Many companies have found that safety incentive programs are a smarter investment than the alternative — dealing with injuries. But the new head of OSHA is skeptical about these programs. OSHA administrator Jordan Barab says an upcoming inspection emphasis program on recordkeeping will target safety incentive programs that encourage employees not to report injuries.

Barab recently told attendees at the American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) Safety 2009 conference that he’s not completely opposed to safety incentive programs, as long as the incentives are proactive measures. Key: Award good practices, not outcomes.

Example: Instead of rewarding teams for not having any injuries, reward them for adopting sound safety practices, such as always wearing protective gear.

OSHA’s new recordkeeping inspection program could begin before the end of this year.