OSHA Updated Directive: Safety Champions Program 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) introduced the Safety Champions Program (SCP), a cooperative program that is designed to meet businesses where they are on their pathway to safety and health success and help them develop strong safety and health programs, lower injury rates, and prevent fatalities.

 

SCP offers three progressive steps—Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced—aligned with OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs. Participants can implement the program independently or request support from a Special Government Employee (SGE). Upon successful completion of the Advanced step, participating employers will have a safety and health program that integrates all seven core elements and reflects a proactive approach to safety and health.

 

OSHA has released an updated directive on the Special Government Employee (SGE) Program Policies and Procedures Manual for the OSHA Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) and Safety Champions Program (SCP) CSP 03-01-004. The purpose of this manual is to provide the OSHA policies and procedures for SGE activity in support of both OSHA’s VPP and SCP. The manual outlines the requirements for SGEs to apply for, receive training on, and participate in SGE activities.

 

For reference, SGE refers to an individual meeting the requirements of 18 U.S.C. § 202(a), who has been approved and trained by OSHA to assist OSHA in conducting VPP and/or SCP activities.  SCP participants can work independently or with SGEs who may act as mentors or assess their safety and health program and progress at any time.

 

Details about the SCP and how to sign up are available at www.osha.gov/safety-champions; additional questions can be emailed to the Safety Champions Coordinator at SafetyChampions@dol.gov. More information about becoming an SGE is available in the updated directive, on OSHA’s Special Government Employees webpage, or by emailing the SGECoordinator@dol.gov.

​

                                                                                   THANK YOU Maryanne Heuer, OSHA St. Louis