Disciplinary Program

Role of Disciplinary Systems in the Workplace:

The disciplinary system does not exist primarily to punish employees. Its purpose should be to control the work environment so that workers are protected and accidents are prevented. A disciplinary system helps ensure workplace safety and health by letting the Company's employees know what is expected of them. It provides workers with opportunities to correct their behavior before an accident happens.

A disciplinary system is one of the keys to successfully implementing the Company's safety and health program. It ensures that the Company's rules and safe working practices are taken seriously by employees and are actually followed. It lets employees know how the Company expects them to operate in relation to the goals of the Company's safety and health program. And it lays out the actions the Company will take if individuals do not meet the Company's expectations. The employee's supervisor and all members of management are responsible for the enforcement of this disciplinary program.

A disciplinary system cannot work in a vacuum. Before the Company can hold employees accountable for their actions, the Company first needs to establish its safety and health policy and disciplinary rules.

Policy Statement:

Employees need to know the Company's position on safety and health and what the Company expects of them. They need a clear understanding of the rules and the consequences of breaking those rules. This is true in all areas of work, but it is especially important for worker safety and health. As part of the policy statement, and in the employee safety handbook, the Company has a written statement setting forth the Company's disciplinary policy. Company managers and supervisors will always be on the lookout for safety violations and will conscientiously and vigorously enforce the Company's commitment to safety.

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It is important that employees understand the system and have a reference to turn to if they have any questions. Therefore, in addition to issuing a written statement of the Company's disciplinary policy, the Company has drawn up a list of what it considers major violations of Company policy and less serious violations. This list specifies the disciplinary actions that will be taken for first, second, or repeated offenses. The Company will use the 5 Step Disciplinary System listed in Appendix B to correct minor, "General Offences" (that are listed on the next page).

What constitutes a Company safety violation?  The below two sections list the most common Company violations.  Some are related to safety, whereas others are related to Company policy. These sections are just a partial list....other violations may exist that are not yet listed and will be addressed as they occur.  For any activity you question which is NOT on this list, please contact your management Safety representative for a decision.

The list for immediate termination and grounds for immediate discharge are:

1) Drinking alcohol, and/or drug abuse prior to or during working hours

2) Fighting, provoking or engaging in an act of violence against another person on Company property

3) Theft

4) Willful damage to property

5) Failure to wear Personal Protective Equipment (eye protection, hearing protection, safety helmets, etc.)

6) Abuse of selected Personal Protective Equipment.

7) Not using safety harnesses and lanyards when there is a potential for falling

8) Removing and/or making inoperative safety guards on tools and equipment

9) Tampering with machine safeguards or removing machine tags or locks

10) Removing barriers and/or guardrails and not replacing them

11) Failure to follow recognized industry practices

12) Failure to follow rules regarding the use of company equipment or materials

13) Major traffic violations while using a company vehicle

14) Engaging in dangerous horseplay

15) Not following verbal or written safety procedures, guidelines, and rules

16) Failure to conduct required Physical Inspections by Company Officials

17) Failure to notify the Company of a hazardous situation, and

18) Other major violations of company rules or policies

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The below is ISNetworld 's #2 RAVS for "Disciplinary"

D S P 2

Reference: Owner Requirement Requirements: Does program address as to what constitutes a safety violation? Additional Comments: Not following verbal or written safety procedures, guidelines, rules, horseplay, failure to wear selected PPE, abuse of selected PPE, etc.

1) Minor traffic violations while using Company vehicles

2) Creating unsafe or unsanitary conditions or poor housekeeping habits

3) Threatening an act of violence against another person while on company property

4) Misrepresentation of facts

5) Unauthorized use of Company property

6) Excessive tardies and late to work

7) Disrespect and/or insubordination to authority

8) Other violations of Company Policy and rules

Training:

Training can reduce the need for disciplinary action. The Company shall instruct employees in the importance of workplace safety and health, the need to develop safety habits, The Company's operations, safe work practices, and the hazards they control, and the standards of behavior that the Company expects. The Company's employees must understand the disciplinary system and the consequences of any deliberate, unacceptable behavior.

Supervision:

Supervision includes both training and corrective action. Ongoing monitoring of the Company's employees' work and safety habits gives the Company's supervisors the opportunity to correct any problems before serious situations develop. In most cases, effective supervision means correcting a problem before issuing any punishment.

Where the relationship between employees and their supervisors is open and interactive, problems are discussed and solutions are mutually agreed upon. This type of relationship fosters a work environment where the need for disciplinary action is reduced. When such action is needed, the parties are more likely to perceive it as corrective than punitive.

