Workers Compensation
Industrial Safety & Health Section

State of Kansas SHARP
Safety and Health Achievement
Recognition Program

What is SHARP?

The Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) provides incentives and support to small, high-hazard employers to work with their employees to develop, implement, and continuously improve the effectiveness of their workplace safety and health programs. SHARP is administered in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) by the 21(d) Consultation Program in the Industrial Safety and Health Section of the Kansas Department of Labor. The OSHA Consultation Program assists small employers in complying with OSHA standards without assessing penalties or citations.

Why should our company be a participant in SHARP?

OSHA believes that a well-managed and effective safety and health program requires less government enforcement oversight. Companies who successfully complete the requirements for SHARP will receive a one-year exemption from OSHA's General Schedule Inspections. However, OSHA still reserves the right to respond to fatalities/catastrophes, formal employee complaints, imminent danger situations, and follow-up inspections from previously cited violations. A certificate signed by the Assistant Secretary of OSHA is awarded to the company as a participant in the SHARP. Other participant benefits extend far beyond OSHA's exemption and the SHARP Certificate. A fully functioning safety and health program will:

1. Eliminate the reoccurrence of hazards in the workplace
2. Lower the frequency of lost work day cases
3. Reduce worker's compensation premiums
4. Lower employee turnover
5. Increase worker productivity
6. Improve employee morale.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of having a comprehensive safety and health program and participation in SHARP is that employees recognize that their employer is concerned about their personal well-being.

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What criteria does our company have to meet to qualify for participation in the SHARP?

1. Employ not more than 250 employees on site and control less than 500 total employees at all sites controlled nationwide.
   NOTE: Larger establishments may be eligible for OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
2. Have a lost workday injury and illness rate (LWDII) and total recordable case rate (TRCR) below the national average for the respective company's industry.
3. Be in an industry that is on OSHA's high-hazard list, or be on any national, state, or locally approved special emphasis program.
4. Be a single, fixed worksite.
   NOTE: Multiple worksites under common management will be evaluated and approved separately. Mobile worksites such as construction are not currently eligible for SHARP.
5. Be in operation at least one year.
6. Have an effective, written comprehensive safety and health management program.
7. Involve employees in the development, operation, and improvement of the workplace safety and health program.
8. Agree to a full service safety and health consultation by the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL).
9. Agree to correct all hazards identified by KDOL.
10. Agree to an annual full service safety and health consultation by KDOL as a requirement for renewal of the SHARP.

What happens if our company is interested in SHARP, but does not meet the qualifications at this time?

Companies who are interested in the SHARP program but currently do not meet the qualifications should not be discouraged. For most companies, it will take two to three years to meet all of the requirements for SHARP. With this in mind, the Kansas Department of Labor has designated a SHARP coordinator whose duties are devoted to providing safety and health program assistance for all companies interested in SHARP. The SHARP coordinator is committed to working with interested companies in order to help them achieve SHARP designation.

Will federal OSHA perform scheduled inspections in my facility while I am in the process of the SHARP exemption?

A Pre-Sharp Inspection Deferral of up to 18 months may be offered to an employer who corrects all hazards identified during the consultation visit and shows reasonable promise of achieving milestones and time frames agreed upon with the SHARP coordinator.

Whom do I contact in order to participate or to learn more about SHARP?

The Kansas Department of Labor Industrial Safety and Health Section can be contacted at (785) 296-4386. Your request for information will be forwarded to the SHARP coordinator who will contact a representative from your company.

For companies who are interested in participating in SHARP, a formal letter requesting participation in SHARP should be sent to our office at:

Kansas Department of Labor
Industrial Safety and Health Section
800 SW Jackson, Suite 1500
Topeka, KS 66612-1227

or send your formal request via e-mail to: Cliff.Morris@dol.ks.gov

The SHARP coordinator will then contact a representative from your company to schedule a full service safety and health consultation.

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