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The Workers' Compensation Handbook For New Mexico

How to Develop A Safety Program
Accident Prevention Principles....................................................................................................................... 2 The Accident Prevention Program ................................................................................................................. 3
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. What your safety program can do ...........................................................................................................................3 SENIOR MANAGEMENT MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE ...............................................................................................4 ASSIGN RESPONSIBILITY ................................................................................................................................4 IDENTIFY AND ELIMINATE HAZARDS ..................................................................................................................4 TRAIN EMPLOYEES IN SAFETY...........................................................................................................................5 ESTABLISH A MEDICAL AND FIRST AID SYSTEM .................................................................................................5 INSURANCE SUPPORT......................................................................................................................................6 MAINTAIN ACCIDENT RECORDS FILES ..............................................................................................................7 EVERY EMPLOYEE SHOULD ACCEPT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.........................................................................7

Booklet D2:

Safety Tips for Employers............................................................................................................................. 7 Safety Tips for Employees ............................................................................................................................ 9
Help from the Workers' Compensation Administration ............................................................................................. 10 Workers' Compensation Handbook List of Booklets ................................................................................................. 11 NMWCA Offices and phone numbers...............................................................................................................................12

Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

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The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 2

Safety in the workplace is a key feature of any well run business, large or small. Every business, even very small and very new businesses, should develop good safety habits as a part of the daily business routine. Attention to safety helps prevent both personal and financial losses and safeguards business's most valuable resource, its people. This booklet can help you develop a safety program for your business. The program in this booklet was developed for small businesses, to provide you with the basics of a safety program you can implement simply and cost-effectively.

This program was developed by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration (WCA) in cooperation with the Advisory Council on Workers' Compensation and Occupational Disease Disablement, which is required by the workers' compensation law to develop safety programs for small employers (§52-1-6.2 NMSA). 1 The guidelines presented here are also relevant for larger businesses.
Please use this guide to develop your own safety program. The booklet "Annual Safety Inspections" (Booklet D1 of the Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico series) is also about workplace safety and will help you with your program. Call the safety consultants at the WCA for assistance or more information. See the list of offices and telephone numbers in the back cover of this booklet.

Accident Prevention Principles
All accidents, injuries and occupational illnesses can be prevented. Management is directly responsible and accountable for preventing accidents, injuries and illnesses. Working safely is a condition of employment. Hazardous conditions must be identified and eliminated. Unavoidable hazards must be controlled through management, training, supervision and safety equipment.
In this booklet are references to specific paragraphs of the workers' compensation law. These references are in a standard form. §52-1-6.2 NMSA means Chapter 52, Article 1, Paragraph 6.2 of the New Mexico Statutes Annotated (NMSA). __________________________________________________________
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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 3

Every accident should be reported and investigated. It is a source of information to prevent a future accident. Preventing accidents, injuries and illnesses is good business.

What your safety program can do
Save Money Insurance premiums are based on your accident claims history and may be reduced in future years Accidents cost money through lost production, which can be prevented when accidents are prevented Direct Cost Reductions Cost of injury Time lost by injured employees Shutdown time Retraining costs Employee turnover Indirect Cost Reductions Damage to equipment Production delays Lost time of co-workers Develop a Better Workplace Safer working conditions for employees Higher morale, reflected by improved productivity Healthy competition between departments for accident-free time Better organizational and community relations Improved communication and observation skills for all employees

The Accident Prevention Program
A good safety program can save you time and money. Costs of work-related accidents include medical expenses and wage-loss indemnity benefits paid to injured workers by your insurance carrier or self-insurance program, plus any deductible paid by you. Indirect costs include loss of production, machine downtime, possible damage to equipment and potential increases in your insurance premiums. Preventing accidents eliminates these expenses and creates immediate savings for you. The following eight basic elements can create an excellent safety program for any business.
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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 4

1. SENIOR MANAGEMENT MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE
This is the key to the success of the program. Top management must take the lead and assume responsibility for a strong safety program. Declare the organization's policies, goals and values regarding safety. Focus on accident prevention. Set a personal example of safe workplace practices. Personally lead safety meetings.

2.

ASSIGN RESPONSIBILITY

All workers should have clearly defined responsibilities. Name specific workers from each department or area to report hazards and dangerous or questionable practices. Help workers to understand that by watching out for safety, they are watching out for themselves and each other. When possible, partner new workers with experienced workers

3. IDENTIFY AND ELIMINATE HAZARDS
This is a continuous process. Hazards must be identified and eliminated through: Regular safety inspections and follow-up; Use of safe materials and equipment; Safety training; Proper safety supervision. Concentrate on these recurring problem areas: New worker training and orientation; Communication issues related to language or culture; Repetitive motion injuries; Back injury prevention; fall prevention; Motor vehicle accident prevention. Keep rules updated and flexible as your operations change. New equipment, new materials or new production methods may call for changes in the safety rules. Listen to the employees who actually do the work. Reward employees who observe hazards and bring them to your attention.

