OSHA requires that every employer establish and maintain an Accident Prevention Program. The program must include training that will inform workers of hazards and teach them about safe work practices, including special instructions peculiar to their industry or peculiar to any special hazards.

An approved accident prevention program includes general training applicable to all workers, such as providing examples of the best ways to lift objects or the fastest way to exit a building. Instructions on the use of personal protective equipment, especially respirators, is a common subject for training.

A second part of an employer’s accident prevention program involves the establishment of procedure to conduct internal inspections or reviews to help detect unsafe conditions and correct them before accidents happen. Many larger companies maintain a “Risk Assessment” office or have an employee whose entire job may be to detect and correct potential safety risks and hazards.