To run an effective safety program, you need to be an enthusiastic booster of safety. However, enthusiasm won’t win over management—you need to make the business case for safety as well.
Management will readily agree that safety is important, and they know that they have a moral–and legal–obligation to maintain a safe workplace. But sometimes it’s hard to get that concern translated into getting a budget for safety products, getting people released for safety training, and getting time allocated for safety committee meetings, inspections, and investigations.
Safety and the Bottom Line
In the C-Suite, bottom line impact is what counts, so enthusiasm and moral arguments aren’t enough. You need to be able to justify safety program elements as cost-saving and productivity-enhancing.
Here are some specific bottom line reasons for safety programs.
• Injuries and illnesses drop productivity dramatically. Safety problems—accidents, injuries, illnesses—can shut down production lines for repairs or for investigations. Lost-time accidents mean the loss of skilled workers, and substitutes just can’t keep productivity up.
• Fines and sanctions for noncompliance with safety rules can be stiff. OSHA’s always on the prowl, and, in spite of workers’ compensation laws, safety lawsuits are still possible, especially when there’s even a hint of negligence. Don’t think juries are going to side with you when an injured employee limps to the witness stand.
• When safety suffers, morale suffers. And when morale suffers, productivity suffers. “I told them about the hazard, but they just don’t care.” That attitude isn’t going to make for eager, productive workers.
• When morale suffers, retention suffers. When employees don’t feel secure where they work, and don’t think that management cares about their safety, they are much more likely to
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• Safety won’t happen by itself. You can’t “wish” safety into employees. They simply don’t act safely–even though it’s in their own best interest–unless the organization insists on it.
Safety–there’s a lot to do, and it’s never-ending, especially if you’re also the HR manager! You need a handy, comprehensive resource that offers easy-to-understand compliance and ready-to-go training all in one.
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