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Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL’s) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the launch of a voluntary, self-guided initiative on workplace safety programs. Specifically, the new OSHA framework outlines several core practices employers should incorporate into their workplace safety and health plans. According to the agency, this launch of the “Safety Champions Program” represents OSHA’s shift from enforcement-based compliance to a focus on proactive risk management and prevention. Many of the overall concepts discussed in the resource fall under the OSH Act and OSHA’s “General Duty Clause.” Indeed, both regulations apply to most employers in most workplaces. Earlier, in December 2025, OSHA issued seven letters of interpretation addressing workplace safety programs and requirements.
What Is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?
Overall, OSHA's mission is to assure America's workers have safe and healthful working conditions. Additionally, workplaces must be free from unlawful retaliation. According to the agency, it carries out its mission by:
- setting and enforcing workplace safety standards;
- enforcing anti-retaliation provisions of the OSH Act and other federal whistleblower laws;
- providing and supporting training, outreach, education, and assistance on workplace safety programs; and
- working collaboratively with state OSHA programs, ensuring that they are at least as effective as federal OSHA.
Finally, the OSH Act covers safety requirements for most private sector employers and their workers. The Act also covers some public sector employers and workers in the 50 states, certain territories, and federal jurisdictions.
What Is the General Duty Clause?
As noted earlier, the OSH Act establishes and enforces workplace safety and health standards. In doing so, it ensures safe and healthy working conditions for men and women. Notably, the “General Duty Clause” requires that all employers:
- shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees; and
- shall comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act.
In compliance with the OSH Act’s General Duty Clause and to avoid OSHA safety violations and costly litigation, employers should recognize and fix common workplace hazards. On a small scale, these common workplace hazards could include blocked exit routes, trip hazards, and unstable stacked items. They may also include any issues discussed in OSHA’s recently released Safety Champions Program.
What Is the Safety Champions Program?
Specifically, the Safety Champions Program (SCP) was designed to help businesses of any size with their workplace safety programs. According to Fisher Phillips, the SCP includes tools for developing and implementing comprehensive workplace safety and health programs. In summary, it is comprised of three progressive levels, and employers may request an assessment by an OSHA “Special Government Employee” to gauge progress.
What Is Included Within the Safety Champions Program?
Most importantly, the SCP was modeled on the protocol OSHA currently enforces. Significantly, it follows the main tenets included on the agency’s “Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs” informational webpage. These core elements include:
- Management Leadership
- Worker Participation
- Hazard Identification and Assessment
- Hazard Prevention and Control
- Education and Training
- Program Evaluation and Improvement; and
- Communication and Coordination (Host Employers, Contractors, and Staffing Agencies.
As previously mentioned, the SCP has three different levels (Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced). Each level is self-guided, and participants may work at their own pace.
However, OSHA wants employers to realize that although it created the SCP to assist with creating and maintaining workplace safety programs, the resource itself does not solve the following problems:
- It does not eliminate workplace hazards,
- Does not ensure compliance with all OSHA standards, and
- It does not prevent employers from receiving OSHA citations.
Employer Takeaways
In conclusion, as mentioned previously, OSHA’s General Duty Clause applies to most businesses. Workplace safety should be at the forefront of every employer's mind. Moreover, the release of the Safety Champions Program serves as a timely reminder to all employers to ensure compliance with OSHA workplace safety requirements and regulations applicable to workplace safety programs.
To assist employers in maintaining compliance with various OSHA standards, WorkWise Compliance offers the following:
- OSHA General Industry Safety Training Program for Employees – This online, interactive eLearning program provides a clear, engaging, and easy-to-understand training experience that covers key OSHA principles, the General Duty Clause, reporting requirements, and employee protections. Designed specifically for OSHA general industry, the course ensures employees understand OSHA general industry standards and their rights under federal law.
