Safety Culture: An Essential Workplace Practice

Every good company strives to create a strong, effective safety culture. Reducing the number of workplace hazards and complying with federal safety guidelines are components of a good safety culture. This can also lead to increased profit, as it reduces the money spent on repairing damages resulting from workplace accidents.

How can your company create a safety culture of its own? Here are 5 steps towards creating this essential workplace practice.

1. Give Your Program A Name

In establishing a strong safety culture, the program itself must draw internal company interest. After all, what employee cares about another boring work program with a dull name and poorly defined objectives? If interest in the program is low, it becomes incredibly difficult for the program to become a success.

Establish a concise name, like "The 5 Star Safety Program". This gives the program a clear purpose, and gets employees on board.

2. Practical Return on Investment - Reasonable Goals!

Everyone knows the old adage "You gotta spend money to make money". This holds especially true for a business. In establishing a company-wide safety culture, the expectation is to increase profit. It's certainly a reasonable demand, given the time, money, and labor that goes into revamping an entire company's safety practices.

But it's imperative to keep expectations realistic. A small company simply will not save millions of dollars annually by fine-tuning worker safety methods. Take the time to analyze which areas need the most improvement, the amount of wasted capital from these improper practices, and what steps must be taken.

Finally, while it's common to look big picture on everything, take it step-by-step and watch the goals add up!

3. Get Employees to 'Buy In' the Safety Culture

The first step discussed the goal of getting employees to understand the program purpose, and draw cursory interest. Now, the employees receive their benefits from sticking to the program.

A bonus is certainly an effective method, but that's far from the only one. Gift cards, paid time off, and vacation vouchers are just a few of the other possible reward methods. Get creative, and see what rewards will draw the most attraction!

4. Incentivize on Every Level

It can be surprisingly easy to overlook integral employees, whose hard work keeps the safety culture program on-track. Some of the "lower level" employees provide important work, but what about the mid-level employees and supervisors that ensure their employers stay on pace?

Make sure that when implementing a safety culture program, the rewards are  implemented on EVERY level. After all, money and time off are just as welcomed by the supervisors as they are by their employees!

5. Form a Safety Culture Committee

By now, the safety culture program is looking sharp. Employees across all levels are on board, properly compensated, and given attainable goals. But there's still one piece missing; after all, someone needs to "drive the train".

Forming a safety committee provides clear support at a top company level. They spearhead the program itself, create the orders, and ensure the overall progress is satisfactory.

And if the first four steps are implemented property, the progress will absolutely be satisfactory!

Risk Consultants of America specializes in helping companies create their ideal safety culture, and we can do the same for you. Feel free to check us out, and let us help you reach your safety goals!