Premises Safety Management and Facilities Design

BASIC ELEMENTS OF PREMISES SAFETY PROGRAMMING

Basic elements of premises safety programming typically include (a) the publication of a written statement of corporate (company) safety policy emphasizing top management's commitment to premises safety and the prevention of premises accidents, (b) a written assignment of authority and responsibility related to premises safety, (c) developing and conducting premises related safety analysis activity designed to identify, evaluate, and prevent or control premises related hazards, (d) the issuing of published safety standards regarding various premises related facilities, equipment, and furnishings associated with the control of physical hazards, (e) the issuing of published facility operation and maintenance methods and procedures related to premises safety and the monitoring of such activity to assure compliance, (f) compliance with authoritative guidelines related to the control of reasonably foreseeable premises hazards, (g) compliance with all local, state, federal and nationally recognized safety standards and regulations (subject to their faithfulness to the core principles of safety engineering and the cardinal rules of hazard control), (h) establishing and conducting a planned safety inspection program regarding business premises, facilities, equipment, and furnishings, (i) developing and conducting a management and staff training program related to premises safety requirements, (j) emergency response planning regarding the sudden appearance or awareness of premises related facility, or operational hazards, (k) formal pro-active procedures for the investigation and analysis of actual and potential accidents that have resulted or have a significant probability to result in serious personal injury to premises users, and (l) the establishment of a formal means to periodically audit safety program content, performance, and effectiveness.

To be effective, and due to their importance compared to other management policies which are typically well documented, the basic elements of premises related safety programming should be in writing.

For additional information, see the Nelson & Associates Fact Sheets (.pdf) below:

Premises Safety Programming

Five Types of Same-Level Falls

Application of ADA to Private Entities

Application of ADA to Public Entities

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