World-class safety performers understand that aligning resources with objectives is critical. They articulate a vision that specifies desired behaviors for employees at every level and define actionable and manageable steps for getting there. With each step, they ensure they have the people, financing and resources needed to succeed.
Strong safety performers ensure they are aligned with subordinates on what they need to do to support them. They coach and mentor employees, and provide them with the training, resources and assistance needed to achieve their goals. They work collaboratively with their people to get the most out of their performance. Great safety performers actively seek feedback on their safety leadership behaviors. Leadership is an art anyone can learn.
World-class safety performers drive the focus on proactive exposure reduction. They understand that exposure — not injury — is the best indicator of safety performance. They enable workers to recognize when exposure is changing and take action to eliminate the risk in real time. Great safety performers actively ensure alignment between their company and contractor leadership. They address the issue of contractor safety in a surprisingly simple and direct way: They treat contractors like everyone else.
They take the position that human life — regardless of the badge you wear — is sacred. World-class safety performers have a deep understanding of the activities their organizations are undertaking and demonstrate active support. They take action on safety issues and demonstrate a sense of urgency for safety.
Your safety program should include:. An annual comprehensive safety and health program audit, and regular reviews by people qualified to recognize existing hazards and potentially significant risks. This can be done by in-house staff, or by a third-party safety professional. A reliable procedure that allows employees to report possibly hazardous conditions without fear of reprisal and to receive appropriate and timely responses. Ongoing monitoring and maintenance of equipment to prevent it from becoming hazardous.
Prompt investigation of accidents, near-misses, and incidents of injury or illness to identify causes and corrective actions. Your safety program should include safety plans, rules, and work procedures for specific operations at your company. Notably, Amerisafe Group employs a staff of professionals experienced in helping companies assess, develop, and manage safety programs. Kubeldis may be reached at dkubeldis amerisafe-css. A strong and successful safety program is critical for all businesses, particularly those in the construction industry.
Of course, it can be difficult to truly implement and sustain a culture of safety that will provide for the ongoing support and protection of all employees. Fortunately, there are a number of resources that can help you create a program that will facilitate the development of an effective safety culture and bolster your health and safety programs.
Safety and health hazards from routine, non-routine, and emergency situations are identified and assessed. Each action item is an example of the steps that leaders can take to establish, implement, maintain, and improve a safety and health program. No single essential element, nor a combination of these elements, will excel without an organizational safety culture in place that is proactive, universal, and continuously improving.
The safety culture concept is based on the notion that organizations have unique cultures—a combination of values, beliefs, and behaviors that define the way they do business. Perhaps one of the earliest known active demonstrations of establishing a safety culture and instilling management commitment to safety was with the DuPont Company. Back in the s, DuPont gunpowder mills were plagued by accidental explosions that killed or injured workers with each blast. Patriarch Eleuthere Irenee Du Pont decided to make managers more safety conscious: he relocated their offices directly above the production floor.
This move—for obvious reasons—made them more invested in the prevention of accidents. Explosions at the Ukraine reactor caused at least 30 deaths and contaminated square miles. Although definitions of what constitutes a good safety culture differ, they all involve focusing on establishing safety as a value within the organization—rather than a priority subject to change depending upon needs, schedules, etc. Leaders who recognize the many benefits of safety and strive to establish a proactive safety culture in their organizations will likely be more successful in leading safety.
Clearly implementing the essential elements and a proactive safety culture based on the experiences of others are great starting points. Fortunately, for construction leaders looking to improve safety performance, there are other resources to offer insights and reflect on the experience of others.
Of those, 2 in particular stand out as most useful for reflecting on what others are doing and what might be needed to be changed to improve safety performance. Both are based on studies and data specific to the construction industry, making them very useful for contractor purposes. The study and related report examine responses from over contractor companies on 7 categories of Safety Culture Indicators:. Management commitment to safety and health.
Safety and health are fundamental company values.
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