The Requirements of an IIPP Plan

Under the Federal Occupational Health and Safety Act, states have the authority to both implement and enforce their own workplace safety plans and standards. As of late, almost 30 states have approved plans that are equivalent to Federal OSHA. State plans can alternatively include additional standards that are relatively stricter or supplementary standards that have no government-level counterparts. One such state plan is California’s Cal/OSHA.

Cal/OSHA began as California’s state OSHA plan in 1973. Under administration, this plan requires compliance with standards diverse from Federal OSHA. Out of these standards, the most common violation for non-compliance is the rule of an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). Numerous industries require a written IIPP plan tailored for their particular workplace. Let’s closely examine the requirements of an IIPP plan.

Mandatory IIPP Plan Elements

An IIPP plan is fundamental to improve the health and safety environment of a workplace—and benefit employers and employees alike. An effective IIPP will reduce the potential for heavy costs and harmful injuries; not to mention the violation fine for not having an effective program in place. The IIPP regulation requires constructing a written document that addresses possible workplace hazards and solutions for elimination or reduction.

Your IIPP plan must include eight main focuses or sections in accordance with Cal/OSHA’s requirements. The requirements of an IIPP plan outline the following: responsibilities (aka the management of the program), compliance rules for employees, communication methods, workplace hazard assessments, accident/exposure investigations, hazard correction for workplace safety improvement, training and education for safe job performance, and recordkeeping for reliable documentation.

How To Develop an Effective IIPP Plan

An effective IIPP plan will thoroughly discuss the above situations and concerns in writing. Remember to keep in mind that implementation is just as critical as the documentation of the program. Your IIPP involves all supervisors, staff members, and managers. Putting your business’s or organization’s IIPP into proper practice requires continuous employee involvement and good management procedures. Management must consistently identify workplace hazards, correct them in a timely manner, and provide adequate training.

Turn to Gamma Compliance Solutions for your compliance needs. Our Cal/OSHA manual provides compliance solutions to meet California’s stringent OSHA standards. These thorough manuals outline the major regulatory needs to stay fully compliant with the state program. Let us assist your business to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for your employees. Browse our compliance packages today.