includes self-inspection checklists for different work processes, such as: hazard communication, fire protection, permit required confined spaces and walking-working surfaces.
“Small businesses face many unique challenges and providing a safe and healthy work environment shouldn't be one of them,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “The updated Small Business Handbook is an easy-to-use tool to help keep your most valuable asset – your employees – safe and healthy on the job.”
According to the press release, a section of the handbook lists OSHA and NIOSH resources that are available to improve health hazards in their workplaces which includes the OSHA On-Site Consultation Program. Information on whistleblower protection laws, training through OSHA’s education centers and professional OSH associations with local chapters that businesses can join. Learn more about how OSHA helps small businesses here.
About the Author
Shereen Hashem is the Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety magazine.