Thoughts on Program Prioritization and Rollout

When people work to implement a new safety program for an organization, they often wonder about what things to start working on first. For new facility start-ups, there are often questions about when programs must be in place and when training must be accomplished, compared to when operations start. Managers sometimes wonder if OSHA or OSHA-approved State Plan regulators provide any grace periods or slack, considering that workers may be hired in phases and not all machinery or processes may be started at once. Can the organization start up their OSH program piecemeal, or does it need to be all at once? Others starting up new programs but at locations already fully operating may also wonder what should be given priority. This chapter talks about considerations for starting up a new program, from the standpoint of possible regulatory priorities, organizational risk factors, and worker acceptance.