OSHA launched a new program this month called the Safety Champions Program. The idea is straightforward: stop treating safety as a checklist and start building it into how a company actually operates.
The program is aimed at employers who want to go beyond reactive compliance. Instead of waiting for an inspection or an incident to fix problems, the Safety Champions approach asks companies to develop safety and health programs rooted in prevention. Think written programs, trained employees, regular hazard assessments, and accountability built into the daily workflow.
Kaiser Chowdhry, a labor and employment attorney, described it this way in an interview with SHRM: "The program can help employers develop safety and health programs that are rooted in a philosophy and overall approach to safety that can set them up for success."
That is the long play. OSHA has run voluntary compliance programs for years. The thinking is the same now as it was then: companies that build real safety cultures have fewer injuries, fewer fines, and better outcomes across the board. The paperwork is not the point. The behavior change is the point.
For small and mid-size contractors, this kind of program matters more than it might seem at first. Big companies have full-time safety staff. Small companies often have a supervisor who is also doing five other jobs. A structured program gives those operations something to build on without needing to hire a team.
The Safety Champions Program also lines up with what OSHA has been saying for the last couple of years: enforcement alone does not move the needle fast enough. You can fine contractors all day. If the culture does not change, the incidents keep happening. Programs like this are how you try to get ahead of it.
With the 2026 Safety Stand-Down season approaching and heat awareness season right around the corner, this is a good moment to take stock of where your safety program actually stands.
Best Practices and Tips
Building a prevention-focused safety culture:
- Put safety in writing. A verbal commitment is invisible when the supervisor changes.
- Assign ownership. Someone on your team needs to own safety tasks the same way someone owns scheduling or payroll.
- Do regular hazard walkthroughs. Not just before an inspection. Make it a standard weekly habit.
- Train new hires before they touch a tool. Orientation is not optional.
- Create a way for workers to flag hazards without it coming back on them. Near-miss reporting only works if people feel safe doing it.
Making it real, not just a binder:
- Review your incident log quarterly. Look for patterns, not just one-offs.
- Talk about safety at toolbox meetings, not just when something bad happens.
- Recognize workers who catch hazards and fix them. That behavior should be rewarded.
If you want to learn more about the Safety Champions Program, OSHA is hosting a free webinar on April 8 covering the program alongside other compliance resources. Registration information is in the source link below.