Safety Plan: Management Leadership & Employee Participation

Safety plans keep employees safe, but they also serve to set a distinct tone of what is expected of each employee while they are working at any particular facility.  Companies have smaller areas within themselves and each area should have their own safety protocol in a written program.  These protocols would align themselves with the larger company wide safety program.  The best situation is when management, from the very top down, has decided that safety is a number one priority and they will do whatever it takes to ensure that everyone follows procedures.

This type of thinking is rare.  Not saying that it is rare to find a company that wants to keep its employees safe, but more often than not most employers would rather do the minimum required by OSHA.  Upper management’s level of commitment to making safety a priority in their company is the first step to having a truly “safety first” thinking environment.

Having a formal written safety and health policy is the first question asked when a safety firm performs an audit.  While performing an audit the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) is looking to establish how well written and well followed the plan is companywide.  Is the company’s safety program given the same priority as productivity and quality?  When top level management is an integral part of the culture of safety the employees will not only “buy into” the culture being established, but it will also make safety a given when working.  It is imperative that the leadership take an active role in safety at the facility by always making sure to wear the proper safety gear when walking around the plant.

The program also provides a line at which everyone is held accountable.  It allows for there to be zero room for confusion, mixed messages, or miscommunication.  The program establishes that this is the line at which everyone is to be held accountable, and everyone adheres to that line, even any contractors that are working on site.  Contractors are an interesting group of employees and while they are not technically under the direct control of the company where they are working, they are still working at another job site.  Because they are working at another companies plant, they are still subject to rules both safety and otherwise of the facility where they are working.

Just as it is imperative for all levels of leadership to be involved in creating and keeping a culture of safety, it is just as imperative for the employees to be involved.  Without the employees participating in the safety initiative there will never be a culture of safety.  Sometimes it can be difficult to get employees to “buy into” a safety program.  While the CSP is auditing a company’s policy he can make suggestions for ways to get employees on board.

If your company is struggling with your current safety program, or if you would like to have a safety audit, click here to find a CSP near you.