Studies show that companies with the lowest accident rates tend to have health and safety programs with these characteristics:

• Top management commitment
• Functional responsibility for safety and health
• Frequent safety inspections
• Hazard and incident reporting systems
• Investigations conducted on all accidents
• Occupational disease prevention program
• Safety officials who report to top management
• Safety professional with formal health and safety training
• Formal employee training
• Extensive safety communication to employees
• Employees’ family involvement in safety consciousness
• Incentives for safe practices
• Safety and health committee
• Union involvement

Source: CCHKnowledgePoint HR How-to: Workplace Safety