Workplace safety is frequently an afterthought or viewed as a hindrance to getting real work done. Some dusty signs warning workers of loud noises aren't necessarily indicative of a strong safety culture.
You can create a strong safety culture and effect real change in your organization and team, regardless of where your team currently ranks on the scale. Creating a safety culture goes a long way toward changing workers' and management's mindsets and actions.
Creating a safety culture in the workplace entails including all workers in the safety and health program, providing them with the training and tools to recognize good and bad safety practices, and making them feel comfortable advocating for their safety and those around them. Employees should feel empowered to improve workplace safety and overall facility safety.
Why should we promote a safety culture?
To be effective, any safety and health program requires the active participation of workers and their representatives. Employees frequently know the most about potential hazards associated with their jobs, and they have the most to gain from a successful program and the most to lose if it fails.
Who should take part?
Managers, supervisors, operators, and workers employed by contractors, subcontractors, and temporary staffing agencies should participate on the job site. If there is a union, employee representatives should also participate in the program.
Six methods for fostering a helpful safety culture
Improving your safety culture will take time. Building a safety culture necessitates a strong foundation, time, and dedication to safety. A comprehensive safety and health program should include the following components:
Encouragement and program participation
Willingness to report concerns about safety and health
Access to safety and health information, as well as education
Liberation from the fear of retaliation
The ability to halt a task that they believe is unsafe.
Encourage them to share their experiences.
Encourage employees to participate in all aspects of the safety program, including reporting safety concerns and suggesting ideas to make a process safer, to improve your company's safety culture. Ensure that employees have access to information such as risk assessments, reporting safety hazards, and how previously reported safety concerns were resolved. Management should make workers feel comfortable sharing safety concerns and should address them as soon as possible. Management should never retaliate against an employee for reporting an injury or illness or raising a safety concern.
Encourage employees to share their health and safety stories from previous experiences to empower them. By implementing these best practices for improving safety culture, the safety program will thrive and last for years.
Comments