Building A Strong Safety Culture: Insights For Management

A safe, healthful working environment is crucial for the success of any business. Proactive management combined with employee participation plays a vital role in perpetuating it.

Are you a CEO or upper management professional looking for ways to reduce workplace risks and hazards? Well, you're in luck. Building a robust workplace Safety Culture begins with six simple steps. Here they are—the safety culture insights for management.

1. Prioritize.

The first step is developing tailored safety manuals for each business function. Besides ensuring compliance, they will provide clarity and directions for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. Next, see to it that everyone in your workforce, from the CEO down to an entry-level employee, has read it from cover to cover at least once. Ideally, your HR contract should require a signed acknowledgment of your safety manuals. A signature will prove that the employee has received the booklet and is responsible for knowing all your health and safety policies. But there's a problem with this approach. That is: nine-out-of-ten employees won't read the manual at all, and the one person who does won't read it in full.

But don't worry. You can use  contract automation software to solve this problem. Simply pick a dynamic HR contract template, include a custom field to require reading and agreeing to workplace safety rules, and voilà! Your employees cannot proceed any further without reading it first. Moreover, you won't have to send follow-up emails or go from desk to desk to get people to sign their contracts. Automated reminders and electronic signatures will take care of that all!

2. Inspire.

Encouraging employees to make workplace safety their #1 priority can be challenging for businesses. However, there are many ways you can increase employee engagement and motivate them to take action. Catchy safety messages beautifully displayed on the office wall are a good example.

Pro tip: When you're crafting them, try to be creative. Better yet, use humor or inspirational quotes to make them engaging and memorable.

Here are some safety message ideas that will inspire your employees into action.

• Take precautions; prevent complications.

• Caution leads to a safe destination.

• Safety is the key to an injury-free you.

• Think safe, stay safe.

• Your safety is worth the effort.

• Safety first is always better than safety last.

• Safety is not an option; it's a necessity.

• Safety is an investment in life.

• Wise up. Be safe.

• Safety is a full-time job.

3. Communicate.

Every C-level executive worth their salt knows they should engage their staff in regular safety meetings to promote a strong safety culture. Employees can be a valuable source of firsthand knowledge when it comes to identifying potential risks or hazards. They may also offer valuable suggestions for improving current operational procedures for workplace safety.

You should also organize emergency drills at work every three months. That way, your employees will learn how to tackle a workplace hazard together as a team. This approach emphasizes the idea that safety is a shared responsibility. Not only that — it will also create a sense of ownership over their safety and their workmates'.

4. Train.

According to the ILO, approximately 2.3 million individuals, both male, and female, die due to work-related illnesses or accidents globally every year. This is equivalent to over 6000 fatalities each day. Moreover, nearly 340 million workplace accidents occur every year, and 160 million people live with lifelong occupational disorders. The most recent ILO statistics show that sickness and injury rates are on the rise.

Sure, these numbers are upsetting. But we’re positive that a good employee safety training program has the potential to bring them down. To that end, implementing company-wide OSHA's Hazard Identification Training Tool is a great place to start. Its interactive and game-based training method will foster an environment where employees feel comfortable reporting an issue immediately.

5. Investigate.

When a workplace hazard happens, management should launch an investigation to determine the root cause. This ensures that similar incidents will not occur again.

Also, investigating incidents provides critical insights into the existing protocols to tackle risks and hazards and pinpoints areas of improvement. Overall, this proactive approach will help promote safety, reduce downtime, and nurture a culture of continual improvement.

6. Appreciate.

Acknowledging and rewarding employees who prioritize safety is undoubtedly the best way to encourage safe behavior in the workplace. You can introduce several recognition programs, like:

• monthly safety awards

• bi-annual bonuses

• special incentives like a company car, holiday allowance, or extra funds

When employees feel appreciated for their contributions to a safe work environment, they are more likely to take ownership and pride in their work.

Take Away

Safety in the workplace is a top priority, and employers should take proactive measures to keep the workplace free of dangerous hazards. Employees feel valued, protected, and motivated to speak up if safety concerns arise. Whether you're a business owner or a manager, these strategies will help you shape a strong safety culture that benefits all.

Author Bio:

Qurat-ul-Ain Ghazali, aka Annie, is the growth manager at Contractbook and looks after all the organic channels. She has been with tech startups and scaleups for a couple of years with a B2B focus. You can find her socializing, traveling, indulging in extreme sports, and enjoying the local desserts when she is not working.