Promoting Safety

Chapter 28 - Promoting Safety
SAFETY MANAGEMENT
PROMOTING SAFETY
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Occupational Safety & Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers

By David L. Goetsch
2011, 2008, 2005, 2002, 1999 Pearson Education, Inc.

Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
INTRODUCTION
One of the best ways to promote safety is to design
it into the tools, machines, and technologies with
which people interact in the workplace.
Even the best design or analysis cannot completely
eliminate the potential for accidents.
It is important to have accident prevention

procedures & ensure that employees follow them.
The purpose of safety promotion is to keep employees
focused on doing their work the safe way, every day.
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By David L. Goetsch

COMPANY SAFETY POLICY

Promoting safety begins a published company
safety policy that makes it clear that safe work
practices are expected at all levels at all times.
The safety policy serves as the foundation upon which
all other promotional efforts are built.
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By David L. Goetsch

COMPANY SAFETY POLICY

An example of a company safety policy.
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By David L. Goetsch

Promoting Safety by Example

The credibility of a safety policy with employees will
be determined by the example set by management,
from supervisors through executives.
Managers who set a poor example undermine all the
companys efforts to promote safety.
Positive examples tend to break down most

frequently under the pressure of deadlines.
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By David L. Goetsch

SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS

Company safety policy is translated into everyday
action and behavior by rules and regulations.
Defining behavior that is acceptable & unacceptable
from a safety & health perspective.
From a legal point of view, an employers obligations

regarding safety rules can be summarized as:
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.
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By David L. Goetsch


Employers must develop appropriate rules, then
familiarize employees with them & enforce them.
Enforcement causes most negligence charges arise.
Objectivity and consistency are critical when

enforcing rules.
Objectivity means rules are enforced without bias.
Consistency means rules are enforced in the same
manner every time, with no regard to any outside factors.
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By David L. Goetsch


Guidelines to follow when developing safety rules.
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By David L. Goetsch

EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION/PROMOTING SAFETY
One of the keys to promoting safety successfully is

to involve employeeswho usually know better than
anyone where hazards exist.
They are also the ones who must follow safety rules.
One of the most effective strategies for getting

employees to commit to the safety program is to
involve them in the development of it.
Also the implementation, monitoring, and follow-up.
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By David L. Goetsch

SAFETY TRAINING
One of the best ways to promote safety in the
workplace is to provide ongoing safety training.
Initial safety training should be part of the orientation
process for new employees.
Subsequent safety training should be aimed at developing
new, more specific, and more in-depth knowledge and at
renewing and updating existing knowledge.
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By David L. Goetsch

SUGGESTION PROGRAMS
Well-run suggestion programs solicit input from the
people most likely to know where hazards exist.
They involve and empower employees which, in turn,
gives them ownership of the safety program.
Suggestions need an immediate, formal response.

Management must monitor department performance
in generating/responding to suggestions.
System costs and savings must be reported.
Recognition and awards must be handled promptly.
Good ideas must be implemented.
Personality conflicts must be minimized.
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By David L. Goetsch

SUGGESTION PROGRAMS
An example of a suggestion form that may be
used as part of a companys safety program.
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By David L. Goetsch

VISUAL AWARENESS
Making a safety & health message visual can

be an effective way to get the message across.
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By David L. Goetsch

VISUAL AWARENESS
Several rules of thumb can help ensure the
effectiveness of efforts to make safety visual:
Change signs, posters, and other visual aids periodically.
Visual aids left up too long begin to blend into the background.
Involve employees in developing the messages that are

displayed on signs and posters.
Make visual aids large enough to be seen easily from a
reasonable distance.
Locate visual aids for maximum effect.
Use color whenever possible to attract attention.

Follow OSHA color standards where applicable.
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By David L. Goetsch

SAFETY COMMITTEES
Safety committees provide a formal structure
through which employees & management can funnel
concerns & suggestions about safety/health issues.
The most effective committees are those with a broad
cross-section of workers representing all departments.
Should an executive-level manager should serve

on the safety committee?
An executive-level participant can give the committee
credibility, visibility, and access.
The presence of an executive manager can inhibit free
flow of ideas and concerns.
The author recommends involving a very carefully
selected executive manager on the committee.
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By David L. Goetsch

Safety Committee Meetings

It is important to have meetings efficient & effective,
with an agenda that gives structure &direction.
Call to order; Record attendance; Review/approve
previous minutes.
Discuss old business; Discuss new business.
Discuss new accidents & near misses.
Report on inspections, subcommittee work, special
assignments, safety programs, etc.
Make special presentations.
Guests, videos/DVDs, demonstrations, etc.
Make announcements; Adjourn.
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By David L. Goetsch

Dos and Donts of Safety Committees

DO:
Suggest strategies and options for management to
improve health and safety performance.
Train committee members so they can successfully
carry out their responsibilities.
Give the safety committee authority commensurate
with their responsibilities.
Have goals & objectives; measure & track progress.

Encourage employee involvement by actively creating an
atmosphere of trust, teamwork, respect, and partnership.
Reward progress, participation, and leadership.
Be patient & reasonable in allowing enough time for the

committee to work.
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By David L. Goetsch


DO:
Train management on their responsibility for safety
and on the support role of the safety committee.
Stagger committee memberships to maintain a mix
of experience levels.
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By David L. Goetsch


DONT:
Allow the safety committee to function as safety cops.
Keep management responsible for decisions & enforcements.
Discuss topics unrelated to health and safety at safety

committee meetings.
Stay away from labor and personnel issues.
Rotate members too quickly.

A one-year minimum membership is the norm.
Let any one member dominate safety committee meetings.

Encourage and maintain equal participation.
Allow safety committee members to bring just problems

to the meetings.
Have them bring solutions as well.
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By David L. Goetsch


DONT:
Allow the safety committee to become scapegoats when
something goes wrong.
Management is responsible for safety performance.
Punish.
It creates fear, which inhibits communication and partnership.
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By David L. Goetsch

PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO SAFETY

If every employee is committed to working safely
every day, workplace safety will take care of itself.
How does a company gain this type of personal
commitment from its employees?
Most safety superstars have formal safety

programsteams, committees, etc.
Many of these organizations also have commitments
signed from their employees indicating that they bought
into the safety program.
By their signature, employees promise to interact positively
with fellow workers when they see them ignoring safety
precautions.
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By David L. Goetsch

EMPLOYEE-MANAGEMENT PARTICIPATION
When disagreement over a safety procedure does
surface, the issue at the heart is usually money.
Employees are likely to favor procedures that enhance
workplace safety regardless of cost.
Management is likely to want to weigh cost vs benefits.
With management and employees on the same

team, the safety program is much more likely to
succeed.
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By David L. Goetsch


Promoting Safety

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Chapter 28 - Promoting Safety

Occupational Safety & Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers

2011, 2008, 2005, 2002, 1999 Pearson Education, Inc.

Chapter 28 - Promoting Safety

It is important to have accident prevention

Occupational Safety & Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers

2011, 2008, 2005, 2002, 1999 Pearson Education, Inc.

Chapter 28 - Promoting Safety

COMPANY SAFETY POLICY

Occupational Safety & Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers

2011, 2008, 2005, 2002, 1999 Pearson Education, Inc.

Chapter 28 - Promoting Safety

COMPANY SAFETY POLICY

Occupational Safety & Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers

2011, 2008, 2005, 2002, 1999 Pearson Education, Inc.

Chapter 28 - Promoting Safety