Introduction to Safety and Health in Nonprofits
Seven percent of employees in Washington work in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit leaders and workers are usually focused on serving their communities, not on compliance and administrative requirements related to operating a small business. Limitations on time, funding, and technical knowledge make it challenging to navigate and follow safety and health laws, rules, and regulations.
Safety & Health in Nonprofits pulls together information customized to nonprofits to help organizations operationalize safety and health practices. There are many components to safety and health compliance, and the guide provides tools that board and staff members can put into action now. Strengthen your mission and protect your assets by spending time understanding safety and health, and how it relates to the work of your organization.
To help apply the learning to your organization, be sure to complete the checklists and exercises throughout the course. Use the summary pages at the end of each chapter to review key information, go deeper with reflection questions, and connect to more resources.
Thank you!
Nonprofit Association of Washington wishes to express our gratitude to everyone involved with the creation of the Safety & Health in Nonprofits guide including Nancy Bacon, Bud Bennett, Claire Hanberg, James Gibbs, Jenn Tennent, Laura Pierce, Melanie Lockwood Herman, Rick Means, Rose Gunderson, Samanatha Wells, and Sara Price, Sarah Smith, and Jennifer Chang. We are deeply appreciative of the State of Washington, Department of Labor & Industries, Safety & Health Investment Projects, which funded and supported the original production and 2023 updates to the guide.
Important Note: This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or technical advice. If you are unsure about anything covered in Safety & Health in Nonprofits, we suggest you contact the appropriate agency, safety official, or attorney. Also, laws impacting organizations change over time. The information contained in this guide may become out of date.