For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 9, 2004
Memorandum
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
SUBJECT: The Safety, Health, and Return-to-Employment (SHARE) Initiative
The cost of Federal workplace injuries, when measured by workers'
compensation losses, is more than $2 billion and 2 million lost
production days annually. In fiscal year 2003, the Federal workforce
of almost 2.7 million filed more than 168,000 injury claims. Behind
these numbers lie pain and suffering by workers and their families.
Clearly, Government agencies should strive to do more to improve
workplace safety and health and reduce the costs of injury to workers
and taxpayers. Many workplace injuries are preventable.
Therefore, I am establishing SHARE: Safety, Health, and
Return-to-Employment Initiative, a safe workplace initiative for fiscal
years 2004-2006. The initiative's four goals cover the most important
elements of a strong safety and health management program: lower
workplace injury and illness case rates, lower lost-time injury and
illness case rates, timely reporting of injuries and illnesses, and
fewer lost days resulting from work injuries and illnesses. The
Secretary of Labor will lead the SHARE Initiative and will measure the
performance of each department and agency against the goals. I direct
all executive branch departments and agencies to participate in SHARE
for this 3-year period.
Each department and agency will collaborate with the Department of
Labor to establish challenging annual goals based on its current
performance in the four areas. The Department of Labor will measure
and track agency performance, and will report to me annually on each
agency's progress towards meeting its goals. The Department of Labor's
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Office of Workers'
Compensation Programs will also work with Federal departments and
agencies to develop new workplace strategies to improve safety and
health at high injury rate sites, assist them in improving the
timeliness of reporting claims through electronic and other means, and
guide them in providing suitable work and tools for injured and
disabled employees.
Federal supervisors and managers must focus management tools and
resources on eliminating unsafe and unhealthy working conditions.
Federal employees should be encouraged to perform their jobs safely,
effectively, and alertly to remain injury- free. Dedication to
ensuring our Government workforce family is safe and healthy preserves
the resources of Government and helps promote the delivery of
Government services to the American people.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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