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safety tips ravs

RAVS® Safety Program Creation Tips

There are several steps to obtaining ISNetworld® compliance, which is almost a necessity when doing business in the industrial industry. One of these steps, and arguably one of the most important is your company’s RAVS® safety program. 

ISNetworld® reviews all of your information with a fine-tooth comb, especially your safety programs. Save yourself some time and expedite the review process by implementing these RAVS® safety program creation tips. 

What Are RAVS® Safety Programs?

RAVS® stands for “Review and Verification Services”. When you are applying for certification through ISNetworld®, this is the section where you upload your safety programs. ISNetworld® uses the information in this section to verify everything from safety procedure development to the effectiveness of your company safety programs. Overall, your RAVS® programs will account for 30% – 40% of your ISNetworld® grade. By receiving a good grade on your RAVS®, you prove to clients that your company is abiding by contemporary industry safety standards.

ISNetworld® RAVS® Sections

Most company ISNetworld® accounts have approximately 10 – 40 RAVS® sections that need to be custom written and submitted for review. Each individual section outlines a specific safety program. For instance, if your company primarily remodels old buildings, you will likely need an Asbestos Awareness Program, a Fall Protection Program, and an Emergency Action Plan Program, among others. You may also be asked by your Hiring Client to create TRAVS®, which stands for Training Review and Verification Services. If your Hiring Client has requested TRAVS®, you must document your employee training process for the specified sections.

First Time Creating a RAVS® Safety Program? 

If this is your first time signing up for ISNetworld® certification, deciding which safety programs to document can seem like a rather daunting task. However, you will actually determine how to set up your RAVS® safety programs based on the needs of your Hiring Client. There is also a general standard format for successful RAVS® programs. The best RAVS® safety programs are under 10 pages, and they each contain evidence to answer your Hiring Client questionnaire, customized headers & footers with your full company name, and page numbers. If your client has requested TRAVS®, the affected sections will also include program-specific training sheets. If you choose to work with a safety compliance consultant like First Compliance Safety, we customize all of your RAVS® sections to the specific needs of your business. Once these programs are written they are then uploaded to your ISNetworld® account. Then you will need to answer each of the questions on that program requested by your client.

Tips for a Successful RAVS® Safety Program

Each individual Hiring Client will have specific requirements for your safety program. Some Hiring Clients will allow a variance in your programs, however, this will need to be addressed directly with your Hiring Client. These tips will help you streamline the creation of any RAVS® safety program you need to make for your ISNetworld® account.

  • Simplify: Simplicity is key! An Ideal RAVS® safety program is under 10 pages in length. Keeping your safety program simple will also make it easier to adapt and change according to each Hiring Client’s unique requests. 
  • Provide Evidence: Include answers to each question asked by ISN® within your RAVS® safety program. This will help you ensure you cover all topics needed and focus on the safety protocols that matter most. 
  • Customize: Use your full company name within the RAVS® safety program. You will want to insert a footer as well with your company name and page numbers. Also include the training sheet specific to each program within the RAVS® safety program.
  • Document: Next is where your hard work creating the simplistic RAVS® safety program pays off.  The United States Questionnaire MSQ® requires you to go through and answer specific questions about your safety program. You should identify the page number in which each question being asked is addressed within your safety program.
  • Review: Once your account documents are submitted, the review process begins. Depending on the documents being reviewed it can take anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks to complete the review. Your Hiring Client has the power to authorize a speedier review, so it can be beneficial to contact your Hiring Client to see if they would mind calling ISN® to request expediting the review.
  • Troubleshoot: After the review and your grade have been determined, take a closer look at your grading components and review the gap report in ISN® This will show you exactly what areas in your safety program are affecting your grade. There are some components in ISNetworld® you cannot control and need to be discussed and troubleshot with your Hiring Client.

The ISN® grading components weigh differently on general areas of concern for your Hiring Client. Go through the gap report one by one and incorporate any areas you left void or where you marked as ‘No’ – these areas are clearly important to your ISNetworld® Client. Changing an answer may incur more RAVS® safety programs to be created.

We encourage you to utilize our expertise and these tips to get Hiring Client approval through ISNetworld®. First Compliance Safety specializes in assisting you and your company with ISNetworld® compliance. We can help you through the process of obtaining certification as well as manage your account on an ongoing basis. Contact us today – (844) 514-8355 – to get started with your ISNetworld® compliance and the creation of your RAVS® safety program.

*This article was updated with new information on May 4, 2023