Compliance made easy. Get the free tool to create your nonprofit’s Accident Prevention Program.
Every organization in Washington is required to have an Accident Prevention Program (an “APP”) to keep workers safe and healthy. This includes nonprofits like our food banks and pantries. The Washington Food Coalition has made it easy to comply by using the APPapp, our free tool that helps you write one.
We’ll ask you a series of questions, generate a Microsoft Word document, and email it to you. You’ll use that document with your safety team to create your nonprofit’s Accident Prevention Program plan, addressing all the hazards in your workplace.
Step 1: Understand the requirements
- What is an Accident Prevention Program?
From the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries: “Every employer in Washington State is required to create a written Accident Prevention Program (APP) to address the safety and health hazards found in their workplace. Many employers consider their APP as their cornerstone safety program.” - How is the APP document used?
Everyone in your facility or organization needs to be familiar with it, not just the leadership team. It contains information for everyone about how to stay safe and what to do in an emergency.
Include it in employee and volunteer orientations and whenever an employee’s role or responsibilities change. Review it regularly in safety meetings, and tell all staff about changes. The APP is a living document that keeps your employees, volunteers, and visitors safe from harm.
Step 2: Gather the information.
- What information goes into the Accident Prevention Program?
It documents what to do in the event of an emergency, and it contains details about the specific safety issues at your location. There’s also contact information for people who are responsible for safety training and equipment and procedures for how to stay safe. - What you’ll need to have on hand to use the APPapp.
Gather information about the people and procedures that keep employees and volunteers safe. We’ve put together a checklist (PDF) to help you prepare. - Who creates it?
It needs to be created by someone who understands the work and the hazards of your particular organization and worksite. If you are a small nonprofit, the Executive Director or Board might write it. If you have more employees, there might be a designated safety officer, an employee whose role includes safety orientations and the APP. You may also have a safety committee that creates a safety program and keeps it updated.
Step 3: Use the APPapp to create your customized document.
- In the APPapp tool, we’ll ask you a series of questions about hazards in your organization. Your answers will go into a Microsoft Word document, which we’ll send to you via email.
Step 4: One last step: Expand the details of the Accident Prevention Program with your team.
- After you download the Word document, there’s a bit more to do. Work with your board, staff, and volunteers to review and complete the details of your safety procedures.
- Add the details to the Word document and set a schedule for reviewing and updating it. Remember, the APP is a living document that will change with your organization.
- Start using the APP document
Share the document with everyone at your organization and include it in your staff, volunteer, and board orientations.