Encouraging communication can prevent many accidents.

Only making sure workers participate in the program may not be enough. It's also crucial to encourage them to report safety and health issues. Workers are usually best positioned to recognize these concerns and shortcomings, so encouraging communication and following up can prevent many accidents and illnesses. To do so: • Establish a process for reporting work hazards or any other safety and health concerns, and respond immediately. To decrease fear of retaliation, include an option for anonymous reporting; • Regularly report back to workers about actions taken regarding their reports; • Emphasize the reported information will only be used to improve workplace safety and health and that no one will experience retaliation; • Enable workers to initiate or request a temporary suspension or shutdown of any activity or operation they believe to be unsafe; • Involve workers in determining solutions to reported issues. Source: OSHA, 2016. Photo by vectorjuice on freepik