Chapter 28 Promoting Safety

Major Topics Safety rules and regulation Safety training Safety committees Incentives Competition Company sponsored wellness programs Team approach to promoting safety

Company Safety Policy The company safety policy should make it clear that safe work practices are expected of all employees at all levels at all times. It should convey the following message: The company and its top managers are committed to safety and health. Employees are expected to perform their duties in a safe and healthy manner. The company’s commitment extends beyond the walls of its plant to include customers and the community.

Promoting safety by example After a safety policy has been implemented, its credibility with employees will be determined by the example set by management, from supervisors through executives. It is critical that managers follow the company safety policy in both letter and spirit. Managers who set a poor example undermine all of the company’s effort to promote safety.

Employer’s obligations regarding safety rules and regulations From a legal point of view, an employer’s obligations regarding safety rules can be summarized as follows: Employers must have rules that ensure a safe and healthy workplace Employers must ensure that all employees are knowledgeable about the rules Employers must ensure that safety rules are enforced objectively and consistently It is the final step – enforcement – from which most negligent charges arise. It is unacceptable to ignore the rules. The consequences for repeat violations should be more than a letter of reprimand.

Negligence and Company’s Safety Attempts to avoid costly litigation, penalties, or fines by regulating every move that employees make are likely to backfire. Employers must do more than write rules. They must also familiarize all employees with them and enforce them. This is not possible if the rulebook is as thick as a dictionary. Apply common sense when writing safety rules.

Objectivity and Consistency when enforcing safety rules Objectivity means that rules are enforced without bias. Consistency means that rules are enforced in the same manner every time with no regard to any outside factors. This means that the same punishment is assigned regardless of who commits the infraction. Failure to be objective and consistent can undermine the credibility and effectiveness of a company’s effort to promote safety.

Employee participation critical to safety One of the keys to promote safety successfully is to involve employees. They usually know better than anyone else where the hazards exist. In addition they are the ones who must follow safety rules. A fundamental rule of management is if you want employees to make a commitment, involve them from the start. Employees should be involved in the development, implementation, monitoring, and follow-up. In all phases employees should be empowered to take action to improve safety. The most effective safety program is one that employees view as their program.

Safety committee members The most effective committees are those with a broad cross section of workers representing all departments. This offers two advantages: 1. It gives each member of the committee a constituent group for which he or she is responsible. 2. It gives the employees a representative voice on the committee. An executive who knows how to put employees at ease, interact in a non threatening manner, and draw people out will add to the effectiveness of the committee. The safety and health professional should be a member of the committee, serving as the advisor, facilitator, and catalyst. Committee members should select a chairperson from the membership and a recording secretary for taking minutes and maintaining committee records. Safety committees work only if members are truly empowered to identify hazards and take steps to eliminate them.

Benefits of employees signing Declaration of Safety By their signature, employees make a personal commitment By their signature, employees promise to interact positively with fellow workers when they see them ignoring safety precautions. By their signature, employees give fellow workers permission to correct them when they ignore safety precautions.

Steps for insuring incentives actually promote safety When handled properly, incentive programs can be an effective way to promote safety in the workplace. 1. Incentive programs that target individuals improve performance by 27%. 2. Incentive programs that target teams improve performance by 45%. 3. Incentive programs have an equally positive effect on both the quality and quantity of employee performance. 4. Incentive programs work best when they are structured with employee input. 5. Long term incentives are more effective than short term (44% improvement in performance compared to 20% respectively).

Problems with poorly designed incentives Employee taxes: Taxes must be paid on incentives provided to employees. Taxes increase the cost of cash incentives to employers and decrease the net amount for employees. Injury hiding: When departments and units hide (fail to report) injuries to win incentive rewards, the integrity of the safety program is at risk. Unfair programs: It is better to base incentives on daily observation of safe behavior and work practices. Programs based on yearly or quarterly improvements can undermine morale when an accident occurs a day before the end of the period. Insufficient budget: A realistic budget would be $100 per employee per year. Less will have insufficient impact to be worth the time and effort the incentive program requires.

Characteristics of effective teams Effective teams share several common characteristics: Supportive environment: open communications, constructive and non hostile interaction, mutually supportive approach to work, and positive and respectful climate. Team player skills: honesty, selflessness, initiative, patience, resourcefulness, punctuality, tolerance, and perseverance. Role clarity: means that all members understand their respective roles on the team and play those roles. Clear direction: The teams mission statement defines its purpose and how the team fits into the larger organization. The team’s objectives spell out exactly what the team is supposed to accomplish in terms of the safety program. The team’s accountability measures spell out how the team’s performance will be evaluated. Team oriented rewards: Teams function best when the financial rewards of its members are tied at least partially to team performance. Accountability: is being held responsible for accomplishing specific objectives or undertaking specific actions.

Summary A company’s safety policy should include: company commitment to safety, expectation of employees, and safety of customers and the community. Employers must have rules to ensure a safe and healthy workplace; all employees must be knowledgeable of the rules; and rules must be enforced objectively and consistently. Safety training must be a fundamental part of the effort to promote safety. Successful safety committees are composed of a broad cross section of workers representing all departments. Incentives can promote safety if they are properly applied. Encourage competition between teams, to promote safety.

Home work Answer questions 3, 7, 8, and 11 on pages 646-647. 3. What are the employer’s obligations regarding safety rules and regulations? 7. If your task was to establish a safety committee, whom would you ask to serve on it? 8. List 3 benefits that companies gain by asking employees to sign a declaration of safety. 11. What are the characteristics of effective teams?