Table 1.

Workplace Integrated Safety and Health (WISH) Assessment

Assessment Introduction: This brief survey is designed to assess the extent to which organizations effectively implement integrated approaches to worker safety, health and wellbeing. The term “integrated approaches” refers to policies, programs, and practices that aim to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses and enhance overall workforce health and wellbeing. This survey is meant to be completed by health and safety representatives, either in human resources or in safety, at the middle management level. There are no right or wrong answers–Your responses are meant to reflect your understanding of policies, practices and programs currently implemented within your organization.

1. The following questions refer to leadership commitment. We define the term “leadership commitment” to mean the following: An organization’s leadership makes worker safety, health, and well-being a clear priority for the entire organization. They drive accountability and provide the necessary resources and environment to create positive working conditions. Response Categories: Please indicate how often you feel your organization or its leaders do each of the following: Not all the time, some of the time, most of the time, all of the time.

a. The company’s leadership, such as senior leaders and middle managers, communicate their commitment to a work environment that supports employee safety, health, and wellbeing.

b. The organization allocates enough resources such as enough workers and money to implement policies or programs to protect and promote worker safety and health.

c. Our company’s leadership, such as senior leaders and managers, take responsibility for ensuring a safe and healthy work environment.

d. Worker health and safety are part of the organization’s mission, vision or business objectives.

e. The importance of health and safety is communicated across all levels of the organization, both formally and informally.

f. The importance of health and safety is consistently reflected in actions across all levels of the organization, both formally and informally.

2. The following questions refer to participation. We define the term “participation” to mean the following: Stakeholders at every level of an organization, including organized labor or other worker organizations if present, help plan and carry out efforts to protect and promote worker safety and health. Response categories: For these collaborative activities or programs, please indicate how often you believe your organization implements each: not at all, some of the time, most of the time, all of the time.

a. Managers and employees work together in planning, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive safety and health programs, policies, and practices for employees.

b. This company has a joint worker-management committee that addresses efforts to protect and promote worker safety and health.

c. In this organization, managers across all levels consistently seek employee involvement and feedback in decision making.

d. Employees are encouraged to voice concerns about working conditions without fear of retaliation.

e. Leadership, such as supervisors and managers, initiate discussions with employees to identify hazards or other concerns in the work environment.

3. The following questions refer to policies, programs, and practices focused on positive working conditions. We define this term to mean the following: The organization enhances worker safety, health, and well-being with policies and practices that improve working conditions. Response categories: For each of the following policies or practices, please indicate the degree to which they are implemented at your company: not at all, somewhat, mostly, completely.

a. The workplace is routinely evaluated by staff trained to identify potential health and safety hazards.

b. Supervisors are responsible for identifying unsafe working conditions on their units.

c. Supervisors are responsible for correcting unsafe working conditions on their units.

d. This workplace provides a supportive environment for safe and healthy behaviors, such as a tobacco-free policy, healthy food options, or facilities for physical activity.

e. Organizational policies or programs are in place to support employees when they are dealing with personal or family issues.

f. Leadership, such as supervisors and managers, make sure that workers are able to take their entitled breaks during work (e.g. meal breaks).

g. Supervisors and managers make sure workers are able to take their earned times away from work such as sick time, vacation, and parental leave.

h. This organization ensures that policies to prevent harm to employees from abuse, harassment, discrimination, and violence are followed.

i. This organization has trainings for workers and managers across all levels to prevent harm to employees from abuse, harassment, discrimination, and violence.

j. This workplace provides support to employees who are returning to work after time off due to work-related health conditions.

k. This workplace provides support to employees who are returning to work after time off due to non-work related health conditions.

l. This organization takes proactive measures to make sure that the employee’s workload is reasonable, for example, that employees can usually complete their assigned job tasks within their shift.

m. Employees have the resources such as equipment and training do their jobs safely and well.

n. All employees in this organization receive paid leave, including sick leave.

4. The following questions refer to comprehensive and collaborative strategies. We define this term to mean the following: Employees from across the organization work together to develop comprehensive health and safety initiatives. Response categories: For the following collaborative or comprehensive policies, programs, or practices, please indicate the degree to which your company implements each: not at all, somewhat, mostly, completely.

a. This company has a comprehensive approach to promote and protect worker safety and health. This includes collaborative efforts across departments as well as education and programs for individuals and policies about the work environment.

b. This company has a comprehensive approach to worker wellbeing. This includes collaboration across departments in efforts to prevent work-related illness and injury and to promote worker health.

c. This company coordinates policies, programs, and practices for worker health safety, and wellbeing across departments.

d. Managers are held accountable for implementing best practices to protect worker safety, health, and wellbeing, for example through their performance reviews.

e. Managers are given resources, such as equipment and trainings, for implementing best practices to protect and promote worker safety, health, and wellbeing.

f. This company prioritizes protection and promotion of worker safety and health when selecting vendors and subcontractors.

5. The following questions refer to adherence. We define the term “adherence” to mean the following: The organization adheres to federal and state regulations, as well as ethical norms, that advance worker safety, health, and well-being. Response categories: For each of the following statements, please indicate the degree to which you believe your company adheres to or prioritizes standards and regulations: not at all, somewhate, mostly, completely.

a. This organization complies with standards for legal conduct.

b. In this organization, people show sincere respect for others’ ideas, values, beliefs

c. This workplace complies with regulations aimed at eliminating or minimizing potential exposures to recognized hazards.

d. This company ensures that safeguards regarding worker confidentiality, privacy and non-retaliation protections are followed.

e. The wages for the lowest-paid employees in this organization seem to be enough to cover basic living expenses such as housing and food.

6. The following questions refer to data-driven change. We define this term to mean the following: Regular evaluation guides an organization’s priority setting, decision making, and continuous improvement of worker safety, health, and well-being initiatives. Response categories: Please indicate the degree to which your company does each of the following: not at all, somewhat,mostly, completely.

a. The effects of policies and programs to promote worker safety and health are measured using data from multiple sources, such as injury data, employee feedback, and absence records

b. Data from multiple sources on health, safety, and wellbeing are integrated and presented to leadership on a regular basis.

c. Evaluations of policies, programs and practices to protect and promote worker health are used to improve future efforts.

d. Integrated data on employee safety and health outcomes are coordinated across all relevant departments.