Safe, nutritious, and delicious dairy products come from the cow, but they are made by people. Dairy food companies therefore have two shared priorities – worker safety and food safety.
In 2021, IDFA and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) formed an Alliance to provide the dairy processing industry and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help protect the people making dairy products and improve their well-being.
IDFA invites its members to get involved by joining the IDFA Environment, Health and Safety Committee and by accessing important information on this page related to key standards, information on whistleblower protections, and a feedback form.
OSHA announced a new PSM Manual/Instruction establishing OSHA’s revised enforcement policy that supersedes the 1994 Compliance Guidelines and Enforcement Procedures. IDFA recommends that dairy product manufacturers that must comply with the PSM standard review the new Manual and note the following significant changes:
(1) Appendix A PVQ Audit Checklist in OSHA’s 9.13.84 revised Instruction CPL 02-02-045A has been removed. OSHA does not provide a replacement, instead directing OSHA compliance staff to utilize only the 2017 NEP procedures (CPL 03-00-021); and
(2) A new and large Q&A section was added to incorporate decades of prior OSHA enforcement letter interpretations with a list of citations to original enforcement letters.
OSHA Region 2 is offering webinar on February 21 at noon eastern time entitled, “Safety is Our Right and an example of DEIA.” OSHA writes: “this online event will focus on safety as a right in America’s workplaces, review the OSHA Safe+Sound program and current ‘Challenge’ highlighting how to begin a dialogue with workers about workplace rights. Representatives from two Region 2 VPP sites will share success stories of employee involvement and participation in site safety programs. Then, hear how one company fully committed its organization to embraced the philosophy of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) and the resulting benefits.
This webinar, organized by OSHA Region 2 CAS, aims to create awareness, and promote a safe working environment for all. Learn from industry experts, engage in interactive discussions, and gain valuable insights on how to foster a culture of safety and DEIA in your workplace.” If you are interested in attending this webinar, you can register here and through the button below.
IDFA-OSHA Alliance Webinar: Health and Safety of Temporary Workers — August 11, 2023: 2:00pm EST
Join IDFA and OSHA for a new webinar on protecting the safety and health of temporary workers in the dairy industry while ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations. Register today.
Participate in Safe + Sound Week 2023: August 7-13
Safe + Sound Week is a nationwide event held each August that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America's workers safe. This year Safe + Sound Week will provide resources for businesses on mental health and well-being. These materials will be posted before the start of Safe + Sound Week. Learn more.
“Find and Fix” Tips for Proactive Worker Safety
IDFA members can view the full 45-minute webinar. We have also split the “Find and Fix” tips provided in the webinar into seven individual videos for members to download and use as part of your safety training, including front-line workers.
Federal law entitles employees to a safe workplace. Employers must keep workplaces free of known health and safety hazards, and employees have the right to speak up about hazards without fear of retaliation.
IDFA Training Institute Education Center
A key part of OSHA’s enforcement plan are its National Emphasis Programs. Individual OSHA Regions may also have Local and Regional Emphasis Programs that are important for dairy processors.
Each OSHA region and each state plan office has Compliance Assistance Specialists that can help your company come into compliance.
Your state may have an OSHA-approved state plan that may have additional state health and safety regulations that are more stringent or supplemental to federal OSHA requirements. Check OSHA’s state plan map and then go to each State Plan’s Safety & Health Standards and Regulations for more information on specific requirements for your facilities.
OSHA runs Safe + Sound, a year-round campaign to encourage every workplace to have a safety and health program. The campaign has resources to help employers develop safety and health programs that include management leadership, worker participation, and a systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards. Learn more here.
IDFA is pleased to present “Find and Fix” Tips for Proactive Worker Safety – a series of workplace safety videos for IDFA member company EHS leadership and professionals, safety teams and front-line workers. IDFA members can view the full 45-minute webinar. We have also split the “Find and Fix” tips provided in the webinar into seven individual videos for members to download and use as part of your safety training, including front-line workers.
