The Secret to a Safe Work Place
Why does one company go through an entire year without a single loss-time incident while another company in the same type of business experiences three times as many loss-time accidents than the industry average? Is one company just lucky? Does it know some magical secret the other company does not?
No, safety is not an esoteric discipline. The company with no loss-time incidents recognizes the benefits of a safe work environment in both human and economic terms and has systems in place to ensure their employees’ safety and health.
Just like there have been many books, thoughts and philosophies on losing weight, there are many opinions and theories on creating an accident free work environment. Like losing weight, when it comes to safety, gimmicks and popular trends may offer short-term benefits, but without incorporating and building on core principles, true long-term success will be difficult to obtain.
The key to losing weight and keeping it off is not complex. Eat healthy well-balanced meals. Consume fewer calories than your body burns off. Perform regular moderate exercises. Likewise, there is no secret short cut to a successful safety program.
Analysis and study of successful companies with effective safety programs reveals four common key components for creating a safe and healthy work environment:
- Management commitment and employee involvement
- Work site analysis
- Hazard prevention and control
- Training for all employees
Like weight loss, it is not complex nor does it require large financial commitments. It does require discipline and a fundamental belief that safety and health add value to the business, work environment, and quality of life for all employees.
Your company may offer great products and services. You may also have great customer service. Your employees may be the greatest at what they do. However, another building block of greatness is safety. Is it a core value at your company? No one wants accidents and injuries to happen. The good news is you can take proven actions to prevent a serious fire, disabling injury or other incidents which negatively impact your company. Let’s look further at the four basic elements that are a part of all successful safety and health programs.
Management Commitment/Employee Involvement
As the owner, manager or supervisor, your attitude toward safety and health will be reflected by your employees. If you are not interested in preventing employee injury and illness, your workers will probably not give safety and health much thought either. It is essential that you demonstrate your priority and commitment for safety at all times.
You show its importance through your actions and behavior. You demonstrate the depth of your commitment by involving your employees in planning and carrying out your efforts. Involving your employees in identifying and resolving safety and health problems, will bring their unique insights and energy to help achieve the goals and objectives of your program.
The owner and management team leads by setting policy, assigning and supporting responsibility, setting an example and involving employees. You are responsible for establishing and effectively communicating expectations and then providing the time, training, and resources to accomplish them. Institute a system of accountability where all personnel will be held accountable for following all policies and procedures established to promote workplace safety and health. You are the number one cheerleader for safety at your business. Provide your employees positive reinforcement when you see them safely performing their job. Make safety a part of every aspect of your business.
Work Site Analysis
It is your responsibility to know what items or substances in your workplace put your employees at risk of injury or illness. Work site analysis is a process that identifies needs in keeping your workers safe. Creative Business Resources can assist you in conducting an effective work site analysis.
Review your injury and illness records (supplied to clients by CBR) to identify patterns that can help you devise strategies and procedures to prevent reoccurrence. Make sure employees feel comfortable alerting you or another member of management when they observe things that look potentially dangerous.
Establish step-by-step procedures for safely performing each job. A hazard analysis should be performed whenever there is a change in current procedures, or a new substance, equipment, or job task is introduced into the work environment.
Hazard Prevention and Control
Once you have identified existing and potential hazards, systems are implemented to prevent or control the hazards. The first option is always to eliminate the hazard when possible. Engineering controls and management practices are the preferred method for controlling or eliminating hazards. When engineering controls and management practices are not practical or feasible then additional precautions such as safe work procedures and the use of personal protective equipment are implemented.
Set up safe work procedures based on the analysis of the hazards in your workplace. Ensure that employees understand and follow them. Establish procedures for regular inspection and maintenance of equipment and machinery to prevent breakdowns that can create hazards.
Make sure the tasks you perform and where you perform them do not create additional hazards for other employees. Establish procedures for your employees to conduct a hazard analysis at the start of each shift or performing a new task. Develop formal procedures for reporting and correcting all identified hazards that place employees at risk.
Training
Training is an essential element in all successful accident prevention programs. It is an excellent opportunity to create an awareness and respect for the hazards found in the workplace, communicate expectations and receive feedback.
Training educates your workers on the skills and techniques required to ensure their safety. It provides a forum to share information and ideas to improve the business. Properly executed, training provides a vehicle to communicate, educate and teach what to do and how to do it to the ultimate benefit of the company and the individual.
Effective training will increase quality and productivity while reducing the worker’s exposure to risk factors that can lead to accidents and injuries. The key to the success of a safety and health plan is to see it as a part of your business operation and reflect it in your day-to-day operations. Safety is a part of every task performed. The benefits of safety have been well documented.
Companies with good safety and health programs experience a reduction in accidents and injuries, reduced workers’ compensation costs, reduced employee absenteeism, reduced turnover, increased productivity, increased employee moral and increased profitability.
Facts and statistics may have little impact on you. Accidents and injuries happen to other companies. You may never have experienced a serious injury, illness or death in your business. Is your accident prevention based upon proactive business management or luck?
The secret to safety is you. You have the ability to create a safe and healthy workplace. It doesn’t need to be difficult or costly, but it does require your continuous commitment and the four elements just discussed. Your safety and that of your employees depends on it.
Contact us or request a proposal for more information!
