SCP is a voluntary OSHA program that assists participating employers in improving safety and health at their worksites. It supports the development of new and/or improved safety and health programs to help reduce the risk of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

SCP is open to private and public-sector worksites that are covered by OSHA and are interested in improving safety and health in their workplace. OSHA encourages State Plans to adopt a similar program. If your State Plan does not have a similar program, you may be eligible to participate in Safety Champions. Contact SafetyChampions@dol.gov for more information.

Yes, employers are accepted by OSHA to participate in SCP by each specific worksite or location. While many safety and health programs may be developed at a corporate level, implementation and continuous improvement are unique to individual worksites.

The goals of SCP are to:

• reduce the risk of workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
• encourage employers to reduce or eliminate workplace hazards.
• assist all employers, particularly small and medium sized worksites, with safety and health development, implementation, and continuous improvement.
• improve safety culture and worker communication by supporting participants’ development of safety and health programs aligned with OSHA’s Recommended

Practices for Safety and Health Programs.

Yes; however, SCP encourages small- and medium-sized worksites to develop and implement safety and health programs by offering assistance from SGEs.

1. Management Leadership
2. Worker Participation
3. Hazard Identification and Assessment
4. Hazard Prevention and Control
5. Education and Training
6. Program Evaluation and Improvement
7. Communication and Coordination for Host Employers, Contractors, and Staffing Agencies

OSHA's Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs (OSHA Publication 3885, October 2016) and OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs in Construction (OSHA Publication 3886, October 2016) are available on OSHA’s website.

SCP is designed to help worksites improve their safety and health programs. Reducing injuries and illnesses at the worksite is very beneficial for both the employer and employees. For employers, worker safety and health investments that reduce injuries and illnesses can also save money, produce improvements in productivity, and boost employees’ morale.

Participants work at their own pace and can request assistance from a Special Government Employee (SGE) for support as they work through three progressive Steps—Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced—providing a framework to develop and implement safety and health programs aligned with the seven core elements of OSHA’s Recommended Practices.

Your worksite will participate in the program by completing specific actions at each Step of the program. The action items for each Step are outlined in the Step Guide and Step Tracker. You can find the Step Guide and Step Tracker on OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov/safety-champions.

Participants are solely responsible for developing and implementing their safety and health programs, documenting progress in the Safety Champions Tracker (SCT), requesting the support of SGEs when needed, and taking the actions necessary to meet the requirements for each Step.

In SCP, a Special Government Employee (SGE) refers to an individual meeting the definition of 18 U.S.C. § 202(a), who has been approved and trained by OSHA to assist OSHA in conducting SCP and/or Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) qualifying activities. These individuals are U.S. citizens and are knowledgeable in occupational safety and health.

For more information, visit www.osha.gov/sge.

An SGE for VPP can conduct qualifying activities for both VPP and SCP. An SGE for SCP can conduct qualifying activities for SCP only.

Contact the SCP Coordinator at SafetyChampions@dol.gov and request a Special Government Employee (SGE) to review the completion of requirements for Step completion.

No, SGEs are not expected to visit a participant’s worksite. The expectation is that the SGE will interact with the SCP participant remotely.

SCP participants that have completed the Advanced Step will have developed a safety and health program that integrates all seven core elements and will be taking a proactive approach to safety and health within their organizations. Participants may choose to pursue other cooperative programs, such as, but not limited to, OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP).

The Safety Champions Program Coordinator is an OSHA employee who works for the Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP). The SCP Coordinator manages the Safety Champions Program. The SCP Coordinator’s main functions are connecting participants with SGEs, communicating with participants to ensure continuous progress, and ensuring participants are recognized at the completion of Steps.

Participants can use many available resources when working through the program, including resources on OSHA’s SCP website, OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs, OSHA compliance assistance and on-site consultation, and other help for employers on OSHA’s website. Participants can also contact the SCP Coordinator to request assistance from a Special Government Employee (SGE). Upon completion of a Step, OSHA will assign an SGE to confirm Step completion.

No. SGEs are assigned by the SCP Coordinator.

No. Safety Champions Program is a voluntary cooperative program and operates separately from OSHA’s enforcement of employers’ obligations under the OSH Act. Accordingly, participation has no impact on or exemption from any OSHA enforcement activity or determination.

SCP Orientation training will be conducted virtually.

Yes. All SCP participating worksites must have an employee complete SCP orientation training before the worksite is able to progress from the Introductory Step to the Intermediate Step.

No, the SCP is no-cost cooperative program offered by OSHA free of charge.

Visit www.osha.gov/safety-champions and sign up to start your pathway to safety and health success.

For more information visit www.osha.gov/safety-champions or email safetychampions@dol.gov