# Advice on a safety program



## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

All right, its time. Never really had a pressing need for one doing residential type work, but gearing up for more expansion means I'm not going to be onsite as much as I used to. With the amount of commercial jobs we do on the rise, and some have been downright huge, it is high time for me to get a formal safety plan on board. 

After a little searching, I found this one:
SafetySoft Site Plan
Combined with this:
Weekly safety talks
It seems perfect for me. At only $300, it won't break the bank. 
I like the fact that it allows me to create plans for many different scenarios, be it residential, or commercial. And I really like the 70 pre-written weekly talks. And of course, its OSHA comliant.

For those in the know, is this a decent plan? Or are these universal type plans seen as a joke or frowned upon by OSHA? 

Any/all feedback welcome.
But please don't hit me with a pic of spam! :laughing:


----------



## Glasshousebltr (Feb 9, 2004)

I could see it if you were trying to subdue a union complaint, but in all reality you could easily create your own plan.

Bob


----------



## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

Wow Wisha/ WA OSHA implemented Safety plans as a requiredment 3 or 4 years ago for all residential. 
Osha would just love it if you actually had one in the first place when you do any kind of work. You probably don't even do a safety meeting every week and record it with sig's from your employee's. 
You'd would be fined so alot over here. Not to mention any resistence to thier authority and you would be a target for monthly inspections.


----------



## PipeGuy (Oct 8, 2004)

ProWallGuy said:


> It seems perfect for me. At only $300, it won't break the bank. I like the fact that it allows me to create plans for many different scenarios, be it residential, or commercial. And I really like the 70 pre-written weekly talks. And of course, its OSHA compliant.
> For those in the know, is this a decent plan? Or are these universal type plans seen as a joke or frowned upon by OSHA?
> Any/all feedback welcome.


Tim,
I think you've got something there. $300 is sure easy to take. It took me weeks to put my program together from scratch. I'd have liked to have had the web based option when I did my plan.
OSHA doesn't care where your 'plan' comes from as long as it covers the right stuff. If it were me, I wouldn't accept the 'OSHA compliant' claim at face value. I'd read all the free stuff you can get from the State office and figure out what is required. That knowledge helps make sure you cover the proper bases and avoid spending time on those that aren't.
Of course, the nice books aren't going to keep people from getting hurt. It's the training and management priorities that do that. OSHA's gonna' nail you to the wall if they find you've got a bunch of pretty paper but aren't training the guys and documenting the same.


----------



## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

I'm confused about all this Osha stuff. What does a town in Wisconson have to do with me?


----------



## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

Yeah, I really don't want to take the time to create one myself, seems like it would be re-inventing the wheel here. So many out there to choose from. 

And yes, it will be implemented, I have always drilled into their heads the important things, like setting ladders, walking on drops over hardwood, only one martini for lunch, etc.


----------



## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

JustaFramer said:


> Wow Wisha/ WA OSHA implemented Safety plans as a requiredment 3 or 4 years ago for all residential.


How do they enforce something like that? 


JustaFramer said:


> You probably don't even do a safety meeting every week and record it with sig's from your employee's.


Nope, not yet, but I'm obviously about to. 


JustaFramer said:


> You'd would be fined so alot over here.


Again, how do they enforce this? Spot checks at random homes? Remeber, I do mostly residential wallcovering. I have been in the biz almost twenty years, and never ever even seen a guy from OSHA. Even on my commercial jobs, never seen nor heard from them. 


JustaFramer said:


> Not to mention any resistence to thier authority and you would be a target for monthly inspections.


Yeah, thats kinda a gimme. I also know how to be nice to the guys with badges and guns. :biggrin:


----------



## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

I worked for a guy that his son pissed off a OSHA guy. The same guy followed us on two job sites about 15- 20 miles from each other. He never popped my crew.

If I could show you Wisha had a on their main page a few years ago about how they were cracking down on residential construction yada yada. Mostly just a ploy to raise the rates and give more fines. 

I have seen OSHA guy's give out warnings and come back in 6 weeks to make sure of compliance. Only on minor infractions like safety meetings and no safety plans. But come 6 weeks you better be in compliance.


----------

