A General Safety Manual should be a tool that helps employers provide applicable safety information and direction to ensure that their employees understand and have the appropriate information for them to perform the duties of their position in a safe and responsible manner.
It is important to remember with all model programs, they are a template to get the employer started in the right direction. Each member should make sure that when using the manual it is only beneficial to their employees if it is used in conjunction with the members policies, procedures and culture.
This sample safety manual outlines management’s commitment to the safety for their employees and it provides employees with clear instructions and rules to mitigate or reduce the health and safety risks of the workplace. It also contains best practices for costs containment including claims management and hiring practices regarding safety.
The policy also addresses operating vehicles and equipment while taking medications, being ill or fatigued. Employers should review their policies on how to address employees that may be impaired due to illness or using medications while working. This is a policy very similar to what is by all Iowa League of Cities staff, and therefore followed by IWMCA administrative staff.
To help curtail the number of needless vehicle and equipment-related claims, IMWCA hopes that members will utilize this manual to give your employees and management more tools they can use to be safe drivers. At the end of the day, the manual is about getting wherever you’re going, including home, safe.
This manual was developed to assist IMWCA members with the development, training and enforcement of policies related to safe driving habits. The manual provides direction to employees and elected officials on improving the safety of all employees and elected officials while they operate vehicles and equipment for business purposes.