Creating a strong health and safety culture doesn't only reduce injuries; it helps keep your workers' compensation costs low.
Here are the necessary steps in establishing a safety culture:
Management support and direction
Management must be a role model for safety. This includes establishing the company's safety vision, goals and rules, as well as practicing what you preach in everyday safety practices.
Active safety committee
Safety committees should serve as a conduit for all safety efforts and companywide communication regarding safety. That's why all areas of the company must be represented on the committee.
Employee accountability and participation
Everyone must be accountable for safety in the workplace, and feel empowered to take steps to ensure their own safety and the safety of their fellow employees
Ongoing safety training
Routine, effective training must be available (and mandatory) for all employees
Comprehensive claims management
Having a written claims management policy and a getting back to work program are instrumental in helping you control costs if an injury occurs
Continuous improvement
Safety efforts should be reviewed routinely and adjusted when necessary. This includes investigating all injuries to identify causes, and implementing prevention measures.
Celebrating success
Individual employees and teams should be rewarded in order to acknowledge and build upon positive safety achievements
