OSHA Safety and Health Achievement and Recognition Program, SHARP

The Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) is an OSHA Cooperative Program designed to provide support and incentives to employers to develop, implement, and continuously improve effective safety and health programs in their workplaces. SHARP provides recognition for small employers with exemplary safety and health management systems in their facilities. SHARP acceptance is an achievement that sets your company apart as an elite example of workplace health and safety.

Employers who participate in an On-Site Consultation, correct safety and health hazards, and implement an effective safety and health management system, as well as other requirements, may receive recognition through SHARP if they demonstrate exemplary achievement in workplace safety and health. Employers who receive SHAPR recognition may be recommended for exemption from OSHA's programmed inspections for one year.

PARTICIPATION IN SHARP REQUIRES:

Requesting a comprehensive On-Site Consultation visit and completing a hazard identification survey.
Involving employees in the consultation process
Correcting all of the hazards that are identified in the consultation.
Implementing and maintaining an effective safety and health management system
Lowering the injury and illness rates, and total recordable case rates of your company below the national average for your industry
Agreeing to notify the On-Site Consultation office prior to making changes in working conditions at your worksite or introducing new hazards into your workplace.

SHARP CERTIFICATION AND INSPECTION EXEMPTION

After satisfying the SHARP requirements, your worksite may be recommended for final SHARP approval and certification. If approved, an award ceremony may be held to recognize your achievement, and your worksite will be formally recognized by OSHA with a SHARP certificate.

When you are first approved as a SHARP certified site, you may be granted a one year exemption from OSHA’s programmed inspections. However, formal complaints, fatality, imminent danger situations and other significant events can trigger an OSHA enforcement inspection at any SHARP site. SHARP renewals may be requested if worksites follow required guidelines.

MANY BENEFITS OF SHARP PARTICIPATION

Small businesses who have achieved SHARP status are in an elite group. But in addition to that distinctive recognition, there are many additional benefits that come from exemplary achievement in workplace safety and health through participation in the Safety and Heath Achievement Recognition Program. An effective safety and health management system in your workplace makes good financial sense. The cost of accident prevention is much lower than the cost of an accident. Managers who have a better understanding of occupational hazards are better able to do their jobs well and increase protection for workers.

Benefits include:

Greater worker protection:

Protection of workers from safety and health hazards in the workplace
Protection of workers by identifying and implementing best practices
Protection of workers through development of effective safety and health management systems

A healthier, safer environment:

Recognition and removal of occupational health and safety hazards
Protection of workers from workplace injury and illness
Prevention of loss of life in the workplace
Informed and alert employees
Improved overall employee morale through worker involvement
More employees who take greater responsibility for their own safety as well as the safety of their co-workers
Increased employee commitment to a safer workplace environment
Increased community safety as workers transfer health and safety practices outside of work

Management who will be better able to:

Comply with state and federal safety and health requirements and regulations
Be more effective managers
Increase productivity and improve product quality

Increased profits – profits go up when:

Injury and illness rates go down
Insurance costs and Worker Compensation cost decrease
Worker away days are reduced and production remains up and running
Product or equipment losses or damages are minimized
Worker retention is increased and employee turnover decreased

Opportunity to build a reputation:

Receive recognition from OSHA for achievement of SHARP status
Become a leader in your industry
Attract skilled workers and improve worker retention 333

PRE-SHARP STATUS - NOT QUITE READY FOR SHARP?

Your facility may meet some, but not all of the SHARP criteria for eligibility. If your company is committed to working towards SHARP approval, you may be recommended for “Pre-Sharp” status. If Pre-SHARP status is approved, an inspection deferral from OSHA programmed inspections can be granted for up to 18 months (not withstanding that formal complaints, fatality, imminent danger situations and other significant events can trigger an OSHA enforcement inspection at any SHARP site).

In order to be recommended for PRE-SHARP status:

A comprehensive worksite consultation visit must have been completed
All hazards identified by the consultants must have been corrected.
Workers must have been informed of any hazard corrections
An effective safety and health management system must be in the process of implementation
All SHARP requirements will be able to be met during the PRE-SHARP deferral period

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