The Natural Refrigeration

By Lowell Randel, IIAR Government Relations Director

In January 2026, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the creation of a new voluntary program called Safety Champions which has been added to the suite of cooperative programs (such as the OSHA Challenge and Voluntary Protection Program) administered by the agency.

Safety Champions is designed to help employers develop and implement an effective safety and health program to help prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths. The program is free and participants can advance through the program at their own pace. The addition of a new voluntary program is consistent with the Trump Administration’s increased emphasis on cooperative programs and compliance assistance.

The Safety Champions Program focuses heavily on the seven core elements of OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs. Many IIAR members are already implementing these principles as a part of their compliance efforts under Process Safety Management (PSM) and Risk Management Program (RMP) related to their refrigeration systems. However, these principles also apply outside of refrigeration and this program could be helpful for facilities to make sure they are appropriately addressing a broad range of safety and health hazards that may be present in their facilities.

The seven elements of OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs are:

MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP
Leadership commitment from top management is essential. This includes setting safety goals, allocating resources, and integrating safety and health into business operations. Leaders should be visibly involved and accountable for the program’s success.

WORKER PARTICIPATION
Workers at all levels, including contractors and temporary employees, should be actively involved in the safety program — from identifying hazards to developing solutions and reporting potential concerns.

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT
Employers should identify workplace hazards — through audits, risk assessments, incident data reviews, and worker input.

HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROL
Once hazards are recognized, practical methods should be implemented to eliminate or control them (e.g., engineering controls, administrative changes, PPE). The effectiveness of these actions should be tracked and verified.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING
All employees should receive training on how the safety program works, their roles in it, and how to recognize and control hazards. Supervisors and managers should be trained on leadership and responsibilities under the program.

PROGRAM EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT
Employers should regularly monitor and assess how well the safety program is working — looking at performance metrics, inspections, and worker feedback — and make improvements where necessary.

COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION FOR MULTI-EMPLOYER WORKPLACES
When work involves multiple employers (e.g., host employers, contractors, staffing agencies), communication and coordination is important to ensure workers understand the safety program.

THREE PROGRESSIVE PROGRAM LEVELS
The Safety Champion Program has three levels (Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced) to help employers advance their safety and health efforts. The levels are self-guided, and participants may work at their own pace. Employers can assess their current practices, identify gaps, and implement improvements incrementally.

This structure is intended to make the program accessible to organizations of all sizes.

The three levels are:

Introductory: participants begin by assessing their current safety and health practices against the seven recommended elements. This involves identifying gaps and starting to implement foundational safety program components.

Intermediate: Organizations build on the basics to strengthen hazard prevention and control, increase worker participation, and deepen integration of safety processes. At this stage, safety activities become more comprehensive and structured.

Advanced: Participants integrate all core elements into organizational culture and operations, demonstrating sustained commitment and more mature systems. This step reflects a high-level safety program where practices are embedded across the organization.

SPECIAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE (SGE) ASSESSMENTS
Another feature of the Safety Champions Programs is the ability for participants to request a Special Government Employee (SGE) Assessment. This is a non-enforcement assessment where an experienced safety and health professional is authorized to review employer safety programs and provide feedback on program effectiveness and progression. SGE assessments may include: an evaluation of safety policies and procedures; review of hazard assessments and controls, assessment of education and training, and input on how the safety program aligns with OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs. Similar to the OSHA Consultation Program, an SGE assessment can help employers identify weaknesses in a facilities safety and health program before they result in citations or incidents.

The Safety Champions Program is a tool that can complement ongoing safety programs. It is not a substitute for following OSHA regulations such as PSM or IIAR standards.

However, participation in the program can aid in identifying potential compliance gaps, improve audit/inspection readiness and strengthen safety culture. More information on the Safety Champions Program, including how to register, can be found at: https://www.osha.gov/safety-champions.