How To Recognize Poor Safety Cultures
Is your company suffering from a poor safety culture that is causing more accidents? Here are some ways to determine whether your business has a poor safety culture and what you can do to change it.
Here are 7 signs that the safety culture at your company is unhealthy:
1. Safety is not a top-down concept.
People copy what they observe. The senior executives in your firm must act as advocates for safety if you want your corporation to have a successful safety programme. The rest of the firm will follow after the leadership team is fully engaged. However, if there is only one weak link, your entire safety culture will collapse. Ascertain that all of your executives, managers, and supervisors are on board with your safety strategy.
2. Ineffective communication between branches or departments.
Your safety strategy becomes weaker as a result of ambiguity. For success, make sure you have a detailed strategy in place with clear accountability for each team member and department. Constantly reiterate these ideas and make sure that each department is familiar with every detail. In order to bring all of the plans together for the success of the overall safety project, it is advisable to assign a point-person or designated communication officer who will serve as the liaison between various sections within your business.
3. Failure to disclose all accidents and events.
In a research that was published in the Journal of Safety Research (Vol. 45) of the National Safety Council, young workers said that a feeling of helplessness prevented them from speaking up to their supervisor about safety issues. The greatest method to ensure the success of your safety culture is to empower your staff and have them address potential safety risks before they arise. Unfortunately, dangers are sometimes only reduced after being reported or after a near-miss occurs. In order to build your safety culture and aid your safety strategy, your business should correctly record all accidents, incidents, and near-misses.
People are frequently held accountable for injuries, and it is generally accepted that those who were most closely involved in the accident have the most culpability. Everyone should be responsible for their own safety. Additionally, according to Safety and Health Magazine, common excuses for failing to report an incident include:
- The damage was minor.
- the acceptance of pain as a necessary evil
- avoiding being branded as a "complainer"
- believing that at-home care would be enough
- not knowing if the damage was caused by my job
- fear of losing current or future employment
- Not wanting to forfeit the safety incentive for no missed work time because they cannot afford to take time off work to visit a doctor.
Everyone has a responsibility to ensure safety, but you should also underline that reporting an injury will not result in reprisal.
5. Cutting expenses and concentrating solely on profitability.
There are certain organisations where the culture is that the only thing that matters is profits. Health and safety are viewed as extra expenses. Staff hurrying and working too rapidly are signs of this, as are businesses not willing to invest in the proper PPE and other equipment, overworking workers, and concentrating solely on the bottom line.
In fact, businesses that prioritise safety actually end up saving money. Take into account that the typical Pennsylvania workers' compensation claim costs $38,000. Therefore, if a company is self-insured, it pays for 80% of that expense. And so...
- An employer would foot the $25,000 out of pocket.
- If the company had a 1% net profit margin, it would need $2.5 million in new business to make up for the $25,000.
- In the long term, businesses will actually save money if they prioritise safety. Putting money and cultural resources into your safety strategy is always a smart idea.
6. There was no improvement or follow-up following the accident.
Even with the right training and precautions, accidents can still occur at any time. If an accident occurs at your workplace, you should take advantage of the situation to review your safety protocols and eliminate any potential threats. The information you gather will eventually help your business. Companies frequently do little more than document the mishap and save it. After an accident or event occurs, you should always look into it, keep track of it, and take action to strengthen your safety strategy. Maintain a good system for record keeping and retain any paperwork related to injuries.
Your company's lifeblood is its workforce. An rise in morale results in an improvement in effectiveness, output, and profitability. Make sure your employees are aware of their voice. Give them a means of communicating potential safety risks. Pay attention to their feedback and recommendations, and be sure to investigate any major concerns that are mentioned. You'll not only increase team trust, but you'll also make your business safer in the process.
It's not too late if you discover any of these problems in your company. You may create the foundation for creating a strong safety culture in your organisation by concentrating on addressing these weak points.
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Ms.Divyasree - HSE Adviser | Aim Vision Safety Training & Consulting
t: 044 42140492
m: 91 9445508458
e: Admin@aimvisionsafety.co.in
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