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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 5

4. TRAIN EMPLOYEES IN SAFETY
Train all employees to perform their jobs safely through regular training. Employees must learn to be aware of potential dangers and to take action to correct or avoid them. Concentrate on major problems first, then work on minor ones. Safety training sessions make lasting impressions when combined with frequent short meetings at the worksite, in full view of any hazards. A brief reminder of what can go wrong increases safety awareness. If you have a multinational or multicultural workforce, use languages other than English for training. Discuss assumptions about risk-taking that may derive from other cultures. Close to half of all compensable accidents occur in the first year of employment. New employees should learn the importance of safety from the beginning. Train and supervise new employees so they do the job right the first time. The WCA safety consultants provide information and make presentations to employers, employee organizations, community organizations and other groups. You can use these services as part of your safety training program. Training materials are available from many sources to help you provide safety training. There are booklets and videotapes produced on different aspects of safety. Some of these products may be available from public sources, including the WCA, at no charge. Check with the college library or the Small Business Development Center at your nearest community college. Other sources of safety training materials may be your industry association, the vendors who supply equipment to you and your insurance carrier. The WCA safety consultants can present programs and help you plan other training activities. Information about the WCA safety video library can be viewed on the WCA web site at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us WCA staff members can also provide assistance, information and presentations on other aspects of the workers' compensation system in New Mexico. All training and presentations by the WCA are free.

5. ESTABLISH A MEDICAL AND FIRST AID SYSTEM
Depending on the needs of the organization, the medical system may include: physical examinations of new employees. Under guidelines of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, once the employer has made a conditional job offer, the employer may require a physical examination to make sure the worker is physically able to do the job (with reasonable accommodation if necessary).
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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 6

pre-employment drug screening, and drug and alcohol testing after any work-related accident. See Booklet A2, "Setting up a workers' compensation program," for more information about this. a plan for reporting, evaluating and treating work-related injuries and illnesses. See Booklet B1, "What to do after an accident," for more information. personnel trained in first aid and life-saving CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) to assist in emergency; health promotion programs, in general areas such as overall physical fitness and in areas specific to the job. Some types of injuries can be prevented by warm-up exercise prior to heavy exertion, for example. repetitive motion injury prevention. Injuries that develop from repetitive tasks can be prevented with stretch breaks, suitable exercises and adjustment of work stations. To be prepared for medical emergencies: Identify emergency health care facilities and make sure employees know where to go. Develop a procedure for transporting any injured person to the health care provider in an emergency, and make sure employees know the procedure. Post emergency information (including phone numbers and the location of first aid supplies) where employees can easily find the information. For employees who travel, provide the information on cards, post stickers in company vehicles or use other appropriate medium.

6. SUPPORT FROM YOUR INSURER
Insurers can provide a tool to identify problem areas in your business. A quarterly claims analysis -- an itemized summary of all claims activity on your policy -will be sent to you by your carrier if you request it. You may have to make the request in writing. Use the analysis as a check on your own accounting system and as a way to evaluate accident data. For example, if several claims of the same type have been filed, investigate the work methods and work areas involved. See if a particular hazard exists. If so, correct it. This action alone may eliminate future accidents in that area.
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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 7

Your insurance carrier or self-insurance program may have services available to assist you with health promotion and safety programs. For businesses with an annual premium greater than $5,000, your carrier is also required by law to provide you with an annual safety inspection if you request it (§52-1-6.2 NMSA).

7. MAINTAIN ACCIDENT RECORDS FILES
A records system, including reports of accident investigations, helps you to identify trends and develop preventive measures. Your claims analysis is especially helpful. Notice of Accident forms, printed by the WCA and provided to you by your insurance carrier, serve as a record of accidents, including those that did not result in an injury. Train your employees to use Notice of Accident forms and report every accident, even minor ones. (See Booklets A2 and B1 for more information on the workers' compensation posting requirement and the use of Notice of Accident forms.) Set up a file for these forms and other accident record information. Review it periodically. A good records system will also help you to measure your safety program's effectiveness. Maintain records related to federal and state requirements, such as OSHA logs, as required by law. (See Booklet A2 for more information on OSHA requirements.)

