Removing roadblocks to sustainable safety improvement

Are you satisfied with the current state of your safety program?

• Have training, audits and attempts to change behavior not yielded the long-term results you desire?
• Do you feel like the safety department is carrying most of the load?
• Are organizational responsibilities understood and people held accountable?
• Is top management integrating safety with production, quality and other major company initiatives?
• Are you searching for an answer to achieving true continuous improvement?

First, let me suggest that you look at your health and safety management system and ask the following:

1. Do you have one?
2. If so, is it integrated into the management system(s) used by top management on a regular basis?

If you can’t answer “yes” to both #1 and #2, you should consider incorporating the following principles into your operations:

• Top management is responsible for leading safety and integrating it into the business.
• A management system is the primary “tool” that allows senior executives to define organizational responsibilities and hold people accountable.
• Safety personnel are there to serve the operations end of the business. Suggest an integrated management system.

Whether you do it in-house or call in a safety consultant, thoroughly assess existing systems and processes and then construct a plan that allows top management and senior operations management to fully integrate safety into their daily business. Then you’ll be on the road to sustainable safety improvement.