Safety Safety: Practical Compliance Steps to Improve Safety in the Workplace (SwiftSDS Guide)

If you searched for “safety safety,” you’re likely looking for a clear, actionable way to reduce incidents, meet legal requirements, and organize responsibilities—especially if you manage HR, operations, or a health and safety department. This guide explains what “safety safety” looks like in practice: the systems, documentation, training, and safety information employers need to align with gov safety expectations such as OSHA and state rules.

For a foundation-level overview, see SwiftSDS’s guide to define workplace safety.

What “safety safety” means for workplace compliance

“Safety safety” isn’t a formal legal term—but it describes a common compliance reality: employers need both (1) a safe work environment and (2) repeatable processes that prove you manage hazards responsibly.

In practical terms, that means your program should cover:

• Hazard identification and controls (engineering, administrative, PPE)
• Training and communication (how hazards are explained and documented)
• Incident reporting and correction (how you learn and prevent recurrence)
• Posting and notice requirements (how you share legally required information)

Many organizations map these elements into a safety management structure; SwiftSDS also covers the operational side in safety and health management.

Core “gov safety” rules you should align to (OSHA + beyond)

OSHA’s General Duty Clause (baseline requirement)

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers must provide a workplace “free from recognized hazards” likely to cause serious harm. Even when there isn’t a specific OSHA standard for a hazard, OSHA can cite employers under the General Duty Clause if hazards are known and feasible controls exist.

Hazard Communication (HazCom) and SDS access

A major compliance driver is OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200). If you use or store hazardous chemicals, you typically must:

• Maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and ensure they’re readily accessible
• Label containers
• Train employees on chemical hazards and protective measures

This also ties directly to an employee’s “right to know.” For a broader compliance perspective, review employee right to know.

Recordkeeping and reporting basics

Depending on your industry and size, OSHA injury/illness recordkeeping may apply (generally, 29 CFR 1904). Even if exempt, you should still build a consistent internal incident log to support trend analysis and corrective actions.

Anti-harassment and violence prevention as “safety”

Workplace safety is not limited to physical hazards. Many employers miss the compliance and risk overlap between safety culture and conduct rules. Policies and training aligned with discrimination/harassment obligations can reduce safety incidents tied to conflict, intimidation, and retaliation. See harassment in the workplace laws for related compliance considerations.

How a health and safety department can build a “safety safety” system

1) Assign ownership and define responsibilities

Whether you have a dedicated health and safety department or a shared model (HR + ops + supervisors), document:

• Who owns audits, training, PPE issuance, incident response
• Who updates SDSs and chemical inventory
• Who verifies required postings are displayed and current

A simple RACI (Responsible/Accountable/Consulted/Informed) chart helps prevent gaps.

2) Create a hazard inventory and prioritize controls

Start with a walk-through by area and task:

• Physical hazards (slips, trips, machinery, electrical)
• Chemical hazards (cleaners, solvents, production inputs)
• Ergonomic risks (repetition, lifting, workstation setup)
• Psychosocial risks (fatigue, harassment, violence concerns)

Then apply the hierarchy of controls:

1. Eliminate
2. Substitute
3. Engineering controls
4. Administrative controls
5. PPE

For office-based employers, many “low-risk” workplaces still have meaningful exposure points—use SwiftSDS’s Office safety checklist concepts to tighten basic controls.

3) Standardize training and keep proof

To improve safety in the workplace, training must be consistent and auditable. A practical minimum training set often includes:

• New-hire orientation (site rules, reporting, emergency procedures)
• Job/task training (SOPs, machine or tool safety)
• HazCom training (chemical risks, labeling, SDS access)
• Refresher training after incidents, near-misses, or process changes

Keep records showing the date, content outline, trainer, and attendee names.

