Private Sector Services

The Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) helps small, high-hazard employers develop, implement, and continuously improve their workplace safety and health programs. A business should participate in SHARP because it can reduce your workers compensation premiums, improve the safety and health of your employees, and improve employee morale and increase productivity.

Organizations with a well-managed and effective safety and health program require less government enforcement oversight. Businesses 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 business as a participant in SHARP.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of participating in SHARP is that employees recognize that their employer is concerned about their personal well-being.

Who is eligible for SHARP?

To participate in SHARP, a business has to meet the following criteria:

  • 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
  • Be a single, fixed worksite – multiple worksites under common management will be evaluated and approved separately. Mobile worksites such as construction are not currently eligible for SHARP.
  • Be in operation at least one year
  • Have an effective, written comprehensive safety and health management program
  • Involve employees in the development, operation and improvement of the workplace safety and health program
  • Agree to a full service safety and health consultation by the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL)
  • Agree to correct all hazards identified by KDOL
  • Agree to an annual full service safety and health consultation by KDOL as a requirement for renewal of SHARP

What if my company is interested in SHARP, but does not meet the qualifications?

Companies who are interested in the SHARP program but currently do not meet the qualifications should not be discouraged. In some cases, companies will take two to three years to meet all requirements for SHARP. KDOL has a designated SHARP Coordinator, committed to providing safety and health program assistance and helping small businesses achieve SHARP designation. 

Will OSHA continue to perform inspections in my facility while I am participating in SHARP?

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.

To participate or learn more about SHARP, please send your formal request via e-mail to the Industrial Safety and Health Division. Your request will be forwarded to the SHARP Coordinator who will then contact you.

Dena Ackors, System Administrator
Dena.Ackors@ks.gov

417 SW Jackson St
Topeka, KS 66603-3327

(785) 296-4386 ext. 6029

Shelly Briley, SHARP Program Coordinator
Shelly.Briley@ks.gov

417 SW Jackson St
Topeka, KS 66603-3327

(785) 224-5040

Public or State Work Sector Services

The Industrial Safety and Health Division recognizes safety conscious employers and employees in the public sector. The Safety and Health Award for Public Employees (SHAPE) program is designed for those public sector entities whose employees have not had a lost-time accident for a specific number of consecutive days.

To be considered for participation in SHAPE the public employer must meet the following criteria:

  1. Establishment has had a comprehensive safety inspection from a Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) consultant within the last two years. If not, the employer may set up an appointment to obtain an inspection by contacting the Industrial Safety and Health Division. 
  2. If you have received a comprehensive Safety inspection from a KDOL consultant within the past five years, all of the hazards found must have been corrected.
  3. Establishment must meet one of the following two criteria:
    1. DART and TRC Rate must be below the most recently available Kansas State Average for the combine local and state government rate
    2. The establishment has documented a minimum number of safety training hours based on the size of the entity for at least three months prior to application.
      • For 1-50 employees: 5 monthly safety training hours required
      • For 51-500 employees: 10 monthly safety training hours required
      • For 501-2500 employees: 15 monthly safety training hours required
      • For 2501+ employees: 20 monthly safety training hours are required
  4. All applicants must submit an OSHA 300 log or an equivalent. To calculate your entity's DART or TRC rate, please visit page 5 of this form.
Renewal Note: When an establishment comes up on its next scheduled inspection with the Kansas Department of Labor they will complete a full Safety Inspection, have their OSHA 300 log (or equivalent), and DART/TRC or Safety Training Log reviewed. If they still meet the SHAPE Standards the entity will have renewed SHAPE Status. 

If the employer meets all of the above qualifications, please complete the SHAPE Application (K-ISH 402) and submit it via e-mail.  

If a public employee is killed in a job-related incident, please call the Industrial Safety and Health Division at (785) 296-4386 so an investigation can begin as soon as possible.

Under state law K.S.A. 44-636, Industrial Safety and Health will respond to employee complaints concerning unsafe working conditions. The complaint can be made anonymously. If public service employees have complaints concerning safe working conditions while performing their jobs, please complete the Notice of Alleged Safety or Health Hazard form (K-ISH 603) or call the Industrial Safety and Health Division to register a complaint. 

City, county, municipal clerks and school superintendents may call our office and request information about developing safety programs and how to provide a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. The Public Service Unit monitors each public service on a regular basis. The unit has trained industrial hygienists on staff to help monitor air particulates and take sound level readings. There is a charge for the hygiene service. The cost of the service will depend on the type of sampling requested or provided.

If an entity refuses to comply with a recommendation addressing a serious hazard, the Secretary of Labor may levy fines up to $100 per day, per serious hazard not corrected.

If you are interested in requesting a Workplace Ergonomic Evaluation, complete the Workplace Ergonomic Evaluation Request form (K-ISH 606) below.

Training materials can be provided to public entities (state agencies, municipalities, associations, etc.) within the state of Kansas by request. The ultimate goal is to provide a quick and easy resource for completing employee training, either as a group or individually.

We are always interested to hear from you, especially regarding the usefulness of our training or topics you may want to see offered in the future, so please contact the Industrial Safety and Health Division with any feedback.

Note: Training materials will change as new safety and health trends are identified, updated information is received, and/or regulation changes.

Shane Etzold, Public Sector Supervisor 
 

401 SW Topeka Blvd, Suite 2
Topeka, KS 66603-3105

620-704-9262