employers receive a comprehensive safety and health consultation survey that results in a one- year action plan. During that year, participating employers must correct identified hazards and develop and implement an effective safety and health program; all employees must participate in these efforts. When the participating employer has met the requirements of the preceding sentence, and its lost-workday injury and illness rate falls below the national average for their industry, that employer is awarded with a MNSHARP Certificate of Recognition and for the next year that employer is exempted from programmed inspections from MNOSHA. Participating employers can enjoy renewed Certificates, as well as a continuance of their exemption from those programmed exemptions, if an on-site safety and health survey by WSC confirms that the employer is continuing to meet the requirements of MNSHARP. MNSTAR Program This program is a voluntary one, available to any employer in Minnesota, including small employers who previously successfully participated in MNSHARP. MNSTAR relies mainly on self-assessment by the employer, using the federal Voluntary Protection Program (see OSHA Instruction TED 8.1A, Revised Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) Policies and Procedures Manual ). Participating in MNSTAR requires the employer to commit to completing an extensive application, which will include providing WSC with copies of all the written policies and programs of the employer that WSC requests. In addition, the employer’s lost workday injury and illness rate must be below state and national levels for its industry. Labor-Management Safety and Health Committees All employers with at least 25 employees are required to have a safety and health committee comprised of representatives from labor and management. Also, any other employer is likewise required to have such a committee if: that employer has a lost workday cases incidence rate in the top ten percent of all rates for employers in the same industry; or the workers’ compensation premium classification assigned to the greatest portion of the payroll for that employer has a pure premium rate, as reported by the workers’ compensation rating association, in the top 25 percent of premium rates for all classes. If both the labor and management representatives request it, WSC is available to help interpret OSHA standards, offer training in self-inspection techniques, and prepare and assist in the preparation and implementation of educational and training programs. Safety and Health Education Outreach Program WSC offers workshops to help educate employers and employees about workplace safety and health hazards and the OSHA standards that address them. The goal of these workshops is to lower injury and illness rates, and reduce workplace injury costs, by helping employers implement and maintain effective safety and health programs. WSC, in partnership with 13 organizations throughout the state, offers a series of one-day safety and health seminars. Specific topics change each calendar quarter. In addition, upon request WSC will offer safety and health training to individual companies or organizations, by means of either an informal training session accompanied by an on-site consultation, or a formal training session.
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