The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has officially launched the OSHA Safety Champions Program, a new cooperative initiative designed to assist employers in developing and implementing robust workplace safety and health programs. This program represents a significant shift from reactive compliance to a proactive philosophy of continuous improvement. By meeting organizations where they are on their pathway to success, the program helps mitigate industrial and operational risks across all sectors.
Navigating the three-step advancement pathway
The OSHA Safety Champions Program is structured into three progressive steps: introductory, intermediate, and advanced. This tiered structure allows organizations to build their safety infrastructure at their own pace, ensuring that best practices are tailored to the specific technical operations of their facility.
- Introductory step: Establishes the foundation of the program and initiates the pathway to success
- Intermediate step: Focuses on the integration of more complex safety elements and deeper program development
- Advanced step: The final tier, where all core elements are fully implemented, and the organization demonstrates a commitment to long-term sustainability
Seven core elements of the OSHA Safety Champions Program
The program incorporates the seven core elements of the Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs. These elements serve as a comprehensive framework for operational excellence:
1. Management leadership
Upper management must demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and make safety a core organizational value. This includes establishing a written policy, setting measurable goals that focus on prevention rather than just injury rates, and providing adequate resources.
2. Worker participation
To be effective, workers and their representatives must be involved in every aspect of the program, from identifying hazards to tracking progress. Meaningful participation results in better program design and implementation because workers often have the best understanding of their job-related hazards.
3. Hazard identification and assessment
Employers must implement procedures to continually identify workplace hazards and assess risks. This involves collecting existing information—such as equipment manuals and safety data sheets (SDSs)—and conducting regular inspections with workers.
4. Hazard prevention and control
Employers and workers cooperate to select methods to eliminate or control hazards. Controls are selected according to a hierarchy of controls:
- Elimination: Physically removing the hazard
- Substitution: Replacing the hazard with a safer alternative
- Engineering controls: Isolating people from the hazard
- Administrative controls: Changing the way people work
- Personal protective equipment (PPE): Protecting the worker with specialized gear
5. Education and training
All workers must be trained to understand how the program works and how to recognize workplace hazards. Managers also require training in their specific leadership responsibilities and the hierarchy of controls.
6. Program evaluation and improvement
At least annually, employers must assess the program to verify it is implemented as intended and remains effective. This includes tracking leading indicators (proactive measures such as the number of safety suggestions) and lagging indicators (past events such as injury rates).
7. Communication and coordination
Host employers, contractors, and staffing agencies must coordinate their efforts to ensure all workers on site receive equal protection. This requires a clear exchange of information regarding the hazards present at the worksite.
Technical assistance and SGE collaboration
A unique feature of the OSHA Safety Champions Program is the option for participants to collaborate with special government employees (SGEs). These individuals are safety and health experts who work alongside OSHA to provide guidance and technical assistance. Participants can request an SGE to assess their program's progress at any time, providing a valuable expert perspective on compliance and safety.
Upon completing all three levels, participants are expected to have implemented all seven core elements and established plans for the continuous improvement of their safety and health programs. To join the initiative, interested employers can access outreach materials and sign up through OSHA’s dedicated portal.
Strategic framework for lab excellence
For laboratory managers, the OSHA Safety Champions Program offers a structured framework to move beyond baseline compliance and embed safety into daily operations. Laboratories present unique risk profiles, ranging from chemical exposures to complex instrumentation, making a proactive, systematic approach essential. By aligning existing safety protocols with OSHA’s seven core elements, managers can strengthen hazard identification, improve staff engagement, and establish clearer metrics for continuous improvement.
The program’s tiered pathway also enables labs to assess their current maturity level and prioritize incremental improvements without disrupting ongoing research. Ultimately, this framework helps lab leaders build a more resilient safety culture, support regulatory readiness, and reinforce the connection between safe operations and high-quality scientific outcomes.
This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.