8. EVERY EMPLOYEE SHOULD ACCEPT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Some studies suggest that 85 percent of all work-related injuries could have been prevented by either the injured individual or a co-worker. Each employee must take responsibility for his or her individual safety and should encourage co-workers to do the same. This is achieved by training and example. Employers and managers must take the lead in setting a personal example of safety awareness and good safety habits. Your employees will adopt the attitude you set. An effective job safety program will follow employees outside the workplace and lead to increased awareness of hazards at home, at school and at play. Learning to work safely carries over to other activities and helps make your community a better place to live.

Safety Tips for Employers
New employees Welcome new employees and introduce them to their co-workers. Make sure they receive adequate training, supervision, and a clear message of safety awareness from you, including a drug and alcohol policy. Start emphasizing safety in your job interview process so your employees understand how important it is to you. Check new employees out on tools and equipment.
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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 8

Work-related driving Your responsibility for your employees does not end at your front door. You are responsible when employees travel on your behalf, even on simple errands like stopping at the bank on their way home. Emphasize safe driving at all times. Never instruct employees to disobey speed limits. Back belts Elastic back belts, if used, should be used with caution for lifting only and loosened or removed at other times. The belts may reduce the chance of an injury by reminding the worker to lift properly. They do not increase strength or enable a worker to lift heavier loads than usual. Power equipment Instruct employees to use power tools only for their original intended purpose. Power tools are engineered to be safe only when performing specific tasks. Do not allow employees to improvise with hazardous tools or to bypass safety features. Do not allow safety shields to be removed. Noise and distraction Hearing is an important sense for detecting hazards. Unless wearing ear protectors, workers should be able to hear the sounds of activities around them. Workers should not be distracted by loud music, personal music players or other unneeded noise. Workers should be trained not to distract or startle other workers when they are working with hazardous tools or materials. Disconnect machines before repairing them Tragic fatal accidents have happened when a worker steps inside a machine to repair the machine or clear a jam, and the machinery unexpectedly moves. Safety procedures for industrial machinery must include lockout/tagout procedures and equipment for totally disabling the machine so it cannot be restarted and posting warnings to prevent another employee from trying to restart the machine. Hazardous materials training Even the smallest business can have hazardous chemicals around the shop. Employees should learn what the chemicals are and what to do in case of a spill or other accident. Your training program should consider both the safety of employees and compliance with laws, regulations and standards, such as the Material Safety Data Sheets required by OSHA and safe disposal methods that may be required by environmental regulations.

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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 9

Safety Tips for Employees
Hair, clothing and jewelry Don't risk getting caught in the machinery. Wear clothing that stays close to your body and doesn't flap around. Long hair should be tied back, pinned up or covered. Don't wear dangly jewelry. Don't wear rings when around machinery. Wear shoes with good traction, appropriate for the job. Housekeeping Make your work area hazard-proof for yourself and other workers. Keep your work area neat. Put tools away. Turn your power tools off twice: turn off the switch and then unplug the cord, so the tool does not start unexpectedly when plugged in. When you put away a heavy object, think about having to pick it up later. Place it so it will be easy to pick up. Store sharp objects so that edges are shielded and later you will be able to see where the sharp edges are. Keep aisles, pathways and exits free. Don't leave anything where someone could trip over it. Put trash in trash containers and nowhere else. Follow instructions on disposal of chemicals. When any liquid spills on the floor, wipe it up at once. Drug and alcohol use Alcohol and illegal drugs are absolutely prohibited at work and before work. If you are using any medication that could make you sleepy, tell your supervisor. Personal protective equipment Always use hard hats, gloves, goggles and other personal protective equipment as you have been instructed. If you have a problem with the equipment (for example if you can't see when you have goggles on), discuss the problem with your supervisor and get it solved. Safety Maintenance Routines You can make safety a part of the daily routine at your workplace. The booklet "Annual Safety Inspections," Booklet D1 of this series, tells you how to perform an annual inspection of your workplace. Do an inspection, following the instructions in the booklet. You will then have the information you need to do a quick inspection every day.
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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 10

Help from the Workers' Compensation Administration
(See the list of offices and telephone numbers on the back page of this booklet) WCA publications
You can get publications from any office of the WCA. Go to an office or telephone to request publications by mail. This booklet is one booklet of a series called The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico. Together, these booklets provide comprehensive information about the workers' compensation system in New Mexico. Two of the WCA booklets are specific to safety: Booklet D1, Annual Safety Inspections, Booklet D2, How to Develop a Safety Program The Employer's Guide to New Mexico Workers' Compensation and the Workbook for Injured Workers are written for employers and workers respectively, are simpler and less detailed than the booklets in this series. Some WCA publications are available in Spanish.

