download OSHA forms, checklists, and sample policies

These electronic files are provided so that you may use and/or modify the safety policies and/or hazard assessment checklists for your practice(s). Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without the permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to: American Animal Hospital Association, 12575 West Bayaud Avenue, Lakewood, Colorado, USA 80228. Phone 800-252-2242 or fax 303-986-1700.

To begin, save a copy of all files to your hard drive in order to modify them and to preserve them. To do this, click on the first file, press Shift, and click on the last file. All files should now be highlighted. Right-click the mouse and click Copy. Figure out where you want to save these files, either on your desktop or in the appropriate directory on your hard drive or network. Once you’ve opened the drive in which you want to save the files (or minimized or closed all programs until you are viewing the desktop, if you are saving these files to your desktop), right-click the white space, click New, and then click Folder. Name the folder “Safety Program.” Double-click the Safety Program folder and right-click the mouse in the finder window that opened to display the folder’s contents. Click Paste to paste the documents into this folder.

Make sure you have Microsoft Word 1997 or higher installed on your computer. If you are working with past versions of Word or another word-processing program, you should consult technical support to upgrade or install an appropriate version of Word. The formatting of these Word 1997 documents may change if you open them in a different program. Make sure you also have Adobe Reader installed on your computer. If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can download it free of charge at the following URL:adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Double-click your Safety Program folder where the files have been saved. Double-click to open a file name to open that file.

Modifying policies

The safety policies and hazard-assessment checklists are meant to be general enough to apply to as many practices as possible, but they will likely need some adjustment on your part. First, read Manager’s Guide to Veterinary Workplace Safety to become familiar with safety requirements in the veterinary workplace. Then read the policies and checklists. At this point, you can decide how well they fit the needs of your practice. Print the documents and fill in the blanks with practice-specific information. Now that these documents are saved on your computer, you can alter the information to fit your practice’s specific situation. If any of the forms are not applicable to your practice, you may delete them. Remember that your state or locality may also have guidelines in some of these areas. Always follow the stricter guideline. Contact numbers to OSHA area offices are included in Appendix B in the Manager’s Guide in case you have a unique situation that warrants assistance directly from OSHA.

OSHA forms

The OSHA forms—with the exception of “All About OSHA” and the OSHA Briefs—included with this companion website are mandatory to your safety program. You cannot alter these forms to fit your practice’s needs. You should contact OSHA if you need additional copies of these forms or have additional questions regarding these forms.

Please call AAHA at 800-252-2242 if you have any problems viewing or using these files.

Disclaimer

This material has been prepared for veterinarians and their staff. This book is intended for use only as a guideline for various safety issues that may be encountered in a veterinary hospital. It is not intended to provide a means to comply with any requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or any other government authority responsible for workplace safety. In all cases, it is the responsibility of each veterinarian and staff to ensure that their practices and standards comply with all applicable federal, state, and municipal laws and regulations. Nothing contained in this guideline suggests or implies complete training or certification of employees that may be required. Neither the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) nor the author assumes any responsibility for or makes a representation as to the suitability, completeness, or accuracy of the information contained in this work for any purpose. The material in these guidelines should not be relied upon as a substitute for specialized legal or professional advice in connection with any particular matter. Neither AAHA nor the author makes any warranties, either express or implied, including warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. AAHA and the author shall in no event be held liable to any party for any adverse reactions to or direct or indirect damage resulting from the application of this information, or any misstatement or error contained in this work. AAHA and the author shall be held harmless from any and all claims that may arise as a result of any reliance on the information provided in this book.

System requirements: Microsoft Word v 1997 or higher | Adobe Reader v 5.0 or higher