The saying “it’s cheaper to prevent an injury or illness than to pay for it” is especially true when it comes to the hardship cost to the employee and their family. Eliminating hazards before they cause accidents is the right thing to do.
One way to keep employees focused on doing their work the safe way everyday is by safety promotion, which starts with having a published safety policy. The safety policy is the company’s commitment to health and safety, which is clearly communicated. The best safety policy is usually short and simple outlining the company’s commitment and expectations. The safety policy makes it clear that the company and top managers are committed to safety, and that all levels of employees are expected to perform their duties in a safe and healthy manner at all times. (Goetsch, 2015)
After a safety policy is developed, defining the company’s rules and regulations that defines acceptable and unacceptable behavior is the next step. The rules help ensure a safe workplace only when all employees are knowledgeable about the rules and they are consistently enforced regardless of who commits the infraction.
Safety training is another way to show employees that management is committed to safety, beginning with new hire orientation and continually thereafter. The safety program is most effective when employees see it as their program. Involve them as much as possible during training and empower them to take action to improve safety. After all, they are the people who most likely know where the hazards are.
Promoting safety by developing a suggestion program is another great injury prevention effort, but only if you are committed to following through with suggestions. This involves answering all suggestions with a timely response of actions taken and status of the suggested improvement. Implement the good ideas and recognize employees with a variety of rewards. You may find the suggestion program not only improves safety, but other process improvements in quality and production as well. (Goetsch, 2015)
Visual awareness goes a long way keeping safety top of mind. Remember to change posters and signs periodically. Keep the message simple and brief, and large enough to see at a distance. Involving the employees with these messages is a great way to keep them engaged in the safety promotion effort. This is a excellent activity for the Safety Committee as well.
Finally, gaining the employee’s personal commitment to work safe everyday by signing a written pledge further to engages them on a personal level. After all the bottom line really is, we all want everyone to go home safely everyday to the people that love them. That’s how businesses move forward, thrive, and survive.
Reference: Goetsch, D.L. (2015). Occupational safety and health for technologists, engineers, and managers (8th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