Employee Involvement:

Employees are encouraged to help informally in the enforcement of rules and practices. The intent here is not to turn employees into spies and informers, but to encourage them to

be their "brother's keeper" and to watch out for the safety and health of their colleagues. Many employers successfully have encouraged an atmosphere -- a company "culture" - where employees readily speak up when they see an easily corrected problem, for example, a coworker who needs reminding to put on safety goggles.

the Company's employees deserve the opportunity to correct their own behavior problems. An effective disciplinary system is a two-way process. Once a problem is spotted, discuss it with the employee, who should be given at least one or two opportunities to change the behavior or correct the problem. Only after these discussions (and possibly some retraining) should disciplinary action be taken.

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The below is ISNetworld 's #4 RAVS for "Disciplinary"

D S P 4

Reference: Owner Requirement Requirements: Does program address supervisory responsibility for commitment to safety goals Additional Comments: Physical inspections by company officials that indicate violations showing overall lack of commitment to safety goals shall be under the same level of disciplinary actions.

Disciplinary actions need to be proportionate to the seriousness of the offense and the frequency of its occurrence. It is certainly inappropriate to fire someone for occasional tardiness. It is equally inappropriate to issue only oral warnings to an employee who repeatedly removes a machine guard. Appendix B provides an example of disciplinary actions in a five-step disciplinary system.

Disciplinary procedures should not be instituted without explanation. the Company will provide feedback to the employee on what behavior is unacceptable, why the corrective action is necessary, and how the employee can prevent future violations and disciplinary action. In addition, take time to recognize an employee who improves or corrects his/her behavior.

Consistent Enforcement:

Workers must realize that safe work practices are a requirement of employment and that unsafe practices will not be tolerated. It is necessary, therefore, that the Company have a disciplinary system that is implemented fairly and consistently.

If the Company's disciplinary system is to work well and be accepted by the Company's workforce, the system applies equally to everyone. This includes subjecting managers and supervisors to similar rules and similar or even more stringent disciplinary procedures.

For minor violations, supervisors shall meet with the employee to discuss the infraction and inform the employee of the rule or procedure that was violated AND describe the corrective action needed to remedy the situation.

Documentation:

One key to ensuring fairness and consistency in a disciplinary system is keeping good records. It is in the best interest of both the Company and the employee to have written rules and disciplinary procedures. It is just as important to document instances of good or poor safety and health behavior, including discussions with the employee, and to place relevant information in the employee's personnel file. The "Safety Hazard Citation" on the next page will be used to document infractions.

Documentation serves a variety of purposes. It helps the Company to track the development of a problem, corrective actions, and the impact of measures taken. It provides information so the Company can keep employees informed of problems that need correction.

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In the example below, a few types of safety problems are listed on the left and their frequency across the top. Fill in each box with the type of corrective action that you consider appropriate. Examples include oral warning, written warning, re-instruction, suspension, and termination.

	First Offense	Second Offense	Repeated Violations
Unsafe Work Habits	.	.	.
Refusal to Follow Safety Instructions	.	.	.
Unsafe Actions that Jeopardize Self and Others	.	.	.

Five-Step Discipline System

First violation:	xxxxx	Instruction/discussion concerning violation, proper procedures, and the hazards they control; notation for the supervisor's file.
Second violation:	.	Re-instruction with notation in the employee's personnel file.
Third violation:	.	Written warning describing the violation and actions that will be taken if it recurs.
Fourth violation:	.	Final warning; may include suspension.
Fifth violation:	.	Discharge.

NOTE: The use of these corrective procedures obviously will vary with the nature of the problem and the frequency with which it occurs. Violations of company rules generally are considered more serious than other employee behavior problems, but all require correction. Keep in mind -- and tell the Company's employees -- that the Company's primary goal is to prevent accidents by controlling unsafe acts and conditions.

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The below is ISNetworld 's #3 RAVS for "Disciplinary"

D S P 3

Reference: Owner Requirement Requirements: Does program specify procedures after issuing a safety violation notice? Additional Comments: Meet with employee(s) to discuss the infraction &  inform individual(s) of the rule or procedure that was violated and the corrective action to be taken.

Note: You may want to consider adding this page to the Employee Handbook section of your Safety and Health Program Manual

It is Company philosophy that all employees be trained in proper safety procedures and employees are expected to follow and adhere to all aspects of Company Safety Program. The close observance of all Federal, local and client rules and regulations will be monitored at all times.

If there is an infraction of these rules and regulations - the following disciplinary action will be taken:

1) Minor Infraction

Definition: Any infraction of government, corporate or client rules that does not have the immediate potential of causing serious damage or injury.

   1st offense - verbal warning from supervisor or management

   2nd offense - written notice with notice placed on file

   3rd offense - written notice + time off without pay

   4th offense - termination of employment

2) Major Infraction

Definition: Any infraction of government, corporate or client rules that does have the potential to cause immediate serious damage or injury.

     1st offense - time off without pay or termination

     2nd offense - termination of employment

SIGNED: ___________________________(EMPLOYEE)

SIGNED: ___________________________ (EMPLOYER)

DATE: _____________________________________

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