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Skriven 2006-09-29 23:31:18 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (060929b) for Fri, 2006 Sep 29
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Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 29, 2006

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies



SUBJECT: Extension of the Safety, Health, and Return-to-Employment (SHARE)
Initiative

On January 9, 2004, I established the 3-year Safety, Health, and
Return-to-Employment (SHARE) Initiative, and directed all executive branch
agencies to participate in this Government-wide effort to improve safety
and health in Federal workplaces. SHARE's four goals focus attention in the
most critical areas of a safety, health, and injury case management
program: lower total injury and illness case rates, lower lost-time injury
and illness case rates, improved timely reporting of injuries and
illnesses, and reduced rates of lost production days due to work-related
injuries and illnesses.

During the first 2 years of SHARE, most departments and agencies reduced
their injury and illness and lost production day rates, and significantly
improved the timely reporting of incidents. From 2003 to 2005 the
Government as a whole achieved a 5.5 percent reduction in an injury and
illness case rate, a 2.6 percent reduction in its lost-time injury and
illness case rate, and a 43 percent increase in timely reporting. According
to the Department of Labor, which leads the SHARE Initiative and tracks and
reports its performance results, Fiscal Year 2006 results will be even more
favorable.

Therefore, I am extending the SHARE Initiative through Fiscal Year 2009 to
reaffirm my commitment to improving the safety of Federal workplaces and
reducing the significant personal and financial costs of occupational
injuries and illnesses.

The four goals of the SHARE Initiative will continue to use FY 2003 as the
baseline. The goals for the timely filing of workers' compensation claims
(Goal 3) and reduction of lost production days (Goal 4) have been modified
to recognize consistent and superior agency performance and, at the same
time, to hold low-end performers to more significant and challenging
performance levels.

Each executive department and agency will collaborate with the Department
of Labor to establish ambitious annual goals based on its current
performance in each of the four areas. Agencies are encouraged to work with
the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and
Employment Standards Administration's Office of Workers' Compensation
Programs to develop and refine strategies for improving workplace safety
and health. The Department of Labor will continue to lead the SHARE effort
by measuring and tracking performance and reporting to me annually on
performance, both Government-wide and by agency.

Safety and health and return-to-work are important employment values. To
ensure that workers are protected from harm, Federal supervisory personnel
must concentrate their attention and use all the management tools and
resources at their disposal to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.
Managers and supervisors should encourage Federal employees to perform
their jobs safely, effectively, and alertly to remain injury-free. A safe
and healthy Federal workforce not only preserves the Government's valuable
human resources, but also contributes to the effective and efficient
delivery of Government services to the American people.

GEORGE W. BUSH

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