SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE GUIDE

General Information

Articles on Safety and Compliance

NFIB: Workplace Safety Articles and Resources

A list of brief articles for small businesses on a variety of safety and health topics, including:

Disaster planning
Lifting injuries
Workers' compensation
Burglary and robbery prevention
EPA lead regulations
Safe on-the-job driving
Preventing workplace violence with weapons policies

Provided by the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

Inc.: 9 Avoidable Workplace Health and Safety Hazards

The article contains simple, cost-effective tips for avoiding workplace hazards. It includes links to examples and resources.

Maintaining staff continuity during illness outbreaks
Job hazard analysis
Common types of workplace injuries and fatalities
Employee awareness and training

Provided by Inc. magazine.

Small Business Notes: Employee Health and Safety

The article discusses the business value of a safety program. It includes links to

Checklists for controlling a variety of hazards
A four-point safety plan
Instructions for self-inspection

Provided by Small Business Notes.

Fast fact: 89% of US workplaces have fewer than 20 employees.

Source: County Business Patterns. In. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce; 2008.

Checklists

Self-inspection Checklists

General industry safety inspection checklists from several sources organized by subtopics including:

General safety
Job hazard analyses
Risk assessment tools
Related guidelines
Oregon-specific information

Provided by the Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology at the Oregon Health and Science University.

Specific-hazard Checklists

Checklists for controlling a variety of hazards and instructions for self-inspection. (The checklists follow an article on the business case for safety and a four-point safety plan.)

Provided by Small Business Notes.

Fast fact: According to a National Federation of Independent Business membership survey, the number one small business issue is the cost and availability of insurance.

Source: Dennis J, William J. (Ed.). National Small Business Poll: Workplace Safety. Washington, D.C.: National Federation of Independent Businesses; 2002.

Environmental Health and Safety Freeware

EHS Freeware

Freeware for education and training on health and safety topics that range from violence in the workplace to indoor air quality.

Provided by Environmental Health and Safety Freeware.

Government Materials on Small Business Safety

SBA.gov

A listing of Federal government resources to help small business owner/operators comply with workplace safety and health requirements.

Provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Publications and Training

WorkSafeBC: Small Business

Although intended for small businesses in British Columbia, Canada, much of this information may help businesses in other countries, including:

A small business safety cost calculator
Descriptions of hazards in different industries
Profiles of small businesses that have made significant commitments to safety management

Provided by WorkSafeBC, the workers' compensation provider for British Columbia, Canada.

Small Business Resources

These general health and safety materials for small businesses apply across many industries:

Training guide
Basics of CAL/OSHA
Safety orientation checklist
Controlling hazards
Safety for teen workers

Provided by the UCLA Worker Occupational Safety and Health Training and Education Program.

Regulations for Young Workers

OSHA: Young Workers

smiling young worker holding a sack of groceries

Rules for employing young workers (under 18). Written in a "frequently asked questions" format, the information is organized into five categories:

General Information
Age
Work hours
Wages
Jobs and Training

Provided by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

Sample Plans, Fact Sheets, and Checklists

Washington State: Small Business Basics

Customized information for small businesses in Washington to help them manage safety and health issues. Provides required posters, a video library, employee training kits, a sample accident prevention program, and step-by-step checklists to help businesses:

Create and put into place a safety plan
Hire safe workers
Provide training
Report and investigate accidents and near-misses
Manage industrial insurance risk

Provided by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

Tools and Consulting Services

Safety at Work: A Journey to Safety Excellence

Provides safety information and offers consultation services and other products:

Employee perception surveys
Complete assessments
Risk reduction processes
Benchmarking and performance measurement
News from other safety and health sources

Provided by the National Safety Council.

Union and Worker Safety, Rights, and Contact Information

Preventing Workplace Hazards

A downloadable guide which presents a practical approach for solving health and safety problems. Although intended for use by workers and their unions in New Jersey, small businesses will also benefit from these three categories of information:

What workers and unions can do to protect workers