Safety and Health Office
Reclamation Safety and Health Standards (RSHS)
The Reclamation Safety and Health Standards were published in May 2002.
Commissioner's Safety and Health Policy
As an agency, Reclamation has a responsibility to provide a safe and healthful working environment for all employees. As Commissioner, I am fully and personally committed to the safety, health, and security of all Reclamation employees. In my first meetings with you, I stated that my top priority in Reclamation is the safety of our employees. I firmly believe that adhering to sound safety and health principles as the Reclamation way of doing business is fundamental and integral to Reclamation's success as an organization. My career experiences, beginning as an engineer, have convinced me that adherence to safety regulations improves the quality, process, and product or service. Safety is a benefit to the individual, enhances productivity and quality in an organization, and provides positive results for the public taxpayer. Therefore, I am pleased that the Reclamation Safety and Health Standards (RSHS) have been revised and are now ready for distribution.
Effective May 20, 2002, the revised RSHS supersedes previous versions. For construction and other contracts that require a safety clause, the RSHS version that was in effect when the contract was signed would govern, unless there is mutual agreement by the contracting parties to adopt this revised version. If there is a significant change that would affect the work being performed for a specific project, a modification may be explored with the contractor. The RSHS is available by ordering directly from the warehouse.
In Reclamation, my expectation is that both leaders and employees will take an active role in promoting and enforcing the safety and health standards. We have been an organization actively engaged in the implementation of safety and health standards, and our future success rests, in part, on an aggressive commitment to the safety and occupational health program. Such a commitment is integral to the Reclamation culture and is indicative of the pride we take in excellent performance.
Many people have participated in the technical revision of the RSHS. I appreciate your involvement in this comprehensive organizational safety and health program document. I am especially appreciative of the efforts of a central working group who coordinated and revised each section, the office in Denver and the regional safety and health managers. They coordinated each section with safety and technical experts in regional and area offices, and the draft RSHS was reviewed by a representative group of stakeholders. This has truly been a Reclamation-wide effort.
However, though extremely important, the written safety document is but one aspect of a comprehensive Reclamation safety program. Supervisors and managers must aggressively encourage safe behavior and enforce safety procedures in every job. It is essential that all of us demonstrate safety leadership and foster a safe, productive culture. Our first line of defense in accident prevention begins with individual knowledge and accountability, supported by supervisor and manager commitment. These are the principles that make Reclamation a high-achieving organization. I am confident each of you will support me and strive to do your part to meet the safety and health goals in the Bureau of Reclamation.
John W. Keys, III
Commissioner
Please use one of these forms for submitting questions or comments to 84-43000: PDF File Word File
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Last Reviewed: 9/26/07