How to Write a Safety Manual
Identify all known hazards that need documentation., Gather the appropriate industry standards., Follow any government regulations for safety manual content., Involve management and employees in preparing the manual.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify all known hazards that need documentation.
This will establish the scope of your safety manual.
Depending on the nature of your business, you may need to produce a series of manuals, each of which focus on a particular area, with a master manual having sections composed of the individual manuals. -
Step 2: Gather the appropriate industry standards.
Organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) produce standards for areas such as risk management and food safety management.
These standards provide a starting place for company safety manuals in these areas. , Government organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may require safety manuals for certain practices and procedures and may also stipulate what, at a minimum, the manual must cover.
Failure to follow these regulations, let alone not having a manual where one is required, may expose companies to lawsuits and in some cases, criminal charges. , While the actual writing may be contracted to a technical writer experienced in writing safety manuals, it will be more accepted within the company if management and employees are involved in its adoption.
Upper management should inform employees of the need for the manual, and employees themselves can assist in identifying content for the manual. -
Step 3: Follow any government regulations for safety manual content.
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Step 4: Involve management and employees in preparing the manual.
Detailed Guide
This will establish the scope of your safety manual.
Depending on the nature of your business, you may need to produce a series of manuals, each of which focus on a particular area, with a master manual having sections composed of the individual manuals.
Organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) produce standards for areas such as risk management and food safety management.
These standards provide a starting place for company safety manuals in these areas. , Government organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may require safety manuals for certain practices and procedures and may also stipulate what, at a minimum, the manual must cover.
Failure to follow these regulations, let alone not having a manual where one is required, may expose companies to lawsuits and in some cases, criminal charges. , While the actual writing may be contracted to a technical writer experienced in writing safety manuals, it will be more accepted within the company if management and employees are involved in its adoption.
Upper management should inform employees of the need for the manual, and employees themselves can assist in identifying content for the manual.
About the Author
Henry Gibson
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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