4) Establish an incident + near-miss workflow (and close the loop)

Build a one-page process that explains:

• How employees report hazards/near-misses (anonymous option if feasible)
• How supervisors respond within 24–48 hours
• How corrective actions are assigned and verified
• How lessons learned are communicated

This is where “safety safety” becomes real: not just reporting, but correcting and preventing recurrence.

Required workplace notices: where safety information meets compliance

Posting rules are a frequent failure point because updates happen quietly and requirements vary by jurisdiction. A reliable way to reduce risk is to centralize posters and update cadence using a compliance poster service.

Federal posting requirements (baseline)

Most employers must display certain federal labor notices. Start with SwiftSDS’s Federal (United States) Posting Requirements page to confirm what applies to your workforce.

A common federal notice many employers must post is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) poster:

• Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. DOL)

Public sector/state and local government employers may need:

• Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act - State and Local Government

Example: Massachusetts posting and safety notices

Massachusetts employers (and public employers in particular) may have specific posting obligations. If you operate in Boston, confirm city/county coverage on Boston, Suffolk County, MA Posting Requirements.

When discussing safety notices, Massachusetts examples include:

• Massachusetts Workplace Safety and Health Protection for Public Employees
• Notice to Employees
• For staffing/temporary labor scenarios: Your Rights under the Massachusetts Temporary Workers Right to Know Law

Example: California and local posting differences

California is a high-variation state with robust posting and workplace rules. If you operate there, start with California (CA) Posting Requirements, and if you have a San Francisco location, verify local additions via San Francisco County, CA Posting Requirements.

Policies that strengthen “safety safety” (and reduce incident risk)

Drug and alcohol controls for safety-sensitive work

If your roles involve driving, machinery, or other safety-sensitive tasks, policy structure matters. Federal contractor requirements and many employer best practices intersect here. SwiftSDS’s overview of the drug free workplace act can help you align policy, training, and documentation.

Use real examples to drive adoption

Employees follow what they recognize. Incorporate scenario-based guidance like those in health and safety in the workplace examples to make rules concrete, not theoretical.

Coordinate with occupational health resources

Where medical surveillance, return-to-work, or exposure management is relevant, integrate occupational health processes into your safety program. SwiftSDS’s occupational health guide provides useful context.

A simple 30-day action plan to improve safety in the workplace

Week 1: Assess

• Run a hazard walk-through by area/task
• Confirm SDS access and chemical inventory accuracy
• Review last 12 months of incidents and near-misses

Week 2: Fix high-risk gaps

• Implement top 3 controls (guarding, housekeeping, signage, PPE, ventilation, SOP changes)
• Update required posters using your jurisdiction page (federal/state/local)

Week 3: Train and document

• Deliver targeted training (HazCom, task-specific, reporting process)
• Collect sign-in sheets and store digitally

Week 4: Lock the process

• Launch a near-miss reporting channel
• Assign corrective action owners and due dates
• Schedule a recurring monthly safety review

FAQ: Safety Safety and workplace compliance

What is “safety safety” in an HR or compliance context?

It’s shorthand for running safety as a system: identifying hazards, training employees, maintaining safety information (like SDSs), documenting actions, and meeting posting and notice rules that reflect gov safety expectations.

Do small employers have to follow OSHA requirements?

In general, yes—OSHA standards and the General Duty Clause apply broadly, though some small employers may be partially exempt from certain recordkeeping requirements. Your safest approach is to follow core hazard control, training, and incident response practices regardless of size.

How do I know which labor law posters and safety notices apply to my location?

Start with jurisdiction-specific requirements pages (federal, state, and sometimes city/county), such as Federal (United States) Posting Requirements and state pages like California (CA) Posting Requirements. If you operate in a city with local rules, check the county/city page (e.g., Boston, Suffolk County, MA Posting Requirements).

To build a cohesive program, combine your hazard controls and training with a consistent notice/posting workflow and employee communication. That’s the practical heart of “safety safety”—and a defensible way to show compliance when regulators, insurers, or internal stakeholders ask for proof.