What is an IIPP Program?

Reasons to Create a Workplace Injury and Illness Prevention Program

Having an IIPP program is important, as it allows your workers, clients, and others know safety is a core value at your organization. While some states mandate an IIPP program others do not, so it’s important to check your state regulations to ensure compliance.

Whether or not it is mandated in your state, an IIPP program or accident prevention program is worthwhile for these reasons:

• Protects your workers by creating a safer environment, where injuries and illnesses are pinpointed and mitigated through this structured program.
• Boosts your organization’s credibility and standing in the market with a spotless safety record.
• Optimizes productivity with less workers injured on-site.
• Lowers costs associated with insurance premiums, injuries, and illnesses.
• Reduces employee turnover and increases morale as they recognize safety is a top priority for the organization.

After gathering responses from 231 companies in the US with 100 or more employees, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that implementing IIPP programs resulted in lowered injury and illnesses rates ranging from 9% to more than 60%, a 43% increase in productivity, and a 28% reduction in costs.

Ready to elevate safety at your organization with an injury and illness prevention program? Here are the requirements to make your program successful:

What are the 8 Required IIPP Components?

Whether you’re building your IIPP program from scratch or updating it, it’s important to consider how you can optimize it and make it an astounding success. One of the first things you must do before putting your program together is to identify all hazards and risks present on-site.

Once identified, you must analyze how to mitigate them. After this has been decided, you can start creating your written IIPP document, which must include the following, as advised by OSHA compliance:

1. Responsibility

When building your program, you must establish who is responsible for it and what their job duties are. This person must be included within the written IIPP and can make certain modifications to help strengthen the program.  

2. Compliance

Compliance entails how workers will participate. All team members must be aware of this IIPP and the protocols and procedures which must be followed to create a safer work environment. Including information on how to encourage compliance and engagement will help to strengthen your program.

3. Communication

Ensuring the message is conveyed across the board to all workers is essential. This can be done in a variety of ways, from emails and safety meetings to trainings and memos. It’s up to you to decide the best method to communicate with team members. Communication is a two-way street, so ensure methods are also put in place for employees to share any information on hazards on-site.

4. Hazard Assessment

This is an important element as the workplace must always be assessed to identify any potential hazards that may be present. To find out how to do this process effectively, read our blog, 5 Steps to Identify and Assess Workplace Hazards.

5. Accident/Exposure Investigation

Looking into why accidents, near-misses, and certain exposures have taken place is essential. This involves investigating the cause, implementing corrective actions, and assessing whether those actions suffice. A process like this is crucial and helps reduce injuries and illnesses on-site.

6. Hazard Correction

Hazard corrections must be made swiftly to reduce injuries and illnesses on-site. This is one of the most important parts of your program to help decrease risks and protect workers. This should be done at a regular cadence to ensure your site is safe and free of any potential hazards. If you cannot completely eliminate the hazard, ensure your workers have the proper PPE to stay protected and processes are put in place to reduce any potential exposure.   

7. Training and Instruction

All workers must be trained to not only do their jobs efficiently but safely. Training for new hires should encompass all the hazards that may be associated with their job tasks and how to mitigate them. Don’t forget retraining those who may have been at the organization for a year or longer! It is essential to keep worker safety knowledge fresh at all times, and discuss any risks which have recently been uncovered as a result of this particular task to efficiently reduce risks, injuries, and illnesses.

8. Recordkeeping

Finally, a record of your IIPP program must be kept and maintained to show how each of the above elements are being implemented. It is vital to keep track of it all to help you dive deeper into your safety program so you can start to uncover hidden risks and gaps in your safety program. Inspectors may chose to look at certain documents during inspections, so make sure they are always up to date.

Having an injury and illness prevention program in place will help you reduce risks on-site and protect your people more efficiently. This will lead to a safer work environment, resulting in increased worker engagement, more productivity, and a better standing within the market.

At EcoOnline North America , our goal is to protect 5 million workers from workplace incidents by 2025 and we stand by utilizing every opportunity, such as helping you implement an IIPP, to help become a part of the 5 million protected.

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