In the world today, workplace accidents contribute majorly to the accident statistics. According to the International Labour Congress, more than 340 million occupational accidents and 160 million illnesses are caused by work every year.
Even though the rate at which these harms happen in the workplace has reduced due to technological advancement, some companies have yet to prioritize safety in their activities.
Some of the companies that are ready to do what is best to protect their employee at work have a strong safety culture in place to address all safety issues that can give rise to an accident.
What is a safety culture development?
Safety culture is a set of ways of doing and thinking that is widely shared by the employees of an organization in the context of managing the most significant risk associated with its activities.
In every organization, they have their ways of doing things, they develop their own culture in their dealings and this organizational culture has a way of influencing the safety culture of that organization. In other words, the safety culture reflects the influence that the organizational culture has on matters relating to risk management.
Safety culture has to factor in a lot of things in the workplace for it to be developed in a given organization, and those things that should be considered are termed safety culture development factors. These have to do with the way organizations manage their incidents and accidents and how they manage different kinds of risk in their workplace.
This article will cover ways to develop a safety culture in an organization, the benefits of a safety culture and the best practices expected from the employer and employees in the workplace.
Components of a safety culture
The following are the components of a safety culture, and they are
1.Leadership and commitment.
The management of an organization is saddled with the responsibility of setting leadership in that area. This is because safety has to be a top priority, and it has to be factored from top to bottom across the company. The organization and the leadership of the management provide the resources such as time, money and personnel for the overall safety programs in the workplace.
2.Employee involvement.
Employees are also saddled with the responsibility of getting involved in the safety programs of their company and ensuring that all the necessary arrangements are made from their side towards reporting hazards and unsafe conditions that can endanger their lives.
3.Hazard identification and control
Hazard identification and control are key to promoting a safety culture in an organization. Safety culture also entails a complete, concrete and proactive approach to finding and fixing all workplace hazards. A culture of safety is built on conducting a comprehensive safety assessment.
4.Safety policies and procedures
Safety policies and procedures should reflect the particular needs of the workplace. Policies must be stated in clear terms what the workers and the employees need to do. The safety policies have to have to come from the senior management. The policies shall be reviewed at least annually and updated as necessary. The safety procedures relating to different work activities have to be reviewed and updated accordingly, and all workers have to be in the know of them.
5.Communication, training and education
All safety concerns and programs have to be communicated in the work environment. This communication can be in the form of safety signages, toolbox talks, safety meetings, etc. Training the workers on the safety aspect of their various jobs is part of what will build a good safety culture. All workers should undergo general training and job-specific training, including refresher training.
6.Continuous improvement.
Any organization with a true safety culture will review their safety programs and activities regularly from time to time so as to identify areas that need an opportunity for improvement. This inspection should be carried out by a competent person at least annually.
Benefits of a strong safety culture.
1.Reduction in accident
A good safety culture will always bring about a reduction in accidents in the workplace. Lower accidents will definitely give rise to fewer costs arising from an accident. When an accident happens, it tends to give rise to numerous costs, including medical costs, legal costs, costs from repairs or damages, payment for premiums and compensations, etc.
2.Organization Reputation will be enhanced
No company or organization will allow its reputation to be damaged due to an accident. The organizations know that their commitment to safety can attract better talent and great business opportunities, so they will not want to engage in anything that will damage their reputation.
3.Compliance with the law.
Good safety culture will promote an orgnanisation to comply with safety laws. When an organization complies with the safety laws, it will be ahead of avoiding fines and sanctions that are attributed to not obeying safety precautions.
4.Improved employee morale and retention.
A good safety culture will promote employee morale and help such an employee to be retained at work. No worker will like to work in a place where the safety of that worker cannot be guaranteed, and this, in turn, will make such a worker seek employment in other places where there is a good safety culture in place.
Best Practices in Safety Culture Development.
There are lots of best practices in safety culture development. And some organizations that do well in their safety engage these best practices in the course of their work. Those best practices include
1.Leadership by Example:
All leaders in an organization must model the behaviour they expect from their teams. This is because the leader sets directions, and the employees have to key in that Direction.
2.Regular Training, Education and Updates:
Continued training, education, and updates are important for every other organization. Organizations that want to improve their safety culture. Improvements in safety culture require training and education. With education the workers will know the best practices, the new regulations and the required things to do to stay within the confinement of the law.
3.Inclusive Safety Policies:
Safety policies are important as well, but the employees should be made aware of such policies. Good policies are inclusive and considerate of diverse work environments and employees.
4.Use of Technology:
The value of technology can not be overemphasized, and organizations must leverage technology for their safety training, monitoring, and reporting.
5.Data-Driven Decisions:
Data is important in decisions making. So. it’s cool to use data and analytics to identify risks and measure the effectiveness of safety initiatives and on every safety decision that requires it.
Conclusion.
In the article, we have been able to explain what a safety culture development is, the benefits, and why it is important for organizations to develop their safety culture. Engaging actively in these alone will serve as an opportunity for workers to prevent harm to themselves and to protect the interest of the employers at every given time. So, if you’re organization is doing less of what it should do regarding safety culture, it should borrow a leaf and engage more, because it will protect their cost and reputation.
Frequently asked questions FAQ on safety culture development
What is included in safety culture?
Safety culture includes attitudes, practices, and beliefs about safety that exist in any establishment. So, in a safety culture, you’re going to see a range of varying factors, such as values. Myths and stories, procedures and policies, employee involvements, employee training, employee management attitudes, survivor responsibilities and priorities, etc
If your employees are not comfortable in asking safety questions, what do you think will happen?
If the employees are not comfortable asking safety culture questions, it’s likely that someone we get hurt one day or the other. The best organizations allow their workers to ask safety-related questions so that they can be addressed properly.
Are employees required to report incidents?
Yes, of course, employees are required to report incidents in their workplace. If incidents are not reported, or they are dismissed or ignored, it becomes much less likely to prevent the tragic event in the future.
Can your employees refuse to work in unsafe conditions?
Unsafe conditions are environments that are very unsafe to work. Such an environment poses the workers to harm and injury. However, if a worker deems an area unsafe to work in, they shouldn’t be required to work in that area.
What is the best possible way to address Unsafe conditions?
The safest place to work in an environment where conditions are safe. The management must promptly correct unsafe conditions. Otherwise, it will communicate to employees that their safety is not valued.
Onyeka Emma is a QHSE Professional with more than 10 years of experience in occupational health and safety, which spans many industries such as construction, beverage, oil and gas, etc. He has many health and safety certifications, including NEBOSH IGC, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 Lead auditor certificate. A member of IOSH, ISPON, and Nigeria Red Cross Society. He is interested in business, entrepreneurship, Speaking, and motivating people to do better for themselves. He enjoys leisure with a good motivational book.