Personal contact
The WCA safety consultants provide safety services to all New Mexico businesses and organizations on request. You can ask the WCA safety consultants for any amount of assistance with your safety needs ­ from a simple one-time safety training event to developing a major safety program.

WCA web site

www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

Most publications mentioned above can be downloaded from the WCA web site.

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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 11

This list shows new titles and numbering system that will be in effect when the 2007 revision is completed. Some booklets are eliminated and others are renumbered. There are some changes from the pre-2007 editions of the booklets.
To get the information you need: Contact any office of the Workers' Compensation Administration for printed copies OR All booklets can be downloaded from the Workers' Compensation Administration web site at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

Workers' Compensation Handbook List of Booklets

Booklet Booklet Booklet Booklet Booklet Booklet

A1(E) A1(S) A2 A3 A4 A5

Workers' Compensation Quick Facts- English Compensación A Los Trabajadores Informes Básicos ( Spanish) Setting Up a Workers' Compensation Program The Workers' Compensation Coverage Guide for Employers and Insurance Agents Uninsured Employers' Fund Workers' Compensation Personnel Assessment Fee (WC-1)

Booklet B1 What to Do after an Accident Booklet B2 Benefits for Workers While They Cannot Work Booklet B3 Going Back to Work Booklet B4 Medical Care in Workers' Compensation (B5 and B6 will be discontinued) Booklet B7 Información del sistema compensativo para los empleados (Spanish) Booklet B8 Quick Facts for Health Care Providers Booklet C1 When you need help with a workers' compensation claim Booklet C2 What to Do In Response to "Bad Acts" (C3 through 5 will be discontinued) Booklet D1 Booklet D2 Annual Safety Inspections How to Develop a Safety Program (published by the Advisory Council on Workers' Compensation and Occupational Disease Disablement)

(On the web site, look under Employers)
E3 E4

Guide to Completing and Filing Paper Copy for Employers' First Report of Injury or Illness (Form E1.2) and Notice of Benefit Payment (Form E6.2) EDI Guide to Completing the Employers' First Report of Injury or Illness (Form E1.2) and Notice of Benefit Payment (Form E6.2) -- limited to certified electronic filers

Other publications
Health Care Provider Guide to New Mexico Workers' Compensation Guidebook for Employers in New Mexico (English and Spanish) Workbook for Injured Workers (English and Spanish) The Stay at Work/Return to Work Program Guide
Wcamjd 9/07

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Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us

The Workers' Compensation Handbook for New Mexico Booklet D2: How to Develop a Safety Program
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2007 Edition page 12

NEW MEXICO WORKERS' COMPENSATION ADMINISTRATION
STATE HEADQUARTERS Mailing Address: Workers' Compensation Administration PO Box 27198, Albuquerque NM 87125 Location: 2410 Centre Avenue SE (near Yale-Gibson intersection) In-state toll-free phone: 1-800-255-7965 Local phone 841-6000 REGIONAL OFFICES: Southeastern regional office at Lovington: 100 West Central, Lovington, NM 88260 Telephone: 575-396-3437 In-state toll-free phone: 1-800-934-2450 Southwestern regional office at Las Cruces: 1120 Commerce Drive, Suite B-1, Las Cruces, NM 88011 Telephone: 575-524-6246 In-state toll-free phone: 1-800-870-6826 Northwestern regional office at Farmington: 3535 East 30th Street, Farmington, NM 87401 Telephone: 505-599-9746 In-state toll-free phone: 1-800-568-7310 Northeastern regional office at Las Vegas : 2515-2 Ridge Runner Road, Las Vegas NM 87701 Moving in 2008 to: 32 New Mexico 65, Las Vegas NM 87701 Telephone: 505-454-9251 In-state toll-free phone: 1-800-281-7889 Roswell Office: Penn Plaza Bldg., 400 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Ste. 425, Roswell NM 88201 Telephone: 575-623-3781 In-state toll-free phone: 1-866-311-8587 Santa Fe Office: 810 West San Mateo, Suite A-2, Santa Fe, NM 87505 Telephone: 505-476-7381 Internet web site address: http://www.workerscomp.state.nm.us/ HELP & HOTLINE: 1-866-WORKOMP / 1-866-967-5667
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mjdwca 1/08

Published by the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, a state agency. Laws can change. Check for new information by calling 1-866-WORKOMP or 1-866-967-5667 or look on the Internet at www.workerscomp.state.nm.us