OSHA says watch the incentives on injury prevention efforts

OSHA says watch the incentives on injury prevention efforts

OSHA has issued new guidance regarding company efforts to prevent on the job injuries, in particular those that reward employees for not being injured on the job. OSHA says such reward programs may indeed violate the law.

An example of such a program would be a service department having a party for employees every month that the department is accident free. In OSHAs view, such programs provide a disincentive for reporting injuries and would be considered an unlawful discrimination against an employee exercising a protected right.

OSHA says there are better ways to encourage safe work practices, such as incentives that promote worker participation in safety-related activities such as providing tee shirts to workers serving on safety and health committees; offering modest rewards for suggesting ways to strengthen safety and health; or throwing a recognition party at the successful completion of company-wide safety and health training.

The safety agency also reminds business owners that it frowns on:

Employers who take disciplinary action against employees injured on the job, regardless of the circumstances or fault surrounding the injury

Employers who discipline employees injured or ill because they violated an employer rule about the time or manner for reporting injuries and illnesses, and

Employers who discipline employees for reporting injuries that resulted from the violation of a safety rule by the employee.