Build an Effective Safety Culture

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 5,190 persons lost their lives while working in 2016 alone. That is more than 14 individuals each day. Many of these fatalities may have been avoided entirely. It has been demonstrated that fostering a supportive safety culture inside a company significantly lowers the frequency of workplace accidents and injuries. We must start looking at how we work in order to properly create a culture of safety, though, and move beyond accident/injury prevention.

What Is a Safety Culture?

It's rather simple to understand the working culture within a firm; all one needs to do is observe how things are carried out. The idea of a safety culture thus goes beyond particular safety rules and programs and instead encapsulates the attitudes and conduct of all firm stakeholders, including employees, managers, and owners, with regard to safety.

Characteristics of a Positive Safety Culture

A company with a poor safety culture is frequently simpler to spot than one with a strong one. Why? Lack of a safety culture frequently results in employee resistance to safety measures, which frequently fails and raises the incidence of accidents and injuries at work.While establishing a strong safety culture may seem difficult, once the effort is put into doing so, the rewards are felt throughout the entire organization. Companies with a strong safety culture frequently encounter:

• increased output from employees
• Lower turnover 
• high employee engagement
• lower accident or injury rates

A Safety Culture Can Be Created in 10 Easy Steps

• State Responsibilities: Prior to establishing an effective safety culture, your organization's roles must be clear. At all organizational levels, this should be done, and policies and objectives should be included.
• Establish a safety vision for the organization: When it comes to the corporate vision for safety, it is crucial that everyone in the business be on the same page. If all company stakeholders are not aiming for the same goal, it is impossible to achieve your safety goal.
• Create an Open Communication System: Strong safety cultures invest in developing open channels of communication across their entire organization. It's critical to inform staff members of new safety measures if you want to implement policies and procedures effectively.
• Involve Staff at All Levels: Starting from scratch is the best way to build a safety culture. Every employee, regardless of rank, should be involved in the planning and execution of each new safety project.
• Repair Reporting System: The emphasis of your reporting process should be on the positive, and staff members should feel free to voice any safety concerns without fear of consequences.
• Implement practical training: When fostering a safety culture inside a business, proper training is essential. Employee retention and the successful implementation of new safety initiatives are improved by sharing best practices and providing opportunities for hands-on learning sessions.
• Management Modeling: Any safety campaign must start from the top in order to be successful. Managers must commit to practicing a safety-first attitude and consistently show that safety is valued and vital.

• 8.Hold Employees Accountable: The importance of safety is overwhelmingly felt in organizations that have a safety culture. Every team member feels culpable for the security of both themselves and their coworkers. Holding employees responsible is a significant component of this ownership.

• Honor Success: It's crucial to keep team members inspired and informed about business development to support safety initiatives. Maintaining team members' enthusiasm and investment in creating a culture of safety is best accomplished by praising team members, departments, and the organization as a whole for improvements.
• Ensure Continuous Growth: While achievement must be recognized, a business that truly upholds a culture of safety knows there is always space for improvement. Your firm will not experience results that are static by committing to continuous growth and putting in place mechanisms for continuous improvement. Instead, they will aim to maintain a work environment free from accidents and injuries.

In order to take advantage of our training to deveop your skills, register in our Developing and Effective Safety Culture training program