Getting Top Management Commitment
It is essential to the success of your company's safety and health program that top management demonstrate not only an interest, but a long term serious commitment to protect every employee from injury and illness on the job.
Management commitment to safety will occur to the extent they clearly understand the positive benefits derived from the effort. Understanding the benefits will create a strong desire to improve the company's safety culture. Managers will invest serious time and money into effective safety management by developing programs, policies, written plans, processes and procedures. They will also display leadership through effective accountability and recognition of behaviors and results.
Employers "do" safety (a behavior) for one or more reasons:
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To fulfill the legal imperative. At this level, the primary goal is to fulfill the obligation to comply with OSHA rules. To stay out of trouble. Do only what has to be done to meet minimum requirements. Safety is not a priority or value.
To fulfill the legal imperative. At this level, the primary goal is to fulfill the obligation to comply with OSHA rules. To stay out of trouble. Do only what has to be done to meet minimum requirements. Safety is not a priority or value. •To fulfill the fiscal imperative. Employers who are motivated to do safety understand the financial benefits derived from effective application of safety systems. The primary reason for "doing safety" shifts to maximizing profits. The goal is to fulfill the obligation to stakeholders to operate the business in a fiscally prudent manner. The employer will do whatever needs to be done reactively and proactively to save on direct and indirect costs of accidents. The employer will likely go beyond minimum legal requirements if needed. Safety is most likely a high priority...However; it may be subject to rapid change when the going gets tough.
To fulfill the fiscal imperative. Employers who are motivated to do safety understand the financial benefits derived from effective application of safety systems. The primary reason for "doing safety" shifts to maximizing profits. The goal is to fulfill the obligation to stakeholders to operate the business in a fiscally prudent manner. The employer will do whatever needs to be done reactively and proactively to save on direct and indirect costs of accidents. The employer will likely go beyond minimum legal requirements if needed. Safety is most likely a high priority...However; it may be subject to rapid change when the going gets tough. •To fulfill the social imperative. Employers who, for whatever reason, have come to the realization that long-term corporate survival depends on more than maximizing short-term profits, will value and tap into the incredible creative potential of each employee, from janitor to president. Managers appreciate the inherent value of each employee, not just as a worker, but as a corporate "family" member. They also realize and value the roles their employees fulfill away from work, in the community, as mothers, fathers, coaches, helpers, etc. Employers strive to fulfill their obligation to each employee, local community, and general society to support and protect the welfare of all employees. Safety is perceived as a core corporate value that does not change when the going gets tough.
To fulfill the social imperative. Employers who, for whatever reason, have come to the realization that long-term corporate survival depends on more than maximizing short-term profits, will value and tap into the incredible creative potential of each employee, from janitor to president. Managers appreciate the inherent value of each employee, not just as a worker, but as a corporate "family" member. They also realize and value the roles their employees fulfill away from work, in the community, as mothers, fathers, coaches, helpers, etc. Employers strive to fulfill their obligation to each employee, local community, and general society to support and protect the welfare of all employees. Safety is perceived as a core corporate value that does not change when the going gets tough. It's a question of leadership
Every day, employees, supervisors and managers have many opportunities to communicate and act in ways that demonstrate safety leadership. Unfortunately, these opportunities go unanswered because they are not seen as opportunities. Employers and manager do not understand that the simple expression of tough-caring safety leadership can result in enormous benefits. The inability to perceive leadership opportunities as they arise limits the company's potential to succeed.
It's appropriate to assume that employees at all levels of the organization are good people trying to do the best they can with what they've got. The problem is, they don't always have the physical resources and psychosocial support to achieve the kind of results expected of them. Why? Ultimately, the workplace culture may not support effective safety management and leadership.
Negative reinforcement - "If you have an accident, you'll be disciplined."
Negative reinforcement - "If you don't have an accident, you won't lose your bonus."
Positive reinforcement - "If you comply with safety rules, you will be recognized."
Extinction, the withholding of positive reinforcement, is common in cultures in which managers employ the tough-controlling leadership style because, once again...the manager is more likely to be concerned with his or her own success than the success of "subordinates". Consequently, production, profitability, morale and all other long term bottom-line results are not as positive as they might otherwise be. Why? Although excellence is requested, the safety system is designed to produce compliance behaviors.
The tough-caring leadership model. Managers are tough on safety because they have high expectations and they insist their followers behave, and they care about the success of their employees first. This is a self-less leadership approach.
The tough-caring leadership model represents a major shift in leadership and management thinking from the selfish tough controlling model. Managers understand that complying with the law, controlling losses, and improving production can best be assured if employees are motivated, safe, and able.
Positive reinforcement - "If you comply with safety rules, report injuries and hazards, I will personally recognize you."
Positive reinforcement - "If you get involved in the safety committee, you will be more promotable."
Positive reinforcement - "If you suggest and help make improvements, I will personally recognize and reward you."
You can imagine that in a tough-caring safety culture, trust between management and labor is promoted through mutual respect, involvement and ownership in all aspects of workplace safety.
So you're committed? Show me the time and money.
Be business smart...be proactive
A proactive strategy emphasizes proaction: doing whatever it takes to make sure accidents never happen in the workplace. There are no excuses for an accident. A proactive response to safety and health in the workplace occurs before an accident has occurred. It anticipates and tries to prevent accidents. By emphasizing accident prevention, management sends a message of caring to all employees. Proactive strategies are always less expensive than reactive strategies because the company makes investments that result in potentially huge returns. Remember, proactive programs are implemented to prevent future injuries and illnesses. Here are some examples of proactive safety and health programs.
Goals and objectives
So now you have a mission statement developed. The next step is to think of some proactive goals and objectives to improve your company's safety and health program.
Goals are easy to write. They're nothing more than wishes. However, operational objectives take a little more thought. Well written objectives should have the following elements present:
•Starts with an action verb. (Decrease, increase, improve, etc.)
Starts with an action verb. (Decrease, increase, improve, etc.) •Specifies a single key result to be accomplished.
Specifies a single key result to be accomplished. •Is quantifiable. Uses numbers to measure a desired change. (i.e., 50% increase)
Is quantifiable. Uses numbers to measure a desired change. (i.e., 50% increase) •Specifies a target date for accomplishment.
Specifies a target date for accomplishment. For example, operational safety objectives might be written like this:
•"Increase the number of safety suggestions to 25 a month by July 31st."
"Increase the number of safety suggestions to 25 a month by July 31st." •"Reduce the number of back injuries in the warehouse by 70% by the end of 1997."
"Reduce the number of back injuries in the warehouse by 70% by the end of 1997." Remember to work with the safety committee to share the goals and objectives with everyone in the company. By the end of this course you should be able to think of many more ways to increase management commitment.
Talk money... the bottom